Solicitation

Solicitation is a verb that is defined as urgently asking, and also as to entice or incite to evil. The usual use is for someone trying to sell us something, or we use it to refer to prostitutes. Today I want to use this blog to remind you that satan goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. We put worms on hooks, and meat in bear traps, the goal is the capture and destruction of our prey. We hope that the fish is so caught up in its desire for food it pays no attention to the hook. Likewise we want the bear to be more in touch with his animal desires than his common sense. These are simple illustrations of the nature of temptation.

When it comes to prostitutes, they usually lurk on the seedy side of town, and most often people (men) go there looking for them. Every now and then someone happens to be in the wrong place, at the wrong time, and there defenses are down. They didn't go looking for trouble, but it found them, they never intended to fall, but in a moment of great stupidity they saw what the flesh wanted and ignored the danger.

Solicitation has changed, big time. It is more aggressive and proactive than it has ever been. It has left the seedy side of town, and gotten just about everywhere, even in to the most Godly and spiritual of homes, because of the Internet. You don't have to go looking for it, it is gunning for you. Let me illustrate:



Last year there were over 5 billion direct mailings of offers for credit cards, to say nothing of those on the Internet. The average household has more that 86 such requests a year. (Lots more if you still have a home phone, and haven't gone all cellular.) These solicitations are an invitation to go in debt, and pay the banks interest and hopefully penalties. They are trying to pull you in their net. They are seeking whom they may devour. They are prying every way they can to get in your voice mail, you inbox, and your mailbox. They hope you pay no attention to the hook under the worm.


Even conservative Foxnews.com has provocative, sexually appealing stories on its web site every day. For what purpose? You click on the story and the advertisers on the page have to pay.
In like manner prostitutes and pornographers are prowling all over the Internet, seeking whom they may devour. A mistyped word in the address bar, an innocent search in google images, you can't even read your e-mail without ads "singles in your area" popping up. (Yahoo) (Gmail is much better in this regard) It's all over the place. I think that the aggressiveness of sin is increasing exponentially. In Genesis God told Cain, "sin is knocking at the door..."  We live in an age where it is not simply knocking at the door but is attempting to break the door down. It's not just the Internet, its TV, magazines, outdoor advertising, its everywhere.

So be sober, be vigilant, remembering the devil is out to destroy. He is the hunter you are the prey! He doesn't want to give you a worm, he wants you to swallow the hook, he wants to mount you on his wall as a trophy of his conquest. Essau sold his inheritance for a bowl of soup. Too many have destroyed their marriages for momentary pleasure. This is simply a reminder and warning, that in order to keep fire on your altar, you need to be diligent to avoid strange fire. There is still power in the blood, and mercy triumphs over judgment, but it is still better to avoid filth. Keep your fire burning.