SUNDAY 13 March, 2016
Making Crafty Plans
So Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’” - 2 Samuel 13:5
Amnon was wondering how he could have his sister and Jonadab gave him the worst counsel. His crafty, worldly advice caused Amnon to sin against God. It was a plan of pure evil and was devised to satisfy Amnon’s lust for his sister. Amnon pretended he was sick and mislead his own father; a strategy of deception. Amnon would manipulate David into sending Tamar to prepare him food.
How foolish it is to use deception to gratify our fleshly passions. We must learn to reject such worldly advice. First Corinthians 3:19 tells us:For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in theirown craftiness.” It is futile to think we can get away with any evil plans we devise. No matter how crafty we behave, the Scriptures remind us that God sees what we do and He will capture us in our sins.
Remember, Satan devised a deceptive and evil plan against Eve; he was crafty in his speech. He tempted Eve with a desire for worldly wisdom. She took fruit from the tree of good and evil and sinned against God. She then influenced her husband to do the same. In turn, the whole human race is now born into sin (Genesis 3; Romans 5:12).
You will not become wiser when you accept plans of deception from worldly friends. Escape the temptation to listen to worldly advice and listen to the wisdom of Proverbs 5:7: Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil.
The underlying principle of all Satan’s tactics is deception. He is crafty and clever camouflager.
- Billy Graham
For more from Raul Ries, please visit Somebodylovesyouradio.org!
