Two-minute read.
Referring to adultery, if you play with fire, you will get burned. As appealing as the grass may appear on the other side of the fence, it still needs mowed. What seems like innocent flirtation can quickly lead to third-degree burns.
Anyone can fall into temptation and find themselves in situations they never meant to happen. Thinking, “It won’t happen to me,” fools us into believing a lie. If you place a piece of cake in front of me, I might resist for a minute, but inevitably, I’m going to eat it. My thoughts will convince me one bite won’t hurt, and after I’ve taken the first one, why not eat a second one?
When the serpent convinced Eve to bite into the apple, he lied to her.
“He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”
Genesis 3:1
First, the serpent put a seed of doubt in Eve’s head, then he quickly moved in with the lie:
“You will not surely die. For god knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Genesis 4:-5
Death comes from sin, no matter what the enemy whispers in your ear. And, like Eve, we can fall just as quickly as she did. To avoid getting burned, don’t play with fire. God provides a way out for any temptation we face, putting guardrails into place to help us stay on the straight and narrow and not stray into places we shouldn’t go.
Become aware of your vulnerabilities. Place boundaries in your relationships that help you resist temptation. When the devil whispers in your ear, respond with three words: “Not today, Satan.” Stay away from the fire and you won’t get burned.
Journal Question:
When have you played with fire?
What boundaries do you need to set in your relationship to protect it?
How can you resist the devil’s lies?
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for giving us eyes to see and ears to hear. Please help us quickly identify our areas of vulnerability and assist us in creating boundaries that will prevent us from falling into the fire.
IJNIP. Amen
