Temptation, But…With Good?

TEMPTATION, BUT WITH GOOD? WHEN WE THINK of temptation, we usually think of sex, vanity, absurd pleasure, drunkenness, and so on. We know that even unbelievers can resist certain temptations like so by their volition.

However Satan’s cunning temptations, or the real temptations don’t always come across to be upfront evil, immoral, and wrong. As you grow to learn more about the devil’s schemes, you learn that there are many of them. Many of Satan’s schemes revolve around deception and temptation, and he attacks were we are ignorant. The agenda of the devil and his kingdom is to get us ignorant, deceived, and to sin. And he will pull whatever strings necessary to do so.

Looking at the Lord’s encounter with the Tempter in the wilderness, each temptation He faced had good in them. “Eat bread, since it will help Your body survive; fall off the temple to fulfill Scripture; take the kingdoms now so You can rule over them with justice and peace,” the devil said. That’s just the tip of the iceberg with the depth of these temptations. Satan had to come with cunning craft; but no matter what temptation he offered, Jesus had knowledge, truth, and an understanding of what the greater good was. “Man lives off every word from the mouth of God; don’t test the Lord your God; worship the Lord your God and serve Him only,” Jesus replied understanding that these were greater goods, and the Father’s will. Jesus had immense knowledge of the Father’s will which allowed Him to recognize what was not His will, so He was able to see past the good presented by Satan, and see a greater good beyond the initial good offered by the devil.

We can also see this with the Pharisees since the Lord rebuked them for choosing a lesser good tradition of dedicating oneself to God, while un-obligating themselves from a true commandment of God to honor their parents, which was the greater good.

Religiosity teaches you, “Be concerned with eating a gnat, and forget about eating a camel.” Religion does not put weight on the weightier matters, making those who have a religious mindset easier pray for the adversary roaming like a lion to devour them with choosing lesser goods, and annulling the greater good of God’s will. A modern example would be the message of the Gospel. Religion has not put weight on the most weighty matter of doctrine for decades, but has put weight on traditions, rituals, ceremonies, fleshly unspiritual worship, and works.

The highway to hell is paved with a broad road of good-intentions and a bunch of itty-bitty wittle good choices—with a bunch of people and Satan making such encouragement and support for you choosing these goods.

Here at Pam Sheppard Ministries we have all our weight on the weighty matters, especially the message of salvation, or the Gospel. If you have not heard that message, or if you want freedom from the exhausting weights of religion—contact 888-818-1117 or email getreadyforthelord@gmail.com !

There are countless scenarios to test, when good is being presented, we should ask…Is there a greater good I am missing? All the reason to be transformed by the renewing of the mind, and not conform to the world and it’s “good”.

Have you been tempted with “good”? How did you know that the “good” was of the devil?