Lord God,
when the devil presents the bait,
show us the hook.
When the devil presents the golden cup
show the poison hidden inside.
When the devil presents the sweet pleasure of sin,
show us the misery that will follow.
When the devil presents the profit of yielding to sin,
show us the wrath that comes from committing it.
When Satan promises the soul honor and profit,
give us eyes to see the shame and loss he delivers.
Strengthen our resolve
that we keep at the greatest possible distance from sin,
and not play with the golden bait held out by Satan.
May we tremble at sin, and keep our distance from it.
Give us eyes to see that sin is a bitter sweet
whose sweetness quickly vanishes,
replaced by lasting shame, sorrow, horror and terror.
May we fear to lose
that divine favor that is better than life,
that joy that is unspeakable and full of glory,
that peace that passes understanding,
those divine influences by which our souls
are refreshed, raised and gladdened.
Help us to see when Satan paints sin with virtue’s colors:
when pride is called neatness and cleanliness,
when covetousness is called good stewardship,
when drunkenness is called good company,
when a lack of self-control is called liberality,
and when wild living is called youthful tricks.
Help us to see through the deceits of sin.
Help us to see sin as one day we will see it:
when what once appeared sweet will appear most bitter,
what once appeared beautiful will appear most ugly,
what once appeared delightful will appear most dreadful.
Gracious Father, may we reckon the true price of our sin:
that it cost the best blood, the noblest blood,
the life-blood, the heart-blood of our Lord Jesus.
Thomas Brooks, 1608–1680, English Puritan preacher and author
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Submit yourselves therefore to God.
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
prayer & verse 