Eph 4:27 “… and do not give the devil an opportunity.”
Several years ago there was a popular country music song by a father and daughter duet entitled “Heaven’s Just A Sin Away.” In the song, the artist asked for heaven’s prayers and then followed that up with the statement “I think I’m giving in.” 

When sin looks like heaven to us it is not only time to pray it is time to run. Temptation is best avoided by flight rather than fight. When we fight against temptation that looks more like heaven and hell we are staying to close to the temptation. “Flee the Devil” is heaven’s advise.  Paul tells the Ephesians not to give the Devil an opportunity. Hanging around sin and its temptation is providing an opportunity to the Devil. 

This is the reason we should pick our friends carefully. This is the reason we should pick our mate carefully. Sometimes, I hear people say, “Oh, I can be around (it) and it won’t bother me. Sorry, but that’s not true. If you spend your time with people who profane God it will rub off. The Bible is not mistaken in its bottom line approach. “Bad companions corrupt good character.” The only safe course when dealing with sin and its temptation is to run as fast as you can.

The song was right in that many temptations look so good we might mistake their reward with something “heavenly.” Regardless of how wonderful it looks (check Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil), it results in losing heaven rather than gaining it. 

Task for Today: See heaven in a sin? RUN! Don’t get close because getting close gives the Devil opportunity to tempt you. You can’t afford to risk it. It is too dangerous and the stakes are too high.