Lust of the Eyes


[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. (Matthew 4:8-10).

Now the devil tempted our Lord with what belongs to him! Psalms 24:1; The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. All these belongs to the Father of our Lord Jesus, however our Lord has claim over them all by inheritance. Is he not also offering us what already belongs to us today? What men kill for this day are mere benefits of the kingdom life, though these are not to be the purpose of seeking God. In this does the devil convinces us that we must strive to get this degree, get that wealth, houses, food, clothes, and that spouse to be successful, all which our Father in heaven is able to give us much more than we ask or think if it pleases Him!

Satan sets these things before men that they might not seek God. What a stumbling block! Only few of God's children understands that we are not to strive after these things for they will be added unto us after we have sought, received the kingdom of God and live His righteousness as a lifestyle. Some have bowed to Lucifer, sold their soul for what they could gain here and now. Esau's of the 21st century! All these see is the pleasures of now, nothing more. Who has lost the battle to Satan? The shortsighted! For Satan's main objective has ever been to draw us completely into the pleasures of present, and take our sights off the glories of then, contrary to our Lord Who always desires we walk in light of our consciousness of the eternal glory ahead.

If Satan has successfully kept a brother in seeking after the happiness of now, such has been captured by him and he is useless to God. If we would look into the world today all there is that is in there is lust, to acquire this and that, at the expense of men's souls. Have we not also bowed to these idols and demons? What do we serve? Education? Haven't we esteemed our children in place of God? Mammon? Health? Friends? Parents? Entertainment? Good Job? Wife or husband? Service in God's house? These things take most of our time, for we serve them, not God. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me (Matthews 10:37), saith our Lord.

Let us check ourselves, for whatever we are desperate for, such has our heart! For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matthews 6:21). Some may say, "oh we haven't knelt before a stone nor prostrated to some wood that we might be accused of idol worship." Let us be fully aware that whatever takes preeminence in our heart that is our god! And we must note that no spiritual adulterer shall have a part in Christ's kingdom (Revelation 21: 8 ). Let us walk by the spirit not by the flesh, by faith not by sight and by the spiritual not by the physical. For if we run after these things they might destroy us, but if we seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness we shall be blessed and joyful and content with whatever God has given us. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal (Matthew 6:19-20).