HELP IN RECOGNIZING THE SCHEME AND THE SCHEMER

 It seems I speak of sin a great deal lately (or so it seems to me).   Perhaps this is a sign of my own personal struggle with sin?  In my defense, I am reading Leviticus in my annual walk through the Bible plan and when you read ALL those laws---you can get bogged down in how anyone could ever live a sinless life.  (THANK GOD & JESUS FOR FREEING US FROM THE LAW)  We are studying Genesis on Sunday morning and just hit upon the very first sin.  Poor Eve--what a thing to be remembered for.  This past Sunday (March 3) the pastor taught on the Devil's Schemes.  I walked away with a page full of notes and the certainty I needed to address this.  What hope am I giving if all I am talking about is  how fallen man has a propensity to sin and no help in fighting off that inclination?

Satan has a game plan and I will give you the high points of what I heard~

ISOLATION---BOY--did this hit me in the face.  In many ways since the pandemic I have lived a very isolated life.  It began with a huge amount of caution, knowing I did not want to have the plague.  (I do not handle suffering physically well either.)  Once the habit of being home became ingrained---my introverted self found that I did not mind being alone.  NOW--I love people--enjoy almost all of you (I will not name names of those I might run from).  BUT my mother seems to have passed on her introvert gene to all three of her offspring.  My sister in law told my brother, "This pandemic shut down played right into the hands of you James'es."  Well not intentionally--but all three of us do not mind periods of aloneness.  The Word instructs us---to meet together.  My favorite together is small group and one on one.  We need others to hold us accountable and be our truth tellers.  At times we do not realize what we are in the middle of and its danger unless someone hits us in the face with it.  God places those in our lives who love us enough to lovingly point out where we are headed.

DISCONTENTMENT-- A friend recently told me of a meeting with a missionary from a third world country where poverty causes a daily struggle for the necessities of life.  The missionary told her--"I feel sorry for you Americans!  You live in a land of plenty and extravagant riches of abundances which become a huge distraction from the God who supplies WHAT WE NEED."  We are guilty of fighting against the concept of enough.

DOUBTING GOD--  When things are going south for us--when tragedies come--when everyone seems to have more--when we are struggling, there is that evil whisper--"How could a loving and good God allow this? This is not fair.  Why should I listen to a God who allows this?"  You can quickly find in the Word proof that not only is God good in the midst of trouble, but He is faithful and will sustain us.

RATIONALIZATION--  NOW I have at least discussed this with you.  Our need to tell those little white lies.   Sin making sense in our convoluted attempt to justify the wrong path we have taken.  The pastor gave this quote from one of the other pastor's on the pastoral team, "You will never find in sin what you went into sin seeking."  BUT we still try to rationalize our guilt away.

LOOKING FOR COMPANY--We seek validation by association.  We were told  to examine ourselves and ask the question, "Are your friends beginning to change?"  We all want others to love us for who we are---even when we are sinful we are seeking approval.  Where is your wisdom and accountability coming from?

BLAME SHIFTING-- Another one we have discussed before.  The ultimate aim for Satan is he wants us to blame God.  In the "sin in the garden" story, God asked three questions-

Where are you?

Who told you that?

What did you do?

It had never occurred to me God wanted Adam and Eve to confess, probably because I was so focused on the fall of man.   Biblical confession is needed for God to redeem our sin so that we can live in reconciliation with Him.  Satan wants us to blame God---but God NEVER tempts anyone.

 DIVISION--Satan's ultimate goal is to cause a break--a division between us and others and, most importantly to our enemy---us and God.  We allow him to win if we turn our face from God.  

That crafty old devil is a smooth talker--a magician of words who wants first and foremost to place doubt in our minds.  I pray we all will seek truth and remember Who God is.

I am not certain I have ever devoted an entire blog to a sermon (I prefer the term lesson).  This was too important to not share.  

"Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren,

that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God,

to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

For in that He himself has suffered,

being tempted,

He is able to aid those who are tempted."

Hebrews 2:17-18