Tuesday - July 12, 2016

Woodlawn Family Bible Study
TUESDAY

BIBLE READING:  Isaiah 31-34

 One of Paul’s friends who accompanied him on his missionary journey was named Demas. His name is only used three times in Scripture. He is first mentioned with Paul as he sends greetings with Luke and Demas to the church at Colossae. Then he is mentioned in Philemon 24 as sending greetings again with Luke and Paul to Philemon. 

 The last time he is mentioned, however, is not in a positive light. “For Demas, in love with this present would, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia” ( 2 Timothy 4:10).  How could a man who had followed Paul and Luke, and had seen the great and powerful things God was able to do through them, all of a sudden just desert them for present world? Was it money? Was it fame? Was it a woman? Whatever it was, it started as something small and grew into something led him away from God.

 Sadly, what happened to Demas is not that uncommon. Every day people all over the world are willing to leave behind their faith in Jesus because they have fallen in love with this present world. What can we do to protect ourselves from falling into the same trap? To quote the great philosopher Bernard P. Fife (aka, Barney), “You got to nip it in the bud!” You see, these feelings begin in our minds and then develop because of our own lusts. As they grow, they bring about a spiritual deadness. 

 James puts it this way, “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers” (James 1:14-16). 

 Now that we know how it works there is no reason for any of us to be deceived and fall into the Demas trap. We must nip those feeling in the bud, and  “take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10.5). Let’s do the best we can today to not fall into the Demas trap.

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