How to Avoid Paying Up

On Sunday we talked about dealing with and resisting temptation. We talked about how giving into temptation will cause you to find yourself in a trap, trying to cover up sin, and ultimately dealing with the consequences.

What I want to focus on today is the traps set for God's people. As a pastor over the years, I have seen hundreds of temptations that people deal with. Often the problem with temptation, as I said on Sunday, is that they are so subtle. One type of temptation that often goes largely unnoticed by Christians is the temptation to think more like the world.

Paul writes: "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Romans 12:2

We are not to be "world thinkers." We need to be thinking as God wants us to think. The Bible talks about having the mind of Christ. If we look at life, at relationships, at our responsibilities, at the world in the same way that Christ does, then it makes me wonder if we would be so quick to buy into the thinking behind these sayings. Here are a few, followed by my thoughts.

"Seek always for the answers within yourself." (Excuse me, but I have no answers. God is my source of answers.)

"There are many roads to heaven." (Jesus said that He is the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him.)

"Re-examine all you have been told. Ignore those that make you unhappy." (My happiness or unhappiness in being told something is not a good measure of whether what I've been told is true and valuable.)

"God wants you to be happy." (No, God wants me to be content in whatever state I find myself. He offers me abundant life.)

"Pay attention to that unchanging part of yourself. It is perfect." (The only thing perfect in me is Jesus.)

"It's important to feel good." (Feeling good is not the goal. The goal is to honor Christ with my life and sometimes that involves doing things that might not feel good at the time.)

"Nothing can bring you peace but yourself." (God is my only source of peace.)

"Visualize a great life and it will come to you." (Where does it say that in the Bible?)

"Life is full of opportunities to find great power within yourself." (Again, my only power is in Christ.)

"Learn to trust your intuition. It is your spirit whispering directions in your ears." (I trust God to lead me. My intuition has led me astray many times!)

"Love the people who treat you right and forget about the ones who don't." (The Bible says love your enemies.)

Do you ever buy into these lies? Do you know Christians who do? Why do you think Christians get sucked into these deceptions? Talk to me!