The Compromise
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In a lecture recently, the speaker stated,
“Salesmen are often blamed for bad buying decisions; But I am yet to see or hear of a salesman who ties a pen into someone’s hands and forces them to sign a sales contract!”
It is part of our fallen nature to blame everyone else for our bad choices, totally oblivious to our own role in the problem. Often, we are quick to blame our own bad decisions on others.
In yesterday’s devotional entitled, “Deceptions” we stated these four things that make us vulnerable to deception and allows the enemy to take advantage of us: the lure of bypassing due process, discontentment, greed and impatience.
Today, we critically examine what happened in the garden of Eden and see the role of the five human senses in the problem. Let us read Genesis 3:1-6.
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman,
“Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
The woman said to the serpent,
“We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”
“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
(Genesis 3:1-6 NIV)
The whole thing started by a conversation — her sense of hearing! I imagine if she had been deaf; that would have been the end of the matter! But she heard what the serpent said, and her response compromised her.
Then the verse 6 said
“…the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye.”
How she determined that it was good for food has not been explicitly stated, but we often assess food by the sight and smell.
She then took some of it (compromising her sense of touch) and ate it (compromising her sense of taste)! She then gave some to her husband who was with her!
The five sense God blessed us with are also the tools the enemy exploits to compromise us!
The questions we ask today are:
What are you hearing? Do you know that ignoring some of the things you hear can save you a lot of trouble? Do you know that certain conversations should not be encouraged beyond the first sentence? Eve could have told the serpent,
“This is not up for discussion!”
And that would have been the end. But when she encouraged the conversation, what started as a question ended in seeing, smelling, touching and tasting! It started with her hearing, but ended in action! It is a known fact that once one sense is compromised, the others easily follow. In the end the entire body is compromised!
The enemy strategy has not changed. He still appeals to our senses:
- That call or invitation you got
- That picture you want to see, or video you want to watch
- That smell of food or cologne that is so irresistibly attractive
- That drink or thing you want to taste
- That body or thing you want to touch
They can all be the beginning of your end. Before you go along, ask yourself,
“Where is this leading?”
Do not give the devil a foothold.
MEMORY VERSE
“Do not give the devil a foothold.”
(Ephesians 4:27)
QUESTIONS
What are you hearing, seeing, tempted to taste, touch or smell?
Do you know that a wrong move can give the devil a foothold?
PRAYER TIP
Father, please help me
to quickly see when
the enemy tries to
establish a foothold
in my life, in Jesus'
name.
URGENT CALL
Every soul is valuable to God, far more than the entire world! But by nature, we are all sinful, and alienated from God, and we ultimately face his wrath!
God in His mercy and love made a way for us to remedy this. He gives us a chance to reverse this downward spiral to destruction, join His family, be part of His household, and become His children.
The first step to becoming a member of God’s household is for us to be saved.
Salvation comes through accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Personal Savior.
It is a very personal decision. No one can make that decision for you.
If you make that decision today, there will be great singing and rejoicing in heaven; because one new member has joined the family and household of God! A soul, much, much more valuable than the world, has been saved from destruction!
Do you want to make that decision today?
Please visit “The Believer’s Prayer”
for guidance if you want
to make that decision.
Then develop your new relationship
with God through your Quiet Time.
Then find a Bible-Believing Church
where you can Fellowship with like
minded people.
We will be happy to hear from you through the contact information on that page, or the ones at the top of this page. Don’t delay. Make this very personal decision today!
God richly bless you.
SPECIAL GRATITUDE
Thank you for visiting the Testimony Devotional Website.
We would not have gotten here without your prayers, goodwill and overall support. We are grateful, and humbled.
We thank God for counting us worthy to share in His Great Commission; and we thank you for sticking with us through this journey.
God richly bless you.
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