BEGUILED!

But I fear lest, just as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, so your minds should be seduced from your single-mindedness and purity toward Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:3

Beguile – 1. To influence by trickery, flattery, etc.; mislead; delude. 2. To take away from by cheating or deceiving 3. To charm or divert attention

I am sure that you have heard and know, that sin entered into the world through disobedience; you have probably also heard, that it was the result of Eves being beguiled by Satan; however we become disobedient when we ignore Gods laws in order to have something we want. The problems lies not with the thing, but with our desire for the thing; therefore all sin begins not with temptation, but rather with desire; you see when we are presented with opportunities to do something or have something that we have absolutely no desire for, it means nothing; it therefore causes no disobedience; but when we are afforded an opportunity to have something that we truly and greatly desire (aka, as lust) then we start rationalizing and justifying why it would be okay to do so; Eve said it was to be like God, so what could be wrong with that? There are so many other excuses we use to do what we want such as pursuing money to our own hurt; (1 Timothy 6:10) and justifying it by saying, God wants everybody to do well and prosper as though prosper equates to material acquisition. The subtle lies of the enemy are designed to beguile us through trickery, flattery or some other misleading information or gesture. Common areas of deception are sex, money, personal looks, fame and other areas, that appeal to our carnal desires. We desire to be the center of the universe, ignoring God and His laws, in order to have what we want, when we want it, at any and all costs. However, I would say to you today to be careful with your appetites, and the pursuit of them; for God is not mocked; whatever a man/woman sows he/she shall also reap; they who sow to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; and they who sow to the spirit, shall of the spirit reap life everlasting! Watch ye and pray saints, that you enter not into temptation, through the lusts of your flesh or the vanity of your mind; Guard your hearts and mind with all diligence; pray without ceasing and in all your ways acknowledge God and He will direct your way! Be Blessed! – Bishop