Daily Devotional for Monday, March 18

The Root of Sin

“From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?” James 4:1.

One of the largest freshwater turtles is the alligator snapping turtle. Found primarily in the southeastern United States, these massive turtles have been known to weigh close to two hundred fifty pounds. They are meat eaters, and while their diet is primarily fish, they have been known to eat almost anything else they can find in the water—even in a few cases small alligators! The alligator snapping turtle relies on a uniquely deceitful method of foraging for fish.

The turtle will lie completely still on the floor of a lake or river with its mouth wide open. At the end of the turtle’s tongue is a small, pink, worm-shaped appendage. The turtle wiggles the end of its tongue so that it looks like a worm moving through the water. When a fish comes to eat the worm, the turtle’s jaws rapidly close, trapping the fish so that it cannot escape.

Similar to the snapping turtle’s lure, temptation comes in the guise of something desirable, but it always carries destruction with it in the end. If we could see the end result rather than the tempting part, it would be far easier to resist. But Satan knows this, so he cleverly disguises what is deadly as something pleasurable.

Christians should live with awareness given by the Holy Spirit because Satan seeks to tempt them to sin. Only by walking closely with God can they recognize and overcome these temptations which Satan dangles in front of them.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY
We must be ever mindful of Satan’s ploys to stir our lusts with his enticing temptations.

Steven Ridings