Don't Give Up!
Greetings Foothills family!
One of the more memorable days in grade school was the day a herpetologist visited my class. Herpetologists study reptiles and amphibians. This herpetologist brought a python to the class, which of course, captured the attention of all of us. The guest speaker taught us about the snake's diet, it's average lifespan, where it usually lived, etc. Of course, the speaker then let us come and pet the snake, which was exciting and frightening at the same time.
The one thing I still remember from that day was learning the difference between living things that are cold-blooded, and living things that are warm-blooded. Humans are warm-blooded, which means our bodies can regulate its temperature. On a hot sunny day, or a cold winter night, our bodies remain around 98 degrees Fahrenheit. However, snakes are cold-blooded, which means their body temperature fluctuates according to the temperature of their environment. This is why snakes must hibernate in the winter. It is in hibernation that they are able to endure the colder winter temperatures.
Scripture uses the snake, or serpent, as the symbol of evil. This does not mean snakes are evil, rather that they provide a representation of evil. For instance, snakes often move by twisting. Correspondingly, lies are a twisting of the truth. Impurity is a twisting of the pure. Evil is a twisting of what is good.
In a sense, evil is "cold-blooded," and this is actually good news. You see, cold-blooded creatures are very limited in their endurance in comparison to warm-blooded creatures. This is also true of evil. Hatred is coldblooded. Deceit is cold-blooded. Slander is cold-blooded. Evil is cold-blooded. It may seem that they are prevalent and powerful and unstoppable now, but in reality, thanks the the victorious life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, they cannot last. This is why we find such wonderful promises in Scripture like "No weapon formed against you shall prosper " (Isaiah 54:17) and "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." (John 1:5)
Church family, God is for us, God is with us, and God loves us! So, in the face of whatever trouble, attack, or evil you may currently be contending with, don't give in. Don't give up. Put your trust in Jesus and keep pressing forward. Jesus promises that "he who endures to the end shall be saved." (Matthew 24:13)
Pastor Chris
