It’s Not My Job to Entertain You!

Today’s Reflection:

I am reading the devotion book On the Road with my sons-in-law, and we have entered into a thirty day prayer covenant. Today’s devotion on page 21: “Raging Against Wise Judgment” was certainly challenging for father-in-law to son-in-law covenanters! Though the author talks about sexual temptation in his article, the Apostle James certainly doesn’t limit his passage to that narrow focus:

James 1.13-15: When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

How hard it is to refuse to entertain the temptation! My natural desire says: I want to be angry! I want to keep that money I received by accident. I want to talk about my neighbor. But this passage does not let us off the hook ,does it? We, as Christian men and women, must refuse to even entertain the temptations that confront us every day due to our human desires. They become evil desires when we let them drag us away from our pure intentions and entice us to entertain the temptation. Even if I don’t act on the temptation, James says entertaining it is evil and it brings forth sin.

Before they ever become temptation, say to your desires: “It’s not my job to entertain you!” God, keep us pure!

This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Ezekiel 36.25-27: I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws

One Happy Man

1 Chronicles 7.40a
All these were descendants of Asher—heads of families, choice men, brave warriors and outstanding leaders.

In Genesis 30.13 we are told how Asher came to get his name. He brought his mother happiness and so she named him “Happy.” That’s not a bad way to be thought of, is it? One who makes others happy? One who is happy himself?

I like how the descendants of Asher are described:

1. Heads of families
2. Choice men
3. Brave warriors
4. Outstanding leaders

I wouldn’t mind being known as:

1. The head of my family – providing spiritual leadership, service and sacrifice in the manner of Jesus
2. A choice man – one worthy to be chosen – by God, by my wife, by my employer, etc.
3. A brave warrior – not one to shrink away from a challenge – even if it involves great personal cost and risk
4. An outstanding leader – out front in matters of faith and following God; distinguishing myself as one above the crowd

That would make me “one happy man.” A true descendant of Asher!