"And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven."
(Deuteronomy 4:19 KJV)
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Worldly tradition has emerged as one of the greatest forms of bondage. It is in this area the Christian struggles the most. Should we follow the traditions of the world or seek the intent of the Lord? Our inability to trust the word of God has caused the Church to become servants of worldly tradition more than servants of the Lord.
Since the creation of the earth and its first inhabitants, Adam and Eve, God has instructed his human family to honor him faithfully and exclusively. Lavish with both love and gifts, the Creator gave the first two residents just one command: to not eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. In other words, they were to avoid "forbidden fruit" that was growing in the garden with all the other foliage. Unfortunately, when enticed by Satan in the form of a serpent to eat the fruit for its visual appeal, appetite satisfaction, and supernatural wisdom, the couple gave in to these worldly appeals by forsaking their loyalty to God. We all know the devastating results of that lapse in judgment.
Truth be told, any of us could have, and probably would have, made the same mistake. We should have learned our lesson then about avoiding the snares of this life that counter God's leadership. Our devotion to him cannot be compromised by secular temptation and spiritual disobedience. But being human, each of us is tempted to turn our eyes away from God to fasten our gaze on the desires of the world--usually with disappointing or even deadly results.
"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." (I John 2:16 KJV)
Have you ever experienced conflicts between Christian duty and carnal desires? Chances are that you have struggled between the way of the world and walking with God. We all have done so occasionally--and sometimes daily! Temptations come in all forms and sizes, from addictions to materialism and indolence to avoidance, along with everything between. Does it seem coincidental when you're confronted by strong temptation in a moment of weakness?
Everyone is tempted by worldly phenomena that, like the Pied Piper of Hamelin in the fairy tale, lead us from our Christian beliefs to the glittering pleasures of this secular world. Like the Prodigal Son, we want our promised inheritance now to indulge in carnal sins--and we willingly squander our material and spiritual resources for transient satisfaction that leaves a trail of regret. Yet, all our sins, including these, are forgiven when we repent, though we have to live with the consequences for the rest of our earthly life.
As Christians, we are free to live however we wish. But everything we think, do, and say should be God-honoring, to enhance our relationship with Him and to strengthen our spiritual nature. Daily life has probably never been more stressful than it is right now. With our attention pulled in numerous ways, it is hard to stay focused on what truly matters: our relationship with God. Without the anchor of His mercy and love, nothing else matters. Sadly, many people don't understand or accept that. By putting God first in your life each day, you have boundless resources instantly available when you turn to the Father for help and guidance. More importantly, you will find peace and security.
"If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." John 8:36 KJV
God Bless You!
Bishop Eric A. Lambert, Jr.
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SPECIAL NOTE
Tune in to Pastor Lambert's
New Live Call-in Talk Show
Premiering March 6th at 3:30 PM
WFIL 560 AM
Listen online at https://wfil.com/listenlive
