This week I completed Beth Moore’s When Godly People do Ungodly Things: Arming Yourself in the Age of Seduction. It gave me much to think about. So to try to grapple it all, I'd like to summarize the most meaningful parts for me, and apply them to some things in my life. 

She shares how to guard ourselves in these darkening days. First, we need to be aware, that at any time, any of us, can become seduced.

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a lion looking for someone to devour." I Peter 5:8 That should be easy enough to spot, right? Lions don’t often stroll down the street.

"…for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light." II Cor 11:14 Satan’s goal is to do whatever he can to make us least effective for God and to destroy our own relationship to God. Masquerades.

Years ago, my husband’s good friend, whom I’ll call Buddy, visited us quite a bit while he was in town away from his family for a 4 month TDY. We all got along great. But dh started getting jealous about how well Buddy and I got along. Believe me, there was nothing romantic about the relationship between either of us. But if dh was feeling jealous, then it was time to pull back. Interestingly, Buddy had a habit of shopping for his wife in the evenings…with other women who were also TDY. Hmmmmm. Then towards the end of his TDY, he started calling me in the middle of the day to chit chat while my husband was at work. Well, I wouldn’t and I just told him I would tell dh that he called. Buddy later told dh he had no romantic inclinations. He’s just really friendly with women. Actually, I believe him. But it’s the subtlety that can surprisingly seduce someone. How often have we seen ministries fall by the wayside because of an innocent beginning that led to a disastrous end? Masquerades. Discernment. Choices.

So does that mean there can never be friendships with others of the opposite s*x while married? Last Sat we were on an Awana club hike with the teens. Sometimes I was talking to one of the dads alone, then someone would catch up with us and we'd join in to the group and new circles formed.  We were all around, open, sometimes just 2 of us and minutes later we’d be caught up with others in the group. When we got home and the kids went to bed, I shared with dh the things said. Masquerades. Discernment. Choices. Openness.

How does one discern? "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." Psalm 119:105 I must admit, reading my Bible over the years got to be more difficult. Although I could read it, I wasn’t getting anything new out of it. I knew there was a wealth of meaning waiting for me to explore. But I didn’t know how to dig. Interestingly, Beth Moore brought out that at a time when we need God’s Word in a dark world more than ever; God has provided more tools at our disposal!? Her studies have been one of those wonderful tools to help me understand portions of God’s Word at a deeper level. Even so, I was pretty much dependant on those particular portions I had studied. Then last year, we started a new curriculum, Tapestry of Grace. We started at the beginning in Year 1 in Ancient history. We read the entire Bible last year. Included in the Bible history part of the curriculum are notes written by a pastor. Wow, what meat! Also, learning world history sequentially from the beginning of time, including the addition of literature books and the understanding of cultures just exploded my comprehension of the Bible!

For example, in Sunday School, we were studying about King Saul. We were reading about how he did not follow God’s command to kill all of the Amalekites and destroy all of their possessions. After all, they usually take plunder, right? Incidentally, before last year, I never understood the plunder part. Now it makes perfect sense. It was the means by which the military officers in each of the cultures back then rewarded and paid their soldiers! That alone gave new light to I Sam 15. Then someone asked why was the king left alive? Our teacher, who is wonderful, supposed it was akin to the Ancient Roman tradition of parading captured kings in victory through Rome. I sat in class wildly waving my hand just busting with enthusiasm! Normally, I sit very quietly with little to add to the deep discussions. This time I had something thought provoking to add from my Bible studies the previous year in Tapestry of Grace.

Fast forward to lunch with our kids when I shared this event. I decided to wow my husband and ask my kids and let them answer the questions. First I asked if they remembered when Saul was told by God to completely destroy an army? They said, "Oh yes, he was supposed to destroy the Amalekites but he let king live." By the way, they never retained this much information with the previous curriculums. Because we are studying sequentially in-depth history, literature of the times, Bible history, art, geography, culture and Christian worldview, all in the same time frame, we understand and remember more! I asked them why wasn’t Agag killed. "Because the kings of the surrounding cultures of that time were king killers. Saul was a fearful man, and not wanting to be killed and tortured if captured, he wanted to have a reputation for being merciful. He hoped that if he ever got captured, the other nation would be kind and spare his life." Isn’t that fascinating? This has made Bible reading more meaningful and applicable to the children and I. I can relate to Saul wanting to be merciful. Quite frankly, I’d feel the same way. But God wanted him to step out in faith. If it’s God’s idea, and He is in charge, He will keep me safe. I forget that a lot. Masquerades. Discernment. Choices. Openness. God’s Word.

May we all have…

"One Pure and Holy Passion"

By Mark Altrogge

Give me one pure and holy passion
Give me on magnificent obsession
Give me one glorious ambition for my life
To know and follow hard after You

To know and follow hard after you
To grow as your disciple in your truth
This world is empty, pale, and poor
Compared to knowing you, my Lord
Lead me on and I will run after you
Lead me on and I will run after you

Give me one pure and holy passion
Give me one magnificent obsession
Give me one glorious ambition for my life
To know and follow hard after you
To know and follow hard after you
To grow as your disciple in the truth
This world is empty, pale, and poor
Compared to knowing you my Lord
Lead me on and I will run after you

Lord to know and follow hard after you
And to grow as your disciple in your truth
This world is empty, pale, and poor
Compared to knowing you my Lord
Lead me on and I will run after you
Lead me on and I will run after you
Lead me on and I will run after you