Have you ever wondered why certain actions are so illogical, unreasonable, unexplainable, evil or demonic?

Have you noticed that no segment of society is immune from corrupt despicable deeds?

The farmer, judge, soldier, teacher, policeman, student, priest or pastor all falling prey to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, or the pride of life.

There is no one anywhere at anytime that is absolutely without fault, incapable of failure, completely reliable, totally dependable and infinitely trustworthy.

The clue and the answer, at least for me, is found back in the beginning. Now, I understand that not everyone adheres to or believes the Bible. So, you may accept or reject it. Nevertheless, I challenge you to find a better explanation for human behavior if you are unconvinced.

According to Genesis, before God created the heavens and the earth, darkness covered the face of the deep. One of the features of darkness is that bad things fester, occur and grow under its cover. The first act of creation was the installation of light. One of the properties of light is revelation and exposure.

Light will always conquer darkness unless it is extinguished or allowed to flicker out.

Satan is called the prince of darkness and has no fellowship with the God of light nor his enlightened children, if we remain in the light of his word. If we heed, obey his will and follow his way.

However, Satan is subtle, cunning and masquerades as an angel of light, telling people half-truths to convince them of a better plan.

Adam and Eve fell for his schemes and they were evicted out of the garden of Eden to a world that was dominated by Satan. Consider this scenario facing two innocent, unsophisticated people. The rivers, streams and seas except for some nourishment were unsuitable for human habitation. They had to walk dwell and eke out survival and sustenance from the ground that was cursed by God. You have the demons above you and the unblessed earth beneath you. How could anything positive come from such dire negative circumstances? Life indeed had to be a difficult struggle. Further, according to Psalm 51, everyone born thereafter is conceived in sin and shaped in iniquity.

Moreover, you are always wrestling with the influence of Satan, the dark prince of this world. Hence, the reason why Jesus, who is called the light of the world, advises you to be born again, to step out of darkness into his marvelous light. Hereafter, you must be sober and vigilant, guarding your heart and mind because the devil is always on the prowl seeking to devour and destroy you, your destiny and your eternal future. He crafts his moves so that his actions will have the maximum possible impact. It is not coincidental that the intensity of the pain is directly proportional to the proximity of the perpetrator. In other words, the nearer they are to you, the harder you feel the pain of the injury.

Read the book of Job. It offers a clear example of this method of operation. If you do not survive the blow, there exists a very real threat that you can be knocked out of the game.

Therefore, you cannot be careless ,lax or let your guard down, as life will attack you suddenly and from an unexpected source.

The Bible recounts in Genesis the story of Isaac and Rebekah who had two sons, Esau and Jacob. The years have taken their toll on Isaac who is now effectively blind. Jacob, the younger son, who happens to be the favorite of his mother Rebekah, covets the birthright of his older brother Esau. Mother and son together formulate a scheme to deceive blind Isaac to bestow the birthright upon Jacob. There was no motherly concern for the emotion of her oldest child if he became the victim of such a dastardly deed. Neither were the feelings of her longtime faithful husband taken into account.

After this wicked act was done and discovered,Jacob had to flee out of town in a hurry. He found himself in his uncle Laban's home. There, surprise surprise, he was lied to and deceived more than once by his uncle.

David was considered a man after God's own heart. He had noble traits and deeds and was full of generous altruistic impulses. There was no better example of his unselfish heart than the matter of Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth was a son of Jonathan, who was lame in both feet because of an accident. He resided in a backwater town called Lodebar Life had gotten the better of the young man that he deemed himself a dead dog. David found and rescued him, restoring all he or his family had lost. He further instructed his subjects that Mephibosheth would thereafter be regarded as royalty, sitting and dining at the king's table forever.

The circumstances relative to Uriah and Bathsheba were a different matter entirely. Uriah was a Hittite, a foreigner who had apparently decided his fortunes would be better with the people and kingdom of Israel. It was a time of war and the kings of the day would normally would go to battle with their soldiers. David, for some unknown reason, decided to stay behind.

One evening, while strolling on his balcony he glimpsed a woman bathing in her home. He was instantly smitten. He enquired about her from one of his attendants. He was told she was Bathsheba the wife of Uriah the Hittite. That should have been the end of the discussion. This was a married woman, the spouse of a faithful soldier who risked his life daily on your behalf. However, as it has been said a little leaven leavens the whole lump. Once you are exposed to sin if it is not dealt with and excised quickly, the whole body becomes infected. David commanded the woman be brought to him. He had sexual relations with her and subsequently she became pregnant.

The man panicked upon become aware of the distressing news. He quickly ordered Uriah from the battle front with the intent of making him drunk, sending him home so that he would have conjugal relations with his wife. In so doing, his crime would be covered and he would be off the hook. The plan backfired as Uriah, unfortunately for all concerned, did not cooperate. At his wit's end, David finally hatched a plot to have Uriah killed by placing him in the frontlines of the battle and abandoning him. He wrote a letter to Joab the commander of the army with those same instructions and sent them to him by Uriah's own hand.

His desire attained, he took Bathsheba into his household and she became his wife.

Nevertheless, everything is open and exposed to God. David paid dearly for his indiscretions as sorrow trouble and woe never left his side from that day onwards.

Judas was a chosen disciple of Jesus. He walked, talked ate and slept with him. He was present when miracles were performed. He betrayed his friend, teacher and master for 30 pieces of silver.

Simon was a member of Jesus' inner circle. His name was changed to Peter, meaning rock, and the Lord connected him to the rock upon which He would build his church.

The Lord informed Peter that Satan was seeking to sift him like wheat and he would eventually deny him Peter, of course, was indignant and insulted about the thought of such a thing. He registered a strong protest but before the cock crowed thrice, as was foretold, he had denied his Savior three times.

On Palm Sunday, the people of Jerusalem had joyously welcomed Jesus into the city. If you recall they had spread palm fronds and cloaks along his route of travel gladly declaring ,"Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord." One week later, Pilate - a foreigner - attempted to release Jesus from custody and certain death. The same people would have none of it. Rather they angrily shouted, "Crucify him!"

As you seek to realize your dreams, as you pursue your goals and strive to reach your destiny, I want to remind you of the following. Keep them ever present in your mind. Never allow them to escape from your grasp.

• People will flip on you in an instant.
• Circumstances can change in a heartbeat or the twinkling of an eye.
• Vain and empty is the help or adulation of men.
• The arm of flesh will fail, disappoint and let you down and often not easily.
• A man's enemies will be those of his own household.
• You are better off in the hands of God than in the hands of man.
• Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind and strength.
• Trust in the Lord with all thy heart and lean not onto thine own understanding.
• And when you are tempted to forget, as you pay for the next cup of coffee, steal a glance at the back of that dollar bill. It says very simply, IN GOD WE TRUST.

Thus, as you brood over missed opportunities, lost chances and unfaithful people, remember if God gives you tomorrow, it's ANOTHER DAY.

V. Knowles is a husband and father with an interest in penning issues that serve to uplift mankind. He melds his love for Classic literature, The Bible and pop culture - as sordid as it may be - into highly relatable columns of truth, faith and justice. Hence the name: Just Thinking. If he's not buried in a book or penning his next column, you may find him pinned to his sectional watching a good old Country and Western flick.