Black Keys Melody

The God on the inside and the devil on the outside  Recently, I have noticed a painful habit in my spiritual life. When I feel a destructive impulse or think a destructive thought, one that would not please God, I instantly feel guilty and angry with myself. I feel that being tempted is wrong in and of itself; I think: "If I was stronger, I wouldn't have such desires". But, I was reminded today when I read Matthew 4 that Jesus was tempted by the devil just as we are. Temptation is not a sin; sin is a wrong choice made after temptation. Then I wondered, what made me think that temptation was wrong? And I think it has something to do with my perception of myself, my perception of Satan, and my perception of God.  Temptation makes me feel as if I am constantly falling short. Am I? Do I fall short of God's expectations? That led me to the biggest question: What does God require of me?  The Carrot   According to the Bible, humans are created by God in His i...

Too Small For God  The Psalmist said to God: " What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that Thou visitest him? " (Psa. 8:4) He gave voice to the refrain that has echoed through men's hearts for centuries. After we are rescued from our pride and perilous demise and ushered into God's abundant grace and care, we find ourselves overwhelmed. How are we supposed to commune with a God so grand and fantastic--a God all-wise and all-caring? How do we follow the hand of God when He is invisible to us? How do we listen to His voice when the voice of the devil is so strong in our minds?  I have had those same thoughts, and in that mindset, I have assumed the Biblical heroes could never feel as weak and useless as I am. But, I was wrong. God has made a career of fortifying the weak and uplifting the crestfallen. His Book is filled with the stories of redemption and inspiration. In this article, which I pray is one of many on this sub...