Cancel The Invitation
Monday, August 11
Proverbs 7:6-9 (NKJV)
“For at the window of my house I looked through my lattice, And saw among the simple, I perceived among the youths, A young man devoid of understanding, Passing along the street near her corner; And he took the path to her house In the twilight, in the evening, In the black and dark night.”
Devoción
Temptation never sends the invitation in neon letters. It slides it across the table quietly. It dresses it in "just this once." It makes the corner look harmless. It makes the timing feel right.
But Proverbs paints the picture: A path. A corner. A step toward darkness. It’s not the fall that starts the destruction, it’s the direction. Every temptation begins with a decision to walk toward it. And the wise cancel the invitation before it’s even opened.
You don’t stumble into holiness by accident. You walk toward it on purpose. You bear fruit worthy of repentance (Matthew 3:8) by the choices you make daily, turning your feet away from the places you know will pull you under and keeping your eyes from what looks sweet but poisons the soul. Temptation always promises more than it delivers. It costs more than you think. It takes more than you planned to give.
So cancel the invitation. Not because you are strong enough, but because you know your heart needs God’s strength instead (2 Corinthians 12:9). Walk the other way. Run if you have to, like Joseph did when Potiphar’s wife grabbed hold of him, choosing to lose his coat rather than lose his calling. Because peace is found far from the corner of compromise.
Oración de hoy
Querido Padre Celestial,
Give me eyes to see temptation for what it is, a trap that steals life. Help me cancel its invitation before I take a single step. Strengthen my heart to choose the road that leads to You. Turn my feet away from compromise and toward the safety of Your presence. Be my strength in the twilight hours, and my guard in the dark of night. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Aplíquelo hoy mismo
It can be hard to decline an invitation, especially if there appear to be good reasons to say yes. But say “No” to invitations that will take you to dark corners, with immoral people, especially in the night time hours. You can even say, “No, thank you.” No to the strip club after the football game. No to meeting an old romantic interest for drinks or dessert. No to the party where you can expect drugs, occult, or sexually charged “entertainment.” If something comes up by surprise at an event you thought was neutral, leave quickly and quietly. Have an escape plan. Trust that God will provide the open doors and relationships you need, as He did for Joseph.
Recursos
- If you missed yesterday’s message by Pastor Franklin titled, “Cancel The Invitation To Temptation”, here’s your opportunity to not only watch it, but also share it with a friend who is pursuing God’s kingdom and righteousness.
- The best way to grow in spiritual disciplines is through programs such as our School of Discipleship. Sign up today for our Fall Semester, starting the week of August 18.