Monkey Trap Religion
MONKEY TRAP RELIGION
For the benefit of those who may not know where the MONKEY-TRAP came from, let me explain:
Many years ago, in the African nations, the monkey became so numerous and food became so depleted, the monkeys would ravish the farmer’s crops. The farmer devised a method of ridding their problem. They would take a long necked gourd and attach a chain or a strong wire through the end of the neck. Then they would drill a tiny hole in the very end of the larger part of the gourd and remove all the insides. Then, they would place pieces of candy inside this empty gourd and leave it on the ground for the monkey to find. The monkey, being greedy, stingy and selfish, would manage to squeeze his hand inside this gourd and take hold of a piece of candy. Now that his hand is in a fist, holding the candy, he cannot get it out the tiny hole. He is so stupid, selfish and greedy that he will actually keep hold of the candy while the farmer bashes his head in with a heavy stick of some kind.
Hence, the “Monkey Trap”.
There are people in this world who are so caught-up in their religion that they will not turn loose and let God rescue them.
Billy Graham once was asked by Art Linkletter on The Art Linkletter Show on t.v. “When you preach to your audience, why don’t you complete your message by telling them what they must do in order to be saved?” To which Mr. Graham replied, “Art, there are so many different religions in my audience that I cannot compromise by telling them something that would cause some to turn away.“
What was Mr. graham actually saying? “I would rather have their approval than tell them what God demands.“
People are just like this in many areas of life: they have so many years invested in error that for them to change would mean complete financial ruin, which they cannot afford to give up.
What did Jesus say, in Luke 14:26?
“If any man comes to me, and [hate] not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yes and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”
…And again in Luke 16:13; Matt. 6:24.
“No one can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
Look at this verse: Luke 16:15.
“And he said unto them, You are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knows your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.”
The apostle James worded it thusly –
“Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” James 4:4.
Other passages come to mind at this point in this study:
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? {37} Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? {38} For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” Mark 8:36-38.
Can a person honestly be so persuaded in erroneous belief that they will continue rebelling against God’s word?
Does “Family Traditions” and “Pride” mean more than eternal glory with God?
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? {37} Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Are they not caught-up in a “Monkey Trap Religion”?
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Very Good!!