Everything We Need

It is easy for us to think that the temptations or difficulties we face in our world today are more intense that what Christians in the past have faced. I mean, the apostles did not have to worry about the internet. And my great-grandmother certainly did not have to feel pressured to be a size 0 and try to find clothes in the current styles that are modest and becoming to a godly lady. Parents did not have to worry about the billboards and advertisements that were bombarding their children's eyes and ears.

However, I have it on good authority that "there is NO TEMPTATION taken you but such as is common to man." True, the 'face' of the temptation may have changed. The packaging is brighter. But the temptation is the same. Isn't there another scripture that mentions the root of all sin: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life? That has always been the root of all temptation.

We often talk about how much harder it is to raise children in this day and age. How much harder it is to keep young people saved and in the church. Older generations (of which I am swiftly becoming a part of) like to shake their heads over the "new fangled" music and the entertainment of this generation. But I wonder if any of that is new? Can you imagine what happened when the first church allowed a drum set on their platform? Or even a microphone? I'm sure there are things that my parents worried about when I was a teenager, that are the same basic worries that I now have about my soon-to-be-teenage daughter.

I guess what I'm trying to say is -- the devil is ALWAYS trying to worm his way into our lives and our churches. It is a constant struggle to live in this world, take advantage of the benefits of our generation and technology, and yet, not let the world take over us. In the world but not of the world.

So, here is a scripture I read this morning -- that sparked this whole thought process.

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires." II Peter 1:3, 4 (NIV)

Wow! He has given us everything we need. For life. For godliness. For escape from the corruption of the world.

So I guess there is no excuse. We can live a victorious life in 2008. His power is all we need. His Word is just as relevant today as it was in "the old days". His promises are great and precious -- and they are for ME!