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Today’s devotion builds on the thoughts from Sunday’s Sermon – Week 6 of the Lord’s Prayer Series “Temptation & Evil”  (LISTEN HERE).

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Deliver us from evil…

Evil is the result of sin…directly or indirectly.

The news parades evil and its effects on lives daily.

We experience it ourselves.

So we pray, “Deliver us from evil.”

We want to be free from the effects of sin.  We want to live without trouble or hardship.  Who wouldn’t?

Perhaps as we pray this petition, we may think, “I don’t think God is listening or answering.”  On the surface it may be hard to see sometimes, but as we seek to understand God’s way of delivering us from evil, his answer becomes more clear.

Here’s how Martin Luther understood this petition:

What does this mean? We pray in this petition, in summary, that our Father in heaven would rescue us from every evil of body and soul, possessions and reputation, and finally, when our last hour comes, give us a blessed end, and graciously take us from this valley of sorrow to Himself in heaven.

Ultimate deliverance from evil will come when we are with the Lord forever, but how does he rescue us or overcome evil in our lives today.  Here’s two.

First, evil is overcome when we do not hang out with evil.

The Apostle Paul quotes one of the Greek poets in 1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” (For those that listened to my sermon, I incorrectly put this in the Proverbs.)  Even secular society recognizes that all too often evil character will corrupt good character.  King David penned, Psalm 141:4 “Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers; let me not eat of their delicacies.”  The Lord delivers us from evil when he leads us to not hang around evil!  Like Joseph in yesterday’s devotion fled from the temptation of Potiphar’s wife, so at times we need to flee from the people we are with so we are not drawn into and affected by the evil they perpetuate.

Because we have a sinful nature, we need the previous petition as well, “Lead us not into temptation”  Delivering us from evil is when the power of the Holy Spirit leads us to distance ourselves from those bent on perpetuating evil.

Second, evil is overcome by good, not more evil.

Too often, we conclude that the way to overcome evil is with more evil.  If someone wrongs me, my initial reaction is to “teach them a lesson” and wish or activate evil upon them.  Trying to overcome evil with evil is like trying to fight a fire with gasoline.  It just makes it worse!

Jesus taught, “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:27-28).

The Apostle Paul reiterates in Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. As hard as this direction is, it is the advice the Lord gives to over come evil and be delivered from it.

Remember that the answer to prayer is often in the simple, not supernatural (although it could be that as well).  God delivers us from evil when we distance ourselves from evil and repay evil with good.  See how that works for you today!

Apply: What situations are you facing that in order to avoid evil you should a) flee or b) repay with good?

Prayer: Lord, deliver us from evil by giving us the strength of faith to walk away and the strength of character to return evil with good.  AMEN.

Today’s devotion builds on the thoughts from Sunday’s Sermon – Week 6 of the Lord’s Prayer Series “Temptation & Evil”  (LISTEN HERE).

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1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Temptations are like test questions.  The question is neutral.  How I answer the question either makes it right or wrong.  So in temptations, the test is will I walk with the Lord in the situation or follow my sinful nature and walk away from the Lord.

When I took tests in school, there were two keys I found to do well.  First, study.  Nothing around putting the time in to prepare for the test.  Second, look for answers. (No, not a cheat sheet) I not only found the challenge to answer the questions correctly, but also realized that often teachers put answers in the test…if you look for them.  Question 12 may be answered in the wording of question 16.  I remember one final in college that was all multiple choice.  There were about 5 questions that I didn’t really know.  I looked at the pattern of answers: A, B, C, D, C, B, A, B, etc.  I was right.  The 5 or so I didn’t know I just followed the pattern and got 100%.

You have to prepare AND look for the way out.

In essence, God is saying, “I’m giving you the answers to get it right every time!”

A good example of preparing for temptation and then finding the way out is in Joseph and his interaction with Potiphar’s wife.

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7 and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”

8 But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. 9 No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” 10 And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.

11 One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. 12 She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house. (Genesis 39:6-12)

The Lord had Joseph on a journey of preparation.  He wasn’t a perfect individual, but the Lord was molding his faith.  In this situation with Potiphar’s wife, he had predecided to honor the Lord.  “How can I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”  With the Lord’s help, let’s decide to always honor him.  When temptation comes, we simply echo Joseph’s words, “How can I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”

Then look for the way out.  For Joseph it was running!  The way out can be removing yourself from the situation.  Have friends that like to drink too much?  Don’t hang out with them.  Tempted to pornography? Set up accountability on your web browser.  Tempted to prided? Have a trusted friend to bounce off your thoughts and interactions.  God puts his Word in our hearts, godly friends in our lives, and his Spirit in our hearts to give us what we need to have to win the victory over sin.

Temptation will come…look to God to pass the test!

Apply: How can you prepare to face temptation?  What is your escape route for temptations that come your way?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for always providing a way out of temptation that comes our way.  AMEN.

Today’s devotion builds on the thoughts from Sunday’s Sermon – Week 6 of the Lord’s Prayer Series “Temptation & Evil”  (LISTEN HERE).

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“It does not matter how small the sins are provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing. Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick. Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one–the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”― C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters

C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters is a fascinating insight into the mind of Satan and his tactics to lead a person away from the Lord and into eternal fires of hell.  C.S. Lewis awakens his readers to the reality that Satan and his demons are constantly working to lead a person away from “The Enemy” (God) to the camp of Satan.  Screwtape is the seasoned demon who is training his nephew Wormwood how to be a good demon and find success.

As with all of the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer, the short pithy phrase that Jesus taught us has incredible depth and importance for the life of the Christian.  “Lead us not into temptation” is no different.

Martin Luther explained it this way:

What does this mean? God tempts no one. We pray in this petition that God would guard and keep us so that the devil, the world, and our sinful nature may not deceive us or mislead us into false belief, despair, and other great shame and vice. Although we are attacked by these things, we pray that we may finally overcome them and win the victory.

We pray for God’s protection as well as his deliverance.  The success to winning any battle, is to know your enemy.  What are his tactics?  Where does he like to attack?  What does winning look like for them, i.e. what is his objectives?

Some of these tactics are general, but he is good at customizing his attack for you personally.  He knows your weaknesses.  He can leverage your vulnerabilities.

As with all aspects of the Christian faith, Jesus is our Savior and example.  He took on Satan in the desert.  In fact, the Spirit led him into the desert to be tempted by the devil.

Matthew 4:1-11 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,

and they will lift you up in their hands,

so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Here’s three observations to consider as you begin your week:

1. God does allow us to be in a place of testing. His goal is always the strengthening of our faith and stronger reliance on him.  Jesus passed this test, as well as no sinning.
2. Satan works on our vulnerabilities, even giving us “spiritual” reasons to justify sinful behavior. We must be aware of our weaknesses and armed with the truth of God’s Word.
3. The defeat of Satan and his temptations is always with the power of God’s truth. His lies will never stand up to God’s truth.

More tomorrow…

Apply: Where are your weaknesses?  I.e., where does Satan find success in leading you to sin?  What truth of Scripture can you memorize to defeat Satan and overcome the temptation?

Prayer: Father, continue to strengthen us in our faith and reliance on you so that at all times we overcome the temptation to sin and walk faithfully with you.  AMEN.

Today’s devotion builds on the thoughts from Sunday’s Sermon – Week 5 of the Lord’s Prayer Series “Forgive as We Forgive”  (LISTEN HERE).

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I remember a kid who pushed me up against a fence in gradeschool about 40 years ago and broke the zipper on my jacket.  I remember the event.  I remember the emotion.  I remember the fear.  I remember the anger.

Have I not forgiven him?

Some may say, “Mike, you have to forgive and forget.”

Many use this phrase that I believe is more harmful to the reality of forgiveness than helpful.  I am guessing this concept comes from Hebrews 8:12 which quotes Jeremiah 31:34, “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

So, to be Christ-like in our forgiveness, does that mean we need a “DELETE” button in our minds so that forgiveness triggers amnesia for that event and that person?

No.

Our minds, barring a traumatic injury or Alzheimer’s disease (which I wish on no one), remember events of the past…especially traumatic and emotional events.  Our minds do have a coping mechanism that suppresses very painful memories to protect the rest of the mind from those thoughts.  However, I have not come across an exercise to practice forgetting.  The memory is there or it is not.  If a reader knows of research by which I can intentionally erase a memory (hypnosis, maybe?), please share.

Most of the events in our lives that need forgiveness will be hard to forget because there is a strong emotion attached to it.  We WERE hurt.  We WERE abused.  We WERE attacked.  We DID suffer an injustice.

So what does it mean that the Lord “will remember their sins no more”?

The Lord knows everything.  He is choosing to not recall the sins of Israel for the purpose of holding them against them.  Forgiveness wiped the debt so no further payment was needed.

In the era of “keeping a tab” at the local grocery store, the store owner may remember what you purchased because he needed a payment for it.  Once the payment was made, he didn’t have to remember what you purchased because it didn’t matter.  If he threw out the record or his mind naturally forgot, it was OK because the debt was paid in full.

The Lord, while his infinite knowledge could, does not have to remember our sins for the purpose of holding us accountable for them.  In Christ, he has forgiven us.  The debt is paid.

So, while the memory may linger, the memory is no longer attached to a debt.

The kid who pushed me.  I forgive him.  I’m not looking to get even.  If I cross paths with him, I won’t bring it up – and if it comes up, it won’t be with anger, bitterness or a desire to get even.  Forgiveness releases all the negative emotions and hurt, while the memory of the event may linger.

Please don’t burden your mind with forgetting events of the past and equating the reality that you remember what happened with guilt that you haven’t forgiven.  Certainly it is possible that you DO need more strength from the Lord to forgive, release the anger, hurt, and desire to get even.  But when the Lord empowers you to forgive, you can now release the memory as well because there is no debt outstanding.

So forgive and while the memory may linger, there will be no outstanding debt attached to it.

Apply: Perhaps there is a situation of hurt from your past.  What part of that event still needs forgiveness (even if the person is not asking for it)?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for forgiving my sins through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and having no reason to recall my sins to charge them to my account.  Thank you for paying in full for all the debt my sin has incurred.  AMEN.

Today’s devotion builds on the thoughts from Sunday’s Sermon – Week 5 of the Lord’s Prayer Series “Forgive as We Forgive”  (LISTEN HERE).

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Forgiveness is a powerful word and concept.

Have you ever thought about what forgiveness really is or means?

We use the phrase often, “God forgives you.” Or “You are forgiven.”  But what does that mean?

Here’s a great verse for today to reflect on what forgiveness really is and means:

Colossians 2:13-14  When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 

God “forgave us all our sins.”

First, when God forgives me he cancels my debt.  When I break the law of God or sin, I create a deficit between me and God.  In fact, a translation of this petition is “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.”  We can easily underestimate the debt we incur.  We can easily think, “I will repay it.”  In the parable noted on Monday from Matthew 18, the servant had the equivalent of $4.8 billion dollars of debt…yet he thought he could repay that with a minimum wage job.  It wasn’t going to happen.  Yet the master cancelled the debt.

When Jesus declared “It is finished!” from the cross, he declared to the debt of sin, “It is paid in full.”  The reason that God in Christ could and does cancel our debt is because the payment was made.  “The wages of sin is death.”  Jesus paid the debt of sin with his very life.  For this reason when God forgives us, we have no more debt caused by sin to pay.

Second, when God forgives me, he releases my guilt.  Sin creates guilt.  Guilt is an emotion that weighs on our heart until it is released.  One website (secular) defines it this way:

Guilt is an intense emotion and a moral, ethical and self-conscious feeling characterized by serious self-reflection. It occurs when an individual feels that they have acted against their own personal beliefs & principles or socially accepted moral standards. They also believe that they need to experience serious consequences or responsibility for compromising such moral standards with their conduct. A person can feel guilty for a number of reasons, such as certain thoughts, emotions, behaviors, or actions that they consider are morally unacceptable.  (https://mind.help/topic/guilt/)

Guilt unsettles our heart because we know what we did is culpable before God.  Guilt also triggers fear of consequences for that action.

What does God do when he forgives us? He cleanses us from a guilty conscience as he states in Hebrews 10:21-22:

…since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

Finally, when God forgives us there is no more consequence for sin.  Yes, the wages of sin is death.  However, in Christ, here’s the reality: (Romans 8:1-2)

8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you[a] free from the law of sin and death…

No more punishment to fear.

You are forgiven.

Your debt is paid.

Your guilt is gone.

Your punishment is removed.

Apply: What sin and guilt is lingering in your heart?  Write it down.  Then take a red pen and write, “God forgives me.”

Prayer:  Lord, thank you for sending Jesus so you can fully and freely forgive me.  Thank you for paying my debt, removing my guilt and freeing me from the punishment I deserved.  AMEN.