The Ways of a Scorpion

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Hello Saints again!

I thought this to be a good post (that evidently was part of some kind
of devotional mailing list) to forward on a reflect upon.  Tho' I don't 
subscribe completely to the devotional at the end.... there's a couple
of good nuggets in there to have... (especially since it just seems
to be a generic type devotion with no real teeth in it (IMO)).

Bro. Tyler

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A scorpion, being a very poor swimmer, asked a turtle to carry him on its
back across the river.  "Are you mad?" exclaimed the turtle. "You'll sting
me while I'm swimming and I'll drown."  "My dear turtle," laughed the
scorpion, "If I were to sting you, you would drown and I'd go down with you.
Now where is the logic in that?" "You're right," cried the turtle.  "Hop
on."  The scorpion climbed aboard and halfway across the river gave the
turtle a mighty sting. As they both sank to the bottom, the turtle,
resigned, said, "Do you mind if I ask you something?  You said there is no
logic in your stinging me.  Why did you do it?"  "It has nothing to do with
logic," the drowning scorpion replied.  "It's just my nature."

See:  John 8:44; Rom 7:5; Rom 8:5; Gal 5:17; Eph 2:1-3

(John 8:44 KJV)  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your
father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in
the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he
speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

(Rom 7:5 KJV)  For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which
were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

(Rom 8:5 KJV)  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the
flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

(Gal 5:17 KJV)  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit
against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye
cannot do the things that ye would.

(Eph 2:1-3 KJV)  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and
sins: {2} Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this
world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now
worketh in the children of disobedience: {3} Among whom also we all had our
conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires
of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even
as others.


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DEVOTION

February 8

"He shall save his people from their sins."

- Matthew 1:21

Many persons, if they are asked what they understand by salvation, will
reply, "Being saved from hell and taken to heaven." This is one result of
salvation, but it is not one tithe of what is contained in that boon. It is
true our Lord Jesus Christ does redeem all his people from the wrath to
come; he saves them from the fearful condemnation which their sins had
brought upon them; but his triumph is far more complete than this. He saves
his people "from their sins." Oh! sweet deliverance from our worst foes.
Where Christ works a saving work, he casts Satan from his throne, and will
not let him be master any longer. No man is a true Christian if sin reigns
in his mortal body. Sin will be in us-it will never be utterly expelled till
the spirit enters glory; but it will never have dominion. There will be a
striving for dominion-a lusting against the new law and the new spirit which
God has implanted-but sin will never get the upper hand so as to be absolute
monarch of our nature. Christ will be Master of the heart, and sin must be
mortified. The Lion of the tribe of Judah shall prevail, and the dragon
shall be cast out. Professor! is sin subdued in you? If your life is unholy
your heart is unchanged, and if your heart is unchanged you are an unsaved
person. If the Saviour has not sanctified you, renewed you, given you a
hatred of sin and a love of holiness, he has done nothing in you of a saving
character. The grace which does not make a man better than others is a
worthless counterfeit. Christ saves his people, not in their sins, but from
them. "Without holiness no man shall see the Lord." "Let every one that
nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." If not saved from sin, how
shall we hope to be counted among his people. Lord, save me now from all
evil, and enable me to honour my Saviour.

Spurgeon, Charles H., Morning and Evening, (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research
Systems, Inc.) 1995.