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Pointers along the way #6

Is God a spoil-sport?
- Jacob Ninan

This is a lie the devil tells many people, especially young people, to turn them away from going to God. "If you go to God, you won't be able to have any fun in life. He will ask you not to do many things you like to do. See how much fun your friends are having without God. God will only want you to spend all your time praying and reading the Bible!" That is how the devil whispers in your heart. When you think about it, it may be how things appear to you. But the devil is a liar, and he is only trying to deceive you. He hates God, and does all he can to malign Him.

But think some more about God. Do you think He is one of those who get a thrill in making others suffer? No, He is One who has given us all things to enjoy! (1Ti.6:17). Just think that He is the One who created all the colourful flowers, lofty mountains, sparkling brooks, the roaring seas, and all the other beautiful things in nature for us to see and enjoy. He has created so many different things for us to eat and enjoy. Think of the pleasures of humour, music, books, movies, games, sports, adventures, etc. What about the joys of family life, friendships, doing an honest and challenging job, etc.? Think of the different abilities God has given us to enjoy the pleasures of life and to do things that can help others to enjoy too.

When God created Adam and Eve, He offered them the choice of hundreds of different fruits to eat. He forbade them from eating only one particular fruit. This is a picture of how much He has given us to enjoy, and how little He has really forbidden, in comparison. This is true, even if it appears to be quite the other way to us when we are tempted. We imagine, like children tell their parents, that we are not allowed to do anything!

What are the things God does not want us to do? Only those things that will harm us and are not good for us. Such things may not immediately appear to us like that. The devil tells us that even if we disobey God and do wrong, nothing will happen to us (Ge.3:1-4). But all that the devil offers us is like sugar-coated poison. Such things may give us momentary pleasure, but they will surely hurt us in the long run. Remember this the next time you are tempted to do wrong.

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