The Devil Made Me Do It…

…and other excuses

We are full of excuses:

• The devil made me do it.
• My friends pressured me.
• I had other obligations.
• I didn’t have time.
• I took a dare.
• I worship God in nature.
• I would be embarrassed to do that.
• The church roof would cave in If I went
• I had to go fishing
• I can’t talk to people about Jesus
• This list could go on and on ad nauseam.

It is human nature to make excuses. Sometimes they are planned ahead of time.  Sometimes they are made up on the spot.

Jesus mentioned some unusual excuses for not attending a ‘great” supper in Luke 14:16-24.

• “I have bought some land and need to go see it.” Really??  Did you buy some land without looking at it?  And you must see it right now?
• “I bought five yoke of oxen, and I need to prove them.” You bought them without checking to see if they could do the job you need to be done?
• “I have married a wife, and I cannot come.” Wow, I guess she will keep you from all other special meals and celebrations too.

The man who prepared the feast rejected all the excuses and told his servant to gather guests that were poor, maimed, halt, and blind.  They would be glad to come.

“An excuse is a skin of a reason stuffed with a lie.”  Quote from Billy Sunday.

If you are a born-again Christian, the Bible doesn’t allow for excuses when God has commanded you to do something.  His direction may have come from a specific Scripture or the inner urging of the Holy Spirit within you.  The Holy Spirit will not direct you to do anything contrary to Scripture.

Consider these victory provisions that God has prepared for you:

• You are a new creature in Christ Jesus. God has given you a new life.  (2 Corinthian 5:17).  The old excuses are not valid anymore.  “Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
• God will not ask you to do anything unless He enables you. 1 Thessalonians 5:24 says, “Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it.
• God will not permit any temptation or trial to come upon you that He will not provide an escape or provision to get through the testing time. 1 Corinthians 10:13
• The memorized Word of God is an important tool to help us keep from sin. “Thy Word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee.”  Psalm 119:11.
• God does expect self-discipline. “Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”  (!  Peter 5:7).

So, what can you do?

Realize that Satan, the ungodly crowd, and maybe even some of your Christian friends will not want you to do God’s will.

Believe God’s promise in Proverbs 3:5-6 and put it into action.  “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct thy paths.

What marvelous joy and blessing comes when you yield to the Lord.  Trust Him to enable you, give you victory, and produce spiritual fruit. Just trust and obey Him!

John Henry Sammis said it well in the fourth verse of the familiar old hymn…

Trust and Obey

(4) But we never can prove
The delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows,
And the joy he bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey,
for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus,
but to trust and obey.