Free iPad!

For facebook users…did you receive a post that said this:  Hey “your name” I cant believe it, I actually got a free ipad to test out and keep. They are only giving away a limited supply, so I'm showing you this. There are still giving them away from the new years overstock! I absolutely LOVE the iPad :).  Ok, so did you click it?  Were you excited about the fact that you also could get a FREE iPad!  If you did, it’s either a “worm” entered your computer and sent this to all those in your friend list, or it was a deadly virus that hacked your account and closed it.  Or nothing happened.  Or, what’s worse, is that you really got a free iPad and that’s going to make me regret not clicking it!

But most probably nothing happened.  And when that happens, don’t you end up feeling like a fool for actually clicking on something, hoping to get something really big or expensive, but ended up with nothing?  Well, that’s what all of those worms or viruses do – they attract our attention, prey on the desires of our heart, and then when we click – bang!  we’re caught in their trap.  And you see it in your wall – your friends who clicked it are sending the same thing to everyone in their friend list.

That’s exactly how temptation works.  And if we’re falling into it in facebook, I wonder how we’re doing in our everyday life?
James 1:14-15 (NIV)
14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.
15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

The picture used by James here is that of a fish attracted to a bait, running after it because it looks delicious, not knowing that it is stuck to a hook.  And when the fish bites it is caught.  It ends up in the frying pan.  The same thing happens when we are tempted.  The sin looks so enticing, so delicious, too good to turn away from.  When Satan tempts us, he’s not going to show us the consequence of what we’re going to do, or the ugliness of the sin.  He’s going to focus on how good you will feel, how much you will enjoy it – even if it’s just for a few seconds.  And when we bite…bang!  We’re caught in the sin, and suddenly all the ugliness of what we did sinks in, and we feel bad.  Then the tempter becomes the accuser – He will accuse us to our face, making us feel down, depressed, causing us to fall away from God.

How important it is to temper our desires.  No, more than that, how important it is for us to surrender our desires to the Lord, and allow Him to place His desires, His will, His kingdom in our hearts.  Christians are not people who lift up their desires to the Lord.  Christians are those who live according to God’s desires for them.  “Your kingdom come, Your will be done…”.  How we’ve forgotten that aspect of the prayer the Lord taught us.

So, the next time we see a worm wiggling, or an iPad ad calling us to click.  Think twice, thrice even.
James 1:16-17 (NIV)
16 Don't be deceived, my dear brothers.
17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

If God has something good for you it may not necessarily come from a click of the mouse.  It will most probably come from working hard, saving up, and of course discerning well if that iPad (or whatever else you’re praying for) is really for you.