“But the serpent said to the woman, ‘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 3:4-5
June 11, 2025
Satan is sly and skillful in using one of his favorite and oldest devices. He “presents the bait and hides the hook” (Thomas Brooks), further, Brooks says, “He (Satan) promises the soul honor, pleasure, profit, but pays the soul with the greatest contempt, shame, and loss that can be.” Satan will beckon us to joy, but jail awaits us, the prison of punishment from which we cannot escape without God’s intervention. For the non-Christian the gaping jaws of eternal damnation is Satan’s payoff. For the believer there are remedies for the schemes of devil. First of all, keep your distance from the suspicious objects. Be like Joseph, not like David. Treat sin like an epidemic, tremble at it; keep your distance from it. It is not possible to keep sin on a leash like a pet. It will eat you alive. Secondly, don’t forget that the temporary sweetness of sin will quickly give way to long-lasting sorrow and shame (Job. 20:12-14). Thirdly, admit that you are not above being duped. Don’t nibble at Satan’s pleasurable baits.
H
“Lord, I pray for your protection. Grant me the sense to be a good bait detector. Keep me from swimming hungry, especially near the bait.”