Seeds of the Kingdom 25 February 2022 Daily Devotional || By Ellel Ministries International
Friday, Seeds of the Kingdom 24 February 2022
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TOPIC: Dealing with Temptation
SCRIPTURE: Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. – Hebrews 12:14-16, NKJV
Seeds of the Kingdom 25 February 2022 Daily Devotional MESSAGE
I wish I could claim that I am so holy that I never get tempted to sin. Wouldn’t that be a great thing to be able to say? However, it would be a boldfaced lie! The truth is that, until we see the Lord face to face, all of us will have to face the reality of our sinful nature with its bent desires and wrong inclinations.
On top of this, we have an enemy who makes strong efforts to lead us into sin so he can ensnare us, and he knows how to prey on our weaknesses. To make matters worse, the world we live in actively encourages us to join in its sinful behaviour. In other words, from time-to-time temptations will come, and we need to know how to stand firm in these times of trial.
Today’s scripture referring to Esau helps us see the situation more clearly. Esau was hungry and in order to meet a temporary desire he gave up his birthright. And for what? Scripture calls it a morsel, something insignificant, without lasting value. He gained little but lost so much. This is exactly what happens when we yield to sin. We do, in fact, gain something – temporary pleasure. But we stand to lose a whole lot more, as sin is destructive. It brings us into bondage, it affects our relationships and, most of all, it stands in the way of our relationship with the Lord.
So, in times of serious temptation, we need to ask ourselves, “Is this really worth it? Do I really want to walk in Esau’s footsteps here?” This reality check can help our resolve to remain holy and withstand the pressure to sin.
God gives us a wonderful promise. He says that when we resist the enemy, he will flee from us (James 4:7). I believe this is partly because, when we resist the enemy, we grow stronger. Satan comes to tempt us so we will fall. But if we choose to submit to God instead, and strengthen our resolve to remain holy, then this temptation becomes a point for spiritual growth. It’s a win-win for the Lord!
Being tempted is not a sin. The Bible says that even Jesus Himself was tempted, in every possible way (Hebrews 4:15). It’s just that, unlike you and me, He did not sin. He is the only one who, because of His own hard-won victory, can lead us on the same path and teach us how to overcome in times of temptation.
Seeds of the Kingdom 25 February 2022 PRAYER
Father in heaven, thank you that Jesus came not to condemn, but to save. Please help me to remain strong in times of temptation and I ask you to remind me that it’s just not worth it to give in. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Seeds of the Kingdom 25 February 2022 TODAY’S AUTHOR
Peter Brokaar; is Centre Director for Ellel Scotland and part of Ellel’s Executive Leadership. He was born and raised in the Netherlands, and after having married Liz (from USA) in 2004 God called them both to serve at Ellel Scotland in 2005.
Peter writes, “being at Blairmore House has been an incredible blessing and hugely formative for me, especially as the emphasis on the work here has resonated deeply in my own heart. Getting to know God better, learning to walk alongside others, pressing into prayer & intercession and developing a heart for Israel have all been part of this journey.”
Peter & Liz live in Scotland with their 3 children and are all active in the great outdoors, with trail running and surfing being Peter’s main outdoor hobbies. He also love’s books as well as cooking.