The little calf on the end of the lasso had his feet firmly planted resisting the tug of the rope. Today Gary Wittmayer would be the "cowboy" who would throw (lay them down) the calves so that the cowboys could vaccinate, brand and make steers out of the young bulls. This was Gary's first time to throw, but since he had often watched the others he was sure that he could do the job, especially since he was a big, strong, football player.

Gary followed the rope to the calf, leaned across his body, grabbed a front and a back leg and lifted hard and managed to get two legs off the ground but with two still firmly planted. Gary applied more lift while leaning back, trying to get the other legs off the ground and lay the calf down. At that moment the calf jumped. Down they went, Gary on the bottom, the calf on top. The hoots and hollers of the other workers embarrassed Gary. As the boss approached with the branding iron, he said, "We usually brand the one on the bottom."

Calf number two was not a whole lot better. He managed to lift all four feet off the ground but as he tried to roll him on his side and put him down he wiggled. The result was the same—Gary on the bottom.

After that introduction to calf throwing, the boss took the time to teach Gary how it was done. It is as much a matter of finesse as it is strength.

The big secret is in a proper hold and a well timed and placed knee into the calf's side. As soon as a cowboy grabs the calf, he will jump, then it is important to lift and bring a knee firmly into the calf's side, knocking its legs out from under it. With practice Gary soon had the confidence that the calf would be on the bottom 100% of the time.

All Christians are equipped by the Holy Spirit with the strength of the Almighty Himself to throw down evil and despair. In our daily pilgrimage it too often seems that like that young cowboy we end up on the bottom with failure, shame, embarrassment, guilt, inadequacy sitting atop us. Sometimes it is a long battle. Unholy thoughts, resentment, feelings of victimization, enticements to vengeance come quickly and often. They seem to have the upper hand.

Satan is a wily and strong opponent even if he is bound by God's chains. How to throw him aside we learn from Jesus. Our ability to resist him is not in our will power or resolve! It is solely in the Word. As Satan tempts our Lord Jesus again and again, each time we hear Jesus say to Satan, "It is Written!"

The Word of God is our advantage. When we actually speak a Word of God against Satan, he is thrown It's the knee in his side. The Gospel is the power of God. We must purposely speak it aloud. "Be gone Satan, for it is written…"

Fire officials in New Hampshire say that a dog caused a house fire. Investigators say the fire started near the stove, which was an older model gas unit that only had to have the knob tuned on to ignite. Deputy Chief Tom Zottie said they found remnants of a lunch on top of the stove. The family pet apparently succumbed to temptation. Zottie said the dog, "appears to have jumped up or against the stove, and did what dogs do."

—http://news.aol.com/strange/story/_a/dog-blamed-for-starting-house-fire/n20060427221009990002?cid=936. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

1 Corinthians 10:12 (CEV) "Even if you think you can stand up to temptation, be careful not to fall."

If you found large sum of money lying in the road would you be tempted to keep it and not tell anyone, or would you turn it in to authorities? A Wisconsin couple says the thought of keeping the money never entered their mind when they found a folder containing $42,000 lying on the road.

Christopher and Cheryl Dondlinger were driving to an early morning doctor's appointment when they spotted a folder in the road. Christopher says, "I thought some child dropped it in the street and maybe we would find some children's drawings. I opened it up and found a substantial amount of money." Dondlinger said there was no temptation to keep the money. He added, "We were not brought up that way."

When Police counted the folder's contents, they found $42,000 in cash and checks. While authorities were still counting the money, they received a call from an accountant for a local fast food restaurant who had lost it. Police speculate the woman set the folder on the roof of her car and drove off.

—Associated Press, April 22, 2005, Wisconsin couple finds $42,000 on road. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

1 Tim. 6:10 MSG "Lust for money brings trouble and nothing but trouble. Going down that path, some lose their footing in the faith completely and live to regret it bitterly ever after."

For most people the Christmas shopping season means spending a little more to share gifts with friends. For those in who work in the retail sector, the busy holiday season is a time to boost their loss-prevention efforts. Studies reveal that one in every 11 people who walk into a store are likely to walk out with at least one item they did not pay for. That translates to an estimated loss of $119 billion over the course of a year, roughly 1.45 percent of total sales. Authorities say only a small percentage of shoplifters are “professionals” who sell stolen goods to make a living. Most offenders are amateurs whose crimes arise from opportunity.

Security professionals say the list of items most often stolen include prime cuts of meat, liquor, hygiene products, small electronic devices, and shoes. Statistics reveal shoplifting has been up the past couple of years due to economic pressures. Barbara Staib, spokesperson for the National Association of Shoplifting Prevention says the problem comes from an unusual source. Three-quarters of shoplifters are adults with jobs, not troubled teens the homeless. 35 percent of losses happen with the help of a corrupt employee. Staib added, “Seventy percent of shoplifters tell us they didn’t plan to shoplift.”

--Steal This ‘Tis the season, ye Merry Retailers, for Shoplifting; http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/steal-136712; November 29, 2011; Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (CEV) “Even if you think you can stand up to temptation, be careful not to fall. (13) You are tempted in the same way that everyone else is tempted. But God can be trusted not to let you be tempted too much, and he will show you how to escape from your temptations.”

How can a man of such great loyalty, sacrifice, honor, discipline, and willpower as General David Petraeus get caught up in an adulterous affair? “How could he allow things to go so far?” asks Joel Stein in his November 2012 Time Magazine column.

Stein’s answer is that people in Petraeus’ situation are particularly vulnerable to such temptation because they have such little experience in sexual temptation. A Biblical answer is similar, strong people are susceptible to a fall because they believe they are above temptation.

It is disconcerting that he could allow this weakness to put his job, his career, his reputation, as well as his country at such great risk. Pastors and other religious leaders can make the same mistakes. It is important to always be on the alert for temptations. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

1 Corinthians 10:12 (HCSB) “So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall.”

Guilt over eating chocolate only makes it more delicious, by Eric Risberg , http://todayhealth.today.com/_news/2012/12/06/15708484-guilt-over-eating-chocolate-only-makes-it-more-delicious?lite, Accessed December 6, 2012.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV) No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Temptation

Twenty-two-year-old Emily Guberman just graduated from Baylor University, is a VISTA volunteer and is running 1,000 miles to support Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Emily’s motivation for supporting MADD is unique, because a drunk driver killed her mother in 2009. After her mother’s death Emily walled herself off from others because she did not know how to deal with the pain. She has since become a Christian and her life has changed. Emily says she has chosen to serve others because of who her mother was and her growing faith has fueled that motivation. She says that is why she is serving through VISTA and running to raise funds for MADD. Emily has asthma and says it is a struggle to run the minimum 2.7 miles she needs each day to meet her goal to raise the money. She says, “The struggle I go through reminds me of the struggles I went through with my mom. It reminds me of the struggles alcoholics go through and the struggles the families go through when they lose someone.” She adds, “Jesus Christ reminds me I don’t have to deal with the pain alone.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Hebrews 10:32 (HCSB) “Remember the earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings.”

In San Diego, a would-be robber walked into a branch of U.S. Bank and handed the teller a note demanding money. The teller read the note, looked at the man, and replied, “No.” The robber turned and walked out the door.

I wish I could respond to every temptation so forth rightly and successfully. Just say no to temptation. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide a way out so that you may be able to bear it.