Resisting temptations in the promised land
S - Deut 13:1-8 (NASB)
1 “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them,’ 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you to find out if you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him.
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6 “If your brother, your mother’s son, or your son or daughter, or the wife you cherish, or your friend who is as your own soul, entice you secretly, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods’ (whom neither you nor your fathers have known, 7 of the gods of the peoples who are around you, near you or far from you, from one end of the earth to the other end), 8 you shall not yield to him or listen to him; and your eye shall not pity him.
O - Part of the preparation for entering the promised land, the Lord re-iterated the cautions of going after other gods, which would be the likely temptations the people would face. In verse 6 we see the temptation doesn't just come from the culture of the people in the land you are going into, but also our own families, who as they enter the promised land can get drawn to all it has to offer and begin being drawn to these false Gods.
A - The application for me is in this season of coming to CA to exiting the challenging season's of being deployed to Iraq, and a second shipyard tour. We come to CA, a lend of definitely plenty, but also diverse and godless influences. I must recognize that I am to maintain a solid unchanging belief in God and His truth, and that I shall not yield to the temptations of this culture, but resist and speak truth into my own family and lead to love only God, with all of our hearts, souls, minds and strength.
P - Dear heavenly Father thank you for guiding my every step, and teaching me through your word and through your spirit. I trust in you and you alone, to lead me, and show me your path for my life, and my families life. I pray Lord that you help me to know how to respond to the temptations of false gods here in California, and how to share truth with love with family and friends here in a way that their lives are transformed.
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