God's Design for Passion & Intimacyಮಾದರಿ

Lie #1: God is Not Trustworthy Our enemy, Satan, doesn’t just make up lies randomly because he has nothing better to do. Have you ever noticed that he hasn’t tried to convince you that the sky is green or that chocolate tastes bad? His lies and schemes always have a purpose. At the very core of every lie he whispers and every truth he distorts is an underlying agenda – to convince you that God cannot be trusted. You read today the first recorded lie. Satan’s first interaction with the human race was a bold-faced lie about God’s character. He successfully convinced Eve that God was trying to keep her from something good rather than trying to protect her. Your enemy repeats that same lie in your own thoughts. At a point of temptation, you may begin to believe that the world is having all the fun – that pornography, books like "Fifty Shades of Grey", and a flirtation with a co-worker will bring you more pleasure than your spouse ever could. Satan wants you to believe that God’s design for sex is limited, flawed and ultimately unsatisfying. He may whisper that you deserve more than what passes for love between you and your spouse. The Bible acknowledges that sin may be pleasurable for a season, but ultimately it leads to pain and death. God’s standards are not to limit your enjoyment, but to heighten it. God is the greatest proponent of your pleasure—not the pleasure that is sweet for a season, but the deep, profound satisfaction that only grows sweeter with time. Question to ponder: Although you may sing worship songs about God’s goodness and even have memorized Psalms about His lovingkindness, are you susceptible to this lie of the enemy? Do you believe that living by God’s standards of holiness will keep you from the greatest pleasures? Action Step: When Jesus was tempted by Satan, He quoted Scripture in defense. Find and memorize a Bible verse that refutes Satan’s lie that God is not trustworthy.