March 27, 2019: 1 Kings 20, 21; 2 Chronicles 17.

I knew I shouldn’t, but I did.

I was finishing lunch and saw the Spider Solitaire icon. I clicked on it – again.

I had already lost 3 games and moved on to reading email. But I went back and got sucked in for another half hour.

My mind kept telling me, “You’ll win the next one.”

I couldn’t spare 30 minutes. I finished my tasks but did not have time to practice. It was late when I cleaned up. I dried my hair using the van air vents on the way to church.

“When you get tempted it’s from the lust of the flesh. …Fights come from lusts in our body. …“You ask, and do not receive, because you ask to spend it on your passions,” James 4:3. …If you live by the flesh, it dictates your mind, and grace stays boxed up. …” Pastor Monte Knudsen, “Blueprint of Faith,” March 27, 2019

I wanted to say the devil made me do it. But I learned this morning that it’s not the devil.

“…in the realm of our mind, that’s where the attack happens. …We’ve been calling the wrong stuff the devil. …I got a flat tire. It’s the devil. No, it was a nail. …I ate a doughnut. It’s the devil. No, it was delicious. …” Steven Furtick, “That’s Not the Devil,” 1:Minute Motivation, 3-27-19

The chapters I read this morning showed me how to battle my flesh. (It also works in bringing my finances under control.)

Do I take one thing at a time?

1 Kings 20:19, 20, “The commandos poured out of the city, with the full army behind them. (20) They hit hard in hand-to-hand combat. …” The Message

Do I stay alert? Do I build up my defenses, know my capabilities, and see what needs to be done?

1 Kings 20:22, “Sometime later the prophet came to the king of Israel and said, ‘On the alert now – build up your army, assess your capabilities, and see what has to be done. Before the year is out, the king of Aram will be back in force.’ ” The Message

Do I evaluate my generals? Are my banker, insurance agents, and investment advisor, working for my best interest? Or theirs? Do they fight for me to win or are they satisfied with the status quo? Are they leaders or experienced soldiers.

1 Kings 20:24, “Here’s the strategy: Remove each sheik from his place of leadership and replace him with a seasoned officer.” The Message

Do I make rash decisions? Or take the time to weigh the pros and cons?

1 Kings 20:29, “The two armies were poised in a standoff for seven days.” The Message

Do I stay focused? Or do I get distracted and work on other things?

1 Kings 20:40, “But I got busy doing one thing after another and the next time I looked he was gone.” The Message

Do I protect the important things? Or sacrifice the important for the unimportant?

1 Kings 21:4, “…’I’ll never turn over my family inheritance to you.’ …” The Message

Do I have a good defense system? Do I have the right insurance? Do I have enough or too much? When was the last time I evaluated it?

1 Chronicles 17:1, “Asa’s son Jehoshaphat was the next king; he started out by working on his defense system against Israel.” The Message

What am I going to do? I can’t tell you!

Proverbs 27:1, “Don’t brashly announce what you’re going to do tomorrow; you don’t know the first thing about tomorrow.” The Message

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