Quote from Forum Archives on April 4, 2006, 1:05 am

Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>

Try out the new website at www.theburningbush.net

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The Burning Bush Devotional

Welcome to the 1,167 new subscribers since November 1, 2005!!

04.04.06

The Pet

The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know what makes them
stumble. - Proverbs 4:19.

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies,
outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders,
drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just
as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will
not inherit the kingdom of God. - Galatians 5:19-21.

In Naples, Florida a man was driving somewhat erratically and then crashed
his vehicle into some barricades. Was he drunk? Was he talking on his cell
phone? Was he reading the paper? Studying for an exam? Putting on his
makeup? No, his problem was somewhat new and original. His pet snake
attacked him. Witnesses report that Courtland Page Johnson got out of his
vehicle, wrestled with his snake, and then got back into the vehicle - and
drove off. When officers arrived at Johnson's home, they found him to have
cuts and blood on his body. Johnson admitted that it all happened when his
snake bit him and he may have panicked. I'm just wondering what happened to
the snake?

I have had several pets during my lifetime (None at present.), especially
while I was a boy living on a farm. Some of the pets that I have had are
dogs, cats, a jackrabbit, crows, a ground squirrel, a de-scented skunk, and
an owl. My mother had a small snake, a racer of some type for a pet for a
while that she kept in a cage but I never thought I would want one as a pet.
My personal opinion about snakes is that the only good snake is a dead
snake. Living in a rural area, I dislike having snakes hanging around
because I might step on it and they try to get into the house, which would
be an even bigger problem. There was a story about a man in Oklahoma last
year who let several varieties of rattlesnakes slither around his property.
It was fine until he tripped and fell and three of the snakes bit him. I
think he lived but he probably has a new respect for the snakes.

Probably most of you like me do not have a pet snake. However, you may have
something that can be just as deadly as having a pet rattlesnake or a pet
cobra. What could that be? You may have a pet sin and the "wages of sin are
death (Romans 6:23a)." What is your most favorite pet sin? The apostle Paul
gives us quite a list in Galatians 5, ".adultery, fornication, uncleanness,
lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of
wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness,
revelries.." This is not a complete list and knowing that Paul adds, "and
the like."

Have you ever thought about your favorite sin as being similar to having a
pet rattlesnake wrapped around your neck? Not a whole lot of difference. The
rattlesnake can kill you very quickly whereas your pet sin may take a while
longer. It may take longer but it still kills. Sin starts out killing on the
edges of life - circling in for the final destruction. Sin kills the joy.
Sin kills the love. Sin kills the fun. Sin kills the good. Sin kills the
life. Sound familiar? It may be time to find a new pet. As Paul says, ".do
not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.
And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin,
but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members
as instruments of righteousness to God (Romans 6:12-13)."

Copyright © 2006. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
on a non-profit basis with source credited. The Burning Bush website has
been online since January 31, 1998. On June 8, 1998 the email version of the
Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.

The Crossmap Christian Search and Portal is a wonderful resource. I would
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