Monday March 12th

Just like Joshua, we too have an enemy who seeks to deceive us with a delegation into making peace treaties every day.  That enemy is Satan and his delegation is temptation – sin.  Satan knows that God has given your hearts to the Son – Christ – and that he has commanded us to destroy everything evil that dwells there.  We are to let nothing survive or it will become a thorn in our side.  Just like the Gibeonites, Satan is afraid and knows –believes – that God will do what he says he will do.  Not wanting to loose control of our lives he seeks to find a way to remain.  He does so through deceitful means.  He knows how to twist the truth just enough to cause us to see what will cause us to trust in ourselves and feel as if we don't need to seek the Lord's guidance.  Satan knows that all he needs to do is get a foothold in our hearts and he will continue to be able to live and move about in our lives.  He is crafty enough to know just how to present sin so that we think we know what we are getting into and don't feel the need to seek God's guidance.

Proverbs 3:5-7
"Trust in the LORD with all you heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.  Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil."

This is why it is so important for us to remember this verse.  Never lean on your own understanding because Satan knows if you do then he's gotcha.

Once we make that treaty, once we let sin have a dwelling place in our hearts we struggle to be its master.  Remember one of our verses from the very beginning of our daily reading?

Genesis 4:7b
"…sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."

It is much harder to master something so devious rather then destroy it at the first signs of temptation.

Even once we think we have mastered our sins they seems to like to surface for all to see and then demand that we come to its aid and defend it.  Even though we are told in Matthew 7:1-2 not to judge, people still do.  When they see our sins creep to the surface they are quick to attack us causing us to have defend that which we hate in ourselves.  It is just another reminder that we failed to remain obedient to the Lord.  Just another way to keep us from focusing on the God who loves us.

So what do we do?  I want to encourage you to go into every day with the following verses in mind.  Had Joshua had these verses taped to the door of his tent to read each day he may not have trusted in his own wisdom.

Psalm 119:128-133
"and because I consider all your precepts right, I hate every wrong path.  Our statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them.  The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.  I open my mouth and pant, longing for you commands.  Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name.  Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.

You do have an enemy who seeks to deceive you.  Don't ever think that you are wise enough to go up against him, wise enough to see his trickery without God's guidance.  Let God's word be a light and give you understanding.  Long for it and seek it every day.  Pray for God to make you aware of the sins that are disguised in your day and crouching at your door.  Pray for your every footstep to be directed so that sin no longer is able to rule over you. 

Peace treaties are great but only when they truly bring about peace in our hearts.