By Phillip Hines

A certain fly was attracted to the sweet smell of a strip of flypaper. Quickly landing on the paper ahead of all challengers, he proclaimed, “My flypaper!” Then he sunk his nose into the gooey prize and dined with delight.  

After a little while, he was full and satisfied. He decided to leave – but his normal take-off routine met resistance. He began beating his wings against the air in a desperate, hopeless struggle, as the flypaper announced, “My fly!”

Does a drug or other substance have you in its grasp? Is there an activity that has a grip on your heart and time? Do your possessions possess you?

Excessive desire for or devotion to a substance, an activity, or possessions can lead us away from our mate, children, friends and our God.

The Lord wants to spare you the hurt. “Therefore, put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5).