Tag: evil

This Devil Thing

Yes, the devil really exists. Call it Satan, Lucifer, demon, devil, evil, or anything else. But that evil presence in the world is real. It’s not some little red devil with a pitchfork but the personification of evil. The opposite of what God is: love.

I don’t know about you but I feel that evil presence all the time. It doesn’t want to be out in front, but works most effectively behind the scenes. It doesn’t shout but whispers and sets up snares. It you look around the world it’s not hard to see that evil. And it’s growing. Why? Because we are letting it grow. We are moving away from God.

Stay close to God and evil has a tough time getting to you. Move away from God and evil fills the void. As James (4:7) says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

It’s not hard to keep the evil away if you stay close to God. Pray, Listen. Love. It’s not hard but we make it so hard. We turn from God or even push Him away. And the devil seeps right in to the void.

Not to over simplify but it is simple. Stay close to God and evil has a formidable barrier. Keep God close by your side. Reach out. He is always there.

Have an evil-free day!

The Lure of Greed, Power & Ego

Too much of the world operates around greed, power, and ego. Unfortunately, I see this in D.C. all the time and it reverberates out through the media across the world. Sorry to say this and be a downer but it’s true now more than ever. The devil lures with greed, power, and ego and is doing a very good job in the temptation department.

I’m thinking about this because I’m already fast-forwarding to the end of Lent. Only a few days in and I’m having dreams of diving into a big bowl of chocolate anything because I gave chocolate up for Lent. Not that I think giving up something is more important that doing positive things during Lent, but if I can’t stay away from chocolate I won’t be able to resit any temptation.

So, in thinking about the end of Lent I’m picturing the devil tempting Jesus. He first offers Him all the bread he can eat—after not eating for 40 days in the desert. He then shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and offers it to Him. Finally, the devil takes Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple and tells Jesus to throw Himself off because His angels will swoop in to save Jesus. Greed, power, and ego. The devil tests Jesus and fails. Jesus comes out of the desert and starts His ministry.

It’s easy to give into greed, power, and ego. They play out on big and small stages all over the place. There is one thing that stands in the way of greed, power, and ego: humility. Humility that realizes that anything we have comes from God. He gives and our path in life is to use our God-given talents to the best of our abilities. And use them for good, just as Jesus did. And just as His Spirit empowers us to do on a daily basis.

My wife teases me that I think Lent is the best time of the year. In a way it is, if we take the time to reflect. That reflection should include getting grounded in humility as Jesus did in the desert for 40 days and resisting the urges of greed, power, and ego.

Have a humble week ahead! And eat some chocolate for me!

Battleground of Good and Evil

That’s our planet. Evil came out in full force in Manchester when children were very purposely fingered for death. That was evil on a very visible scale, with reporting around the globe. But evil is everywhere and its clash with good takes place every minute, everywhere on this planet.

Life has a fork in the road for all of us—actually, constant forks. One path is good and the other is evil. Most people scoff at the idea they are evil. That’s the thing about evil. It starts out as a tiny seed of doubt and/or dislike. If fed, it blooms into full blown evil.

There’s a reason God commanded us to love. And why Jesus was the message of love, both figuratively and literally. Only love keeps evil at bay. Walk in love and you keep evil at away.

Smile. Be mindful of others. Help someone in need. These may be tiny gestures but they keep you centered on the fork of love.

Whether you like it or not, or acknowledge it not, there’s a fight going on between good and evil. And you’re are part of it.

Love makes the world go round. Evil will destroy it. The choice is up to each one of us to choose.

Choose love! And have a wonderful day!

As We Ponder the Horror of 9/11, Why Does God Let Evil Exist?

9/11. A little child is found beaten to death and left in a dumpster. A 75-year-old woman is brutally murdered.

How can God let evil like this exist?

The coexistence of God, the Supreme Being, and Satan, the root and personification of evil, is one of the Continue reading “As We Ponder the Horror of 9/11, Why Does God Let Evil Exist?”

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