Christian Foundations
DEVOTIONAL ARCHIVE
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
The Master Arsonist
“God wants you to be holy, so you should keep clear of all sexual sin.” (1 Thessalonians 4:3)
When wildfires swept through Southern California in the fall of 1993, I noticed a photograph in the newspaper of an entire neighborhood that had been leveled by the fires. All that was left were the foundations. In the midst of all the burned, charred, rubble stood one house that remained completely untouched, even by smoke. This gleaming white house stood in stark contrast to all of the ruin around it.
When asked why his house was left standing when all the others fell, the homeowner explained how he had taken great care to make his house flame-retardant. This included double-paned windows, thick stucco walls, sealed eaves, concrete tile, and abundant insulation. Firefighters said, “It made it clear to us that this would be a place to make a stand.” This man went the extra mile and, as a result, his house survived when the fires came.
Today, our country is being devastated by the wildfires of immorality. Satan, a master arsonist, is causing massive devastation. It destroys homes. It devastates families. And if we aren’t careful, we could become its next victims.
The writer of Proverbs asked, “Can a man scoop fire into his lap and not be burned?” (6:27). The answer is no. Fire can burn out of control so easily.
If we as believers allow temptation to infiltrate our lives and allow our sinful natures to prevail, we will likely fall, as surely as a fire spreads by putting gasoline on it. But if we take practical steps to guard ourselves and stay close to the Lord, then we don't have to fall. Let’s go the extra mile to protect our homes and our lives against the wildfires of immorality.
Copyright © 2008 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
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