Devotional Word for Thursday, July 2, 2020
Hello and good morning! It is Thursday, July 2, 2020. My name is pastor Steve, and this is a devotional challenge from God’s Word.
One of the most popular fictional sci-fi TV series spanning over three decades was Star Trek. This original series starring William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy is still broadcasted on cable and satellite television today. William Shatner’s voice can be heard saying, ‘Space, the final frontier. “These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: To explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no man has gone before.”
After this original series, several movies and sequels have followed with similar popularity for TV viewers. There were always new territories to explore, but there were also zones of space to avoid because they were not in “Federation” space. A Federation Starship entering a restricted area of space threatened peace and could cause galactic war.
Captain Kirk was often enticed to enter these restricted areas against the advice of his crew and the command of his superiors. However, the outcome was always the same. Captain Kirk led his starship and crew into trouble and then got them out of it with only minor scrapes. The ends always justified the means. Captain Kirk ended up on top and was praised by all those who advised him not to go. I suppose this is why we call it a fictional TV series; because this is not the way it works out in real life, is it?
Proverbs 1.10 says, “If sinners entice you, do not consent”. Which way do we go when we are being persuaded to join others in sinful practices? Well, our knee jerk reaction is to say no and to walk away, right? If it was that easy, I’m sure this wise saying from God would not have been written. But the fact is, it is not that easy, is it? The main reason why it is not easy is because we are sinners by nature; we all have sinned and have a natural bent to sin.
We can interpret this proverb to mean that sinners are drawing other sinners to join them in sinning. If we did not have the tendency to sin, we could not be enticed, seduced, persuaded, or deceived into joining anyone in sinning.
However, the way to respond is clearly laid out for us in this proverb. We are simply told, “do not consent”.
As believers in Jesus Christ, we have been given the ability by God’s grace to resist and to escape from the temptation to sin. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10.13 “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.”
Any compromises we make to yield to sin are always driven by our own fleshly lusts, and the consequences are deadly. James 1.14-15 reads, “But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.”
The best way is to not give in at all. As the Apostle Paul warns us in 1 Corinthians 15.33 “Do not be deceived; “Bad company corrupts good morals.”
We must not give in to entertaining thoughts to sin through what we hear from others, what we view on the TV and other medias, or by what we pick up to read. Just remove yourself from bad company! Just delete the app or turn off the electronic devices! Just close the book or magazine or throw it in the trash!
We need to be spiritually alert to discern and explore right ways to live and have fun and enjoy fellowship with our friends and family! The Apostle Paul stated, “make no provision”. In Romans 13.14 we read, “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”Which way are we to go? We are to go the way God has clearly laid out for us in His Word. We are called to holiness; to live by faith in obedience to God’s will as we yield to the powerful indwelling Holy Spirit. If sinners entice you to go another way that leads you to sin, “Do Not Consent”!