Devotion Booklets for Seasons of the Church Year Lent 2018 | Page 19

False Expectations
Wednesday, February 28th
Matthew 10:34
You might call the Devil a master of tricks. From the moment he's introduced in Genesis 3:1 he is called
"more crafty than any of the wild animals." He doesn't fail to live up to that name. He tricked Eve to
take the fruit from a tree which God commanded them not to take. Still worse, he convinced her it
would be good for her. When both Adam and Eve ate of the fruit they realized their sin. Thousands of
years later we see the Devil up to the same tricks. Scripture tells us how the Devil filled the heart of
Jesus' disciple, Judas Iscariot. For thirty pieces of silver Judas was willing to hand Jesus over to be
crucified! By the time Judas realized what he had done it was too late. The guilt was too much for him.
He ended his own life!
What possessed Eve to eat the forbidden fruit? What motivated Judas to sell Jesus out? What did they
think would happen? Did Eve think she would get smarter? Did Judas think a little more money would
make him happier? Perhaps they thought it would be good for them? They believed the false promises
the Devil made to them would give them something better than what God had already given them.
Here's a crafty trick the Devil dangles in front of us… the promise of earthly peace. Its appeal is
undeniable. A world with no more wars or fighting would be great! We could live in comfort and
security! He promises that we can all get along if we just work hard at it. There are even whispers of,
"Wouldn't Jesus be proud of this peace?" The Devil has dressed up this peace so beautifully. He's made
it look so noble to convince us that peace must be reached at all costs! But hidden and unmentioned in
his "noble" concept of peace is this fact: the sinful world always opposes the peace God gives to his
children (Romans 8:7). The world hated Jesus because he did not compromise with evil or to make
peace with it! Instead, he came to triumph over it with the cross.
Jesus, our Prince of Peace, has given peace to the world! His triumph over sin brings real peace with
our heavenly Father. It's a full, harmonious, joyful relationship we have with him. The sinful world
opposes it and despises it. The Devil still uses his tricks and false promises to distract us from it. But
thanks be to Jesus that we al