BBD 07.08.04 Caught

#1 · July 8, 2004, 12:54 am

Quote from Forum Archives on July 8, 2004, 12:54 am
Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>

The Crossmap Christian Search and Portal is a wonderful resource. I would
like to encourage you to visit this great site at www.crossmap.com. Crossmap
has recently added the Burning Bush Devotionals to their site. You may visit
Crossmap’s sister website, the online version of the Christian Post at
www.christianpost.com.

The Burning Bush Devotional

(Over 13,000 subscribers in 75 countries)

07.08.04

Caught

The nations have sunk down in the pit which they made; in the net which they
hid, their own foot is caught. The LORD is known by the judgment He
executes; the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. - Psalm
9:15-16.

For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and He ponders all his
paths. His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, and he is caught in the
cords of his sin. He shall die for lack of instruction, and in the greatness
of his folly he shall go astray. - Proverbs 5:21-23.

Technology it appears is quite literally catching up with some people. In an
effort to gain more revenues cities are resorting to an automated system of
photographing vehicles, which run through red lights. This system has caught
many traffic offenders and recently something new. In Southern California, a
vehicle was photographed running through a red light and a ticket for $341
was sent to the registered owner of the car. However, the owner of the car
is challenging the ticket because the photograph shows that he was not
driving. His wife’s secret lover was driving the vehicle and she was caught
undeniably on the film with the other man. The husband is now getting a
divorce.

You have to wonder how long the affair had been going on and whether the
woman had intentions of telling her husband and divorcing him? You have to
wonder if the husband had any clue as to what was happening or if the
photograph of his wife with another man was a complete surprise? You have to
wonder if the red light photograph was an act of judgment on the part of the
Lord? As the Psalmist says, “The LORD is known by the judgment He executes;
the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.“ The situation does,
however, serve as a warning that what we think is secret and will never be
known may be uncovered. It serves as a warning that we can be caught up in
our sin to the extent that the damage cannot be repaired.

With these verses from Psalms and Proverbs, we see that sin is not an
inactive player. Sin is a hunter like a wild animal. Sin is always lurking,
looking for an opportunity to pounce and destroy another life. As the Lord
said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If
you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies
at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it (Genesis
4:6-7)." Sin has a desire for you.

There are actually two hunters seeking to catch you. The one we want to
blame most often is the devil and he is described as a wild beast by the
apostle Peter who says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the
devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter
5:8).” We also know from the Lord in John 10:10a that the devil’s intentions
are always the worst. The devil desires to steal life from you, destroy life
you have, and if there is any life left, he wants to kill it. The second
hunter is more insidious than even the devil. James describes this hunter in
James 1:14-15, “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own
desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin;
and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” Your own flesh, your
own desires is the second hunter seeking to catch and devour you.

We know we are being hunted so how can we escape being caught? Peter says
about the devil, “Resist him, steadfast in the faith… (1 Peter 5:9a).” In
Proverbs we are told, “Do not be afraid of sudden terror, nor of trouble
from the wicked when it comes; for the LORD will be your confidence, and
will keep your foot from being caught (Proverbs 3:25-26).” We must be
“steadfast in the faith” and we must allow the Lord to be our “confidence”.
This means we must avail ourselves of the resources of God available through
Jesus (Romans 8:32; Philippians 4:19). Put on the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans
13:14), take up the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18), and “fight the good
fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12).”

Copyright © 2004. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
on a non-profit basis with source credited. On June 8, 1998 the email
version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.

Ed Wrather is available for revivals, conferences, and other speaking and
ministry opportunities as the Lord leads. More information about Ed may be
found at www.theburningbush.org/28.html.

If you have a Christian website you are invited to add the link to my free
links at the Burning Bush website. The Bravenet free links is near the
bottom of the front page www.theburningbush.org.

If you enjoy the devotional please recommend it to your friends. They may
subscribe by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-subscribe@welovegod.org

Please sign the GuestMap at The Burning Bush website. You can plant your
country's flag on the map and leave a message. You can find it on the front
page at www.theburningbush.org

Streaming Videos of our services including my sermons are posted at:
www.theburningbush.org/fbcswvideo.html

There is now a webpage available at associate.com where the devotionals are
archived associate.com/groups/burningbushdevo. There is a complete
archive at the Burning Bush website and the address for the archive is
www.theburningbush.org/33.html.

You may subscribe to the pure text group by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-subscribe@welovegod.org and you can unsubscribe by sending a
blank email to burningbushdevo-unsubscribe@welovegod.org

You may subscribe to the html text group by sending a blank email to
burningbushhtml-subscribe@welovegod.org and you may unsubscribe by sending a
blank email to burningbushhtml-unsubscribe@welovegod.org

Subscribe to the Burning Bush Prayer Group. Send and receive prayer requests
to over 300 members. Send a blank email to: BBPG-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Subscribe to the Burning Bush Inspirational Group. Send and receive
inspirational material to over 100 members. Send a blank email to:
bbinspire-subscribe@welovegod.org

Subscribe to the Burning Bush Restoration and Recovery Group for those with
addictions or recovering from addictions. Receive devotionals and
inspirational material directed toward those with addictions. Send and
receive prayer requests. Over 200 members. Send a blank email to:
tbbrr-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Subscribe to the Intercede Life Group and pray for and help in practical
ways those who need help. To subscribe send a blank email to
interclife-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. A closely related website is
Peoplefaces which seeks to help those in need
peoplefaces.ohzone.net/index2.htm

Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>

The Crossmap Christian Search and Portal is a wonderful resource. I would
like to encourage you to visit this great site at http://www.crossmap.com. Crossmap
has recently added the Burning Bush Devotionals to their site. You may visit
Crossmap’s sister website, the online version of the Christian Post at
http://www.christianpost.com.

The Burning Bush Devotional

(Over 13,000 subscribers in 75 countries)

07.08.04

Caught

The nations have sunk down in the pit which they made; in the net which they
hid, their own foot is caught. The LORD is known by the judgment He
executes; the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. - Psalm
9:15-16.

For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and He ponders all his
paths. His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, and he is caught in the
cords of his sin. He shall die for lack of instruction, and in the greatness
of his folly he shall go astray. - Proverbs 5:21-23.

Technology it appears is quite literally catching up with some people. In an
effort to gain more revenues cities are resorting to an automated system of
photographing vehicles, which run through red lights. This system has caught
many traffic offenders and recently something new. In Southern California, a
vehicle was photographed running through a red light and a ticket for $341
was sent to the registered owner of the car. However, the owner of the car
is challenging the ticket because the photograph shows that he was not
driving. His wife’s secret lover was driving the vehicle and she was caught
undeniably on the film with the other man. The husband is now getting a
divorce.

You have to wonder how long the affair had been going on and whether the
woman had intentions of telling her husband and divorcing him? You have to
wonder if the husband had any clue as to what was happening or if the
photograph of his wife with another man was a complete surprise? You have to
wonder if the red light photograph was an act of judgment on the part of the
Lord? As the Psalmist says, “The LORD is known by the judgment He executes;
the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.“ The situation does,
however, serve as a warning that what we think is secret and will never be
known may be uncovered. It serves as a warning that we can be caught up in
our sin to the extent that the damage cannot be repaired.

With these verses from Psalms and Proverbs, we see that sin is not an
inactive player. Sin is a hunter like a wild animal. Sin is always lurking,
looking for an opportunity to pounce and destroy another life. As the Lord
said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If
you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies
at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it (Genesis
4:6-7)." Sin has a desire for you.

There are actually two hunters seeking to catch you. The one we want to
blame most often is the devil and he is described as a wild beast by the
apostle Peter who says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the
devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter
5:8).” We also know from the Lord in John 10:10a that the devil’s intentions
are always the worst. The devil desires to steal life from you, destroy life
you have, and if there is any life left, he wants to kill it. The second
hunter is more insidious than even the devil. James describes this hunter in
James 1:14-15, “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own
desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin;
and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” Your own flesh, your
own desires is the second hunter seeking to catch and devour you.

We know we are being hunted so how can we escape being caught? Peter says
about the devil, “Resist him, steadfast in the faith… (1 Peter 5:9a).” In
Proverbs we are told, “Do not be afraid of sudden terror, nor of trouble
from the wicked when it comes; for the LORD will be your confidence, and
will keep your foot from being caught (Proverbs 3:25-26).” We must be
“steadfast in the faith” and we must allow the Lord to be our “confidence”.
This means we must avail ourselves of the resources of God available through
Jesus (Romans 8:32; Philippians 4:19). Put on the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans
13:14), take up the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18), and “fight the good
fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12).”

Copyright © 2004. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
on a non-profit basis with source credited. On June 8, 1998 the email
version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.

Ed Wrather is available for revivals, conferences, and other speaking and
ministry opportunities as the Lord leads. More information about Ed may be
found at http://www.theburningbush.org/28.html.

If you have a Christian website you are invited to add the link to my free
links at the Burning Bush website. The Bravenet free links is near the
bottom of the front page http://www.theburningbush.org.

If you enjoy the devotional please recommend it to your friends. They may
subscribe by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-subscribe@welovegod.org

Please sign the GuestMap at The Burning Bush website. You can plant your
country's flag on the map and leave a message. You can find it on the front
page at http://www.theburningbush.org

Streaming Videos of our services including my sermons are posted at:
http://www.theburningbush.org/fbcswvideo.html

There is now a webpage available at associate.com where the devotionals are
archived associate.com/groups/burningbushdevo. There is a complete
archive at the Burning Bush website and the address for the archive is
http://www.theburningbush.org/33.html.

You may subscribe to the pure text group by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-subscribe@welovegod.org and you can unsubscribe by sending a
blank email to burningbushdevo-unsubscribe@welovegod.org

You may subscribe to the html text group by sending a blank email to
burningbushhtml-subscribe@welovegod.org and you may unsubscribe by sending a
blank email to burningbushhtml-unsubscribe@welovegod.org

Subscribe to the Burning Bush Prayer Group. Send and receive prayer requests
to over 300 members. Send a blank email to: BBPG-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Subscribe to the Burning Bush Inspirational Group. Send and receive
inspirational material to over 100 members. Send a blank email to:
bbinspire-subscribe@welovegod.org

Subscribe to the Burning Bush Restoration and Recovery Group for those with
addictions or recovering from addictions. Receive devotionals and
inspirational material directed toward those with addictions. Send and
receive prayer requests. Over 200 members. Send a blank email to:
tbbrr-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Subscribe to the Intercede Life Group and pray for and help in practical
ways those who need help. To subscribe send a blank email to
interclife-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. A closely related website is
Peoplefaces which seeks to help those in need
peoplefaces.ohzone.net/index2.htm