Devotion 11.18.15

Where do you go for answers?  In the movie, "It's a Wonderful Life," the young George Bailey is confronted with a situation.  He realizes the pharmacist, Mr. Gower, has accidently put cyanide into the pills.  When trying to ask Mr. Gower, he slurs his words, telling the boy to go away and make the delivery.  He sees the telegram with the sad news of the death of his son at war, and Mr. Gower, dealing with the grief, has turned to the bottle.  George's mind is clearly thinking, "What to do?" and when he sees an sign ad in the malt shop, it says, "Ask Dad..."  He now knows what he must do, ask Dad. 

Where do you go for answers?  We are confronted with situations daily.  Rick Warren notes in "The Invisible War" that some are trials or tests allowed by God or created by God to strengthen us.  At other times they could be temptation, from within, this world, or by Satan himself (Genesis 3 or Matthew 4).  In either situation, where do you go for answers?

In John 7:68, Peter confesses, "Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life."  God's truth, the answer to the test or the trial, is right there.  As Mark 13:31 notes, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away."  Earthly ways always promise an answer, but Gods' Word is permanent, a place to go.  Deception is part of our temptation too. A promise to an easier route, separate from the truth as Warren states.  In Numbers 32, God warns of falling for such deception by saying, "But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out." (23)  God gives us his truth in his Word and we should know that truth.  So, when tested or tempted, also know that what we do cannot just impact ourselves.  Proverbs 14:13 says, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death."

So, when trials and temptations are in front of us, know we can turn to God's truth, his Word, and ask that he give us the strength to choose His way in our lives, not ours (or the world's). 

Look today at situations you may have in front of you.  Seek God's truth in those situations.  Seek God's answers through prayer or Christian counsel.  And, as Warren says classically, "Ask for God to give you the patience to wait in His waiting room, and not yours." 

Hope Men's Ministry

The Invisible War. Rick Warren, 2014