Pam Padgett ... teacher
While reading in Ecclesiastes 8, the last part of verse 8 stood out to me ...
Ecclesiastes 8:8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit
to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and
there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.
One of the ways the devil tries to snare us is by presenting something that is wrong in the sight of God as the way to deal with a problem. But wickedness will not help, rescue or keep us safe.
I was reminded of the devil tempting Jesus ...
Matthew 4:Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. 5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Jesus did not seek deliverance from hunger or glory according to the ways of the devil. Jesus stayed in the ways of God.
In whatever we face, God delivers, helps and defends those who trust in Him ...
Psalm 5:11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice:
let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also
that love thy name be joyful in thee. 12 For thou, LORD, wilt bless the
righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.
Psalm 18:1 I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. 2 The LORD is my
rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I
will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high
tower. 3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so
shall I be saved from mine enemies. 4 The sorrows of death compassed me,
and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. 5 The sorrows of hell
compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. 6 In my distress I
called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of
his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.