I believe that every sin we commit is based upon our failure to overcome everyday temptation situations. Because of this, and the amount of temptation that is spread around this sinful world, I've decided to put on a spiritual seatbelt and dive into an up-close-and-personal look at temptation. In this multi-post study, I am going to talk about certain aspects of temptation in a piece-by-piece format.
It is easy to become overwhelmed by the temptations of this world; it is just as easy to get spiritually frustrated because of them. The reason why we all have so much trouble with temptation is because our flesh is weak. Matthew 26:41 says, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." Inside we all truly want to overcome our temptation situations but because of our human bodies this task is much harder to handle.
Matthew 26:41 gives us great instructions though on what to do in order to make it through our temptation situations. It says, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation." It is not possible for us to completely stay away from temptation, especially in the temptation filled world we live in. But what we can do is watch out for these temptation situations and pray about them when they occur. One of the easiest things to do when you are in a temptation situation is to freeze up and fall right where Satan wants you; that is why we all must figure out how we will handle different situations before we come in contact with temptation. The earlier you decide to do the right thing when a temptation situation comes around, the easier it will be for you to overcome it when you are in its midst.
Throughout your day, recognize the times when you feel tempted. Remind yourself that you cannot overcome the temptation by yourself because of the weakness of your humanly flesh. Once you stop depending on yourself to overcome your temptation situations, you will find yourself relying more on God. The more you rely on God, the easier it is to allow the Holy Spirit inside you to conquer the temptations that come your way.
Monday, August 08, 2005
Sunday, August 07, 2005
Submit And Commit!
These days, commitment is not exactly regarded as a good thing. Think about it. Want a cellphone but you don't want to be committed to the phone company for a whole year? Get a cellphone with no long-term commitment! What about premarital sex? Temporary pleasure with no commitment! Buy a product, decide you don't like it, then send it back within thirty days! Get married and then get divorced! In a world where anything and everything is obtainable with little or no commitment, it's no wonder many Christians have trouble committing themselves to the Lord!
Many times, the reason why we don't want to commit to something is because we are unsure of where it will get us. Will we get something out of it? Or will we have wasted our time and effort and receive nothing from it? This type of attitude towards commitment causes Christians to ask themselves questions like, "Do I have to go to church every weekend?", "Do I have to do the right thing all the time?", "Is it ok for me to constantly hang out with my friends who aren't Christians?" and even, "Will my relationship with Christ really bring me satisfaction?" These types of questions can prove to be a huge speed bump in our walk with Christ.
In order to find the answer to our commitment argument, we must ask ourselves, "What does the Bible say about our commitment to Christ?" and "Do we benefit by staying committed to Him?" The answer we are looking for is found in Proverbs 16:3, which says, "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." Notice how this verse does not tell us to just commit certain things to God, or to just commit things to Him every once in a while, but tells us to commit to the Lord WHATEVER we do! The benefit of our commitment to God is that our plans will succeed; not might succeed or will sometimes succeed, but will succeed! Our faithful commitment brings forth guaranteed success!
When you find yourself wondering whether or not you should commit yourself to God, remember that the outcome of such commitment is success. Remember, you can't commit if you don't submit. Therefore, submit yourself to God and commit all you do, see, and say to Him. By doing so, you will find that your relationship with Him will grow and He will bless all that you do. Stop buying into this world's lack of respect for commitment and stand firm on the promise of success our faithful commitment to God produces!
Many times, the reason why we don't want to commit to something is because we are unsure of where it will get us. Will we get something out of it? Or will we have wasted our time and effort and receive nothing from it? This type of attitude towards commitment causes Christians to ask themselves questions like, "Do I have to go to church every weekend?", "Do I have to do the right thing all the time?", "Is it ok for me to constantly hang out with my friends who aren't Christians?" and even, "Will my relationship with Christ really bring me satisfaction?" These types of questions can prove to be a huge speed bump in our walk with Christ.
In order to find the answer to our commitment argument, we must ask ourselves, "What does the Bible say about our commitment to Christ?" and "Do we benefit by staying committed to Him?" The answer we are looking for is found in Proverbs 16:3, which says, "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." Notice how this verse does not tell us to just commit certain things to God, or to just commit things to Him every once in a while, but tells us to commit to the Lord WHATEVER we do! The benefit of our commitment to God is that our plans will succeed; not might succeed or will sometimes succeed, but will succeed! Our faithful commitment brings forth guaranteed success!
When you find yourself wondering whether or not you should commit yourself to God, remember that the outcome of such commitment is success. Remember, you can't commit if you don't submit. Therefore, submit yourself to God and commit all you do, see, and say to Him. By doing so, you will find that your relationship with Him will grow and He will bless all that you do. Stop buying into this world's lack of respect for commitment and stand firm on the promise of success our faithful commitment to God produces!
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
It's Noah, Not No... Uh
Have you ever been told to do something and everyone was trying their best to get you to fail? As a Christian, through prayer and reading of God's word, there will be times where you feel like God is telling you to do something or give you direction; but what if it is a situation where you aren't sure if you want to do it because of the way the world will look at you?
One of my favorite stories in the Bible is the story of Noah and the ark in Genesis 6:1-11:32. The Bible says in Genesis 6:9 that Moses was the only righteous man on earth at that time and that he walked closely with God. When God saw that the earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence he told Noah in verse 13, "I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. Yes, I will wipe them all from the face of the earth!"
That's not all God told Noah though; He told Noah to build a boat so that he and his family would be spared from the coming flood. Now this wasn't just any boat! This boat was one and a half football fields long and as high as a four-story building! (Genesis 6:14-16)
Can you image how Noah felt when God told him that He was going to destroy everything and that He wanted him to build a boat? Noah had no idea what a boat looked like and probably hadn't seen a huge body of water before! Surely the people must have been warned about the flood, but they didn't do anything about it. In fact, the people around Noah most likely thought he was crazy for doing what he did! But no matter how weird the instructions were that God gave him, and no matter how much the world around him ridiculed him, he still did what God commanded him to!
Nothing has changed since Noah's day. We've been warned about sin and God's judgment upon it, but no matter how many warning we get, we still continue to sin. As a Christian, there will be times when you will feel like doing the wrong thing because of the fear that the world will think of you differently if you did right. It's at times like these we need to remember that we need to be like Noah: we need to follow through with God's plan instead of sitting there saying "no... uh".
One of my favorite stories in the Bible is the story of Noah and the ark in Genesis 6:1-11:32. The Bible says in Genesis 6:9 that Moses was the only righteous man on earth at that time and that he walked closely with God. When God saw that the earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence he told Noah in verse 13, "I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. Yes, I will wipe them all from the face of the earth!"
That's not all God told Noah though; He told Noah to build a boat so that he and his family would be spared from the coming flood. Now this wasn't just any boat! This boat was one and a half football fields long and as high as a four-story building! (Genesis 6:14-16)
Can you image how Noah felt when God told him that He was going to destroy everything and that He wanted him to build a boat? Noah had no idea what a boat looked like and probably hadn't seen a huge body of water before! Surely the people must have been warned about the flood, but they didn't do anything about it. In fact, the people around Noah most likely thought he was crazy for doing what he did! But no matter how weird the instructions were that God gave him, and no matter how much the world around him ridiculed him, he still did what God commanded him to!
Nothing has changed since Noah's day. We've been warned about sin and God's judgment upon it, but no matter how many warning we get, we still continue to sin. As a Christian, there will be times when you will feel like doing the wrong thing because of the fear that the world will think of you differently if you did right. It's at times like these we need to remember that we need to be like Noah: we need to follow through with God's plan instead of sitting there saying "no... uh".
Saturday, July 30, 2005
Temptation Situation
On a daily basis we are constantly attacked by Satan’s lies. He tries his best to cause us to take the easy way out: sin. Because of this, we must be on constant guard against him and the sin his lies produce. How can we be in control during temptation situations?
Genesis 4:7 says, “You will be accepted if you respond in the right way. But if you refuse to respond correctly, then watch out! Sin is waiting to attack and destroy you, and you must subdue it."
This passage tells us that we either are controlled by sin, or we subdue it and become its master. Why is it so hard to do good rather than evil though? Paul and James put it in perspective for us with the harsh truths their books expose. Paul, tells us in Romans 6:16, “Don't you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and receive his approval.” James also tells us about our desires in James 1:14-15, “Temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires. These evil desires lead to evil actions, and evil actions lead to death.”
We aren’t left hanging though. God’s word doesn’t just tell us that our evil desires are what cause our sin, but it also tells us how to overcome it. Once again, Paul lays it down for us and gives us the remedy we need. Philippians 2:12B-13 says, “Now that I am away you must be even more careful to put into action God's saving work in your lives, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him.”
When it comes down to it, in order to overcome the evil desires that we have as human beings, we must obey God. As Christians, the Holy Spirit provides the desires that God wants us to have. We can take comfort in the fact that God is working in us to choose what is right. Only He can provide the desire and power to do what pleases Him. When you are in a temptation situation, don’t try to overcome it on your own. Instead, call upon God to provide His power so that you can desire to do what is right in His eyes.
Genesis 4:7 says, “You will be accepted if you respond in the right way. But if you refuse to respond correctly, then watch out! Sin is waiting to attack and destroy you, and you must subdue it."
This passage tells us that we either are controlled by sin, or we subdue it and become its master. Why is it so hard to do good rather than evil though? Paul and James put it in perspective for us with the harsh truths their books expose. Paul, tells us in Romans 6:16, “Don't you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and receive his approval.” James also tells us about our desires in James 1:14-15, “Temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires. These evil desires lead to evil actions, and evil actions lead to death.”
We aren’t left hanging though. God’s word doesn’t just tell us that our evil desires are what cause our sin, but it also tells us how to overcome it. Once again, Paul lays it down for us and gives us the remedy we need. Philippians 2:12B-13 says, “Now that I am away you must be even more careful to put into action God's saving work in your lives, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him.”
When it comes down to it, in order to overcome the evil desires that we have as human beings, we must obey God. As Christians, the Holy Spirit provides the desires that God wants us to have. We can take comfort in the fact that God is working in us to choose what is right. Only He can provide the desire and power to do what pleases Him. When you are in a temptation situation, don’t try to overcome it on your own. Instead, call upon God to provide His power so that you can desire to do what is right in His eyes.
Friday, July 29, 2005
Satan, Know Your Role!
Sometimes we feel like the temptations that we go through are too much to handle. We feel that Satan’s grip on us is just too powerful to overcome. Satan tries as hard as he can to cause us to stumble, but his power is incomparable to Christ’s.
After God had found out that Adam and Eve had eaten from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, He asked them why they did it. When He found that it was the serpent’s (Satan’s) lies and influence that caused them to stumble, He laid down the law. Genesis 3:14-15 says:
Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.
Basically, in these two verses we see God telling Satan “know your role”. In the second part of verse fifteen, God shows the extent of Satan’s power. The phrase “you will strike his heel” refers to the many times that Satan will try to defeat Christ during His life on Earth. “He will strike your head” foreshadows Satan’s defeat when Christ rose from the dead.
A strike on the heel is not deadly, but a blow to the head is. This verse let’s us know that Satan’s power does not even compare to God’s. When you feel that the trials that you are going through are too much to handle, remember the awesome power that God has. He will not allow anything to happen to those who love Him. When you find yourself in a spiritual ruts, call upon God to help you through. By calling upon Him and realizing all the power He wields, you are reminding Satan about his limited amount of power. Stick it to him and tell him to know his role.
After God had found out that Adam and Eve had eaten from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, He asked them why they did it. When He found that it was the serpent’s (Satan’s) lies and influence that caused them to stumble, He laid down the law. Genesis 3:14-15 says:
Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.
Basically, in these two verses we see God telling Satan “know your role”. In the second part of verse fifteen, God shows the extent of Satan’s power. The phrase “you will strike his heel” refers to the many times that Satan will try to defeat Christ during His life on Earth. “He will strike your head” foreshadows Satan’s defeat when Christ rose from the dead.
A strike on the heel is not deadly, but a blow to the head is. This verse let’s us know that Satan’s power does not even compare to God’s. When you feel that the trials that you are going through are too much to handle, remember the awesome power that God has. He will not allow anything to happen to those who love Him. When you find yourself in a spiritual ruts, call upon God to help you through. By calling upon Him and realizing all the power He wields, you are reminding Satan about his limited amount of power. Stick it to him and tell him to know his role.
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Where are you?
Have you ever noticed that when we do something wrong we try to hide it? For example, when a child has done something wrong, they try as hard as they can to avoid their parents. What causes this urge to hide? Maybe it is the guilt or consequences that follow sinful actions. Likewise, as Christians, we sometimes try to hide from God because of the bad things we have done.
When Adam and Eve committed the very first sin, eating of the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, their eyes were opened and they were ashamed of what they had done. In Genesis 3:7-8 we read of Adam and Eve noticing that God was in the garden looking for them. When they heard God coming, they hid because they were afraid.
You might find it humorous that Adam and Eve were trying to hide themselves from the all-knowing God that we serve, but we all do it. Because of the shamefulness that comes from sinning, we try to hide our faults from God. No matter how much we try to hide though, He always knows what we have done.
In Genesis 3:9, God called out to Adam and Eve and asked them, “Where are you?” Does God constantly have to ask you where you are? Do you try to hide from Him? Honesty is the best way to strengthen your relationship with Him. Don’t be afraid to tell God all about what you have done. Be comforted by the fact that God wants to be in constant fellowship with us. You will realize that by communicating your faults with Him, He will help you overcome them. Stay strong and work hard at being honest with Him. Even though He already knows everything, the more honest you are with Him, the more honest you are with yourself.
When Adam and Eve committed the very first sin, eating of the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, their eyes were opened and they were ashamed of what they had done. In Genesis 3:7-8 we read of Adam and Eve noticing that God was in the garden looking for them. When they heard God coming, they hid because they were afraid.
You might find it humorous that Adam and Eve were trying to hide themselves from the all-knowing God that we serve, but we all do it. Because of the shamefulness that comes from sinning, we try to hide our faults from God. No matter how much we try to hide though, He always knows what we have done.
In Genesis 3:9, God called out to Adam and Eve and asked them, “Where are you?” Does God constantly have to ask you where you are? Do you try to hide from Him? Honesty is the best way to strengthen your relationship with Him. Don’t be afraid to tell God all about what you have done. Be comforted by the fact that God wants to be in constant fellowship with us. You will realize that by communicating your faults with Him, He will help you overcome them. Stay strong and work hard at being honest with Him. Even though He already knows everything, the more honest you are with Him, the more honest you are with yourself.
Monday, July 25, 2005
Out For A Week
I will be out until the 28th (Thursday night). I will not have Internet Access so I will not be posting during my time away. Don't forget to check out my latest post "In Grace And Knowledge". Until then! God Bless!
Sunday, July 24, 2005
In Grace And Knowledge
In the sinful world we live in, our faith is constantly being challenged and it is hard to remain strong in our walk with Christ. How can we strengthen our spiritual shield in order to stand up against the spiritual warfare around us?
2 Peter 3:18 says, "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen." While this verse may seem a little vague on the surface, when you dig deep into it, it is actually very clear.
The verse first tells us to grow in the grace of our Lord and Savior, but how is that done? The way that we grow in God's grace is by understanding that He is always there for us and that by His grace we are free. How can we mature as Christians if we are not certain of God's mercy? By growing in God's grace, we grow closer to Him and use His grace to gain more understanding about His true love. In turn, with a better understanding of God's love, we will be better equipped to reflect His mercy to others.
This verse continues on to tell us that we need to grow in the knowledge of God. This means that we need to dig deep into God's word on a daily basis and surround ourselves with the loving direction that it provides. The more we know about what God wants in our lives, the better equipped we will be to follow Him. The better equipped you are to follow God, the better you will be able to reflect and communicate His love to others.
As a Christian there is always room for growing; you can never reach a maximum maturity. I encourage you to continue to read your Bible every day and share God's word with those around you. You will find that the more you understand and use God's grace, and the more you soak up the knowledge that God provides, the more your walk in Christ will thrive.
2 Peter 3:18 says, "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen." While this verse may seem a little vague on the surface, when you dig deep into it, it is actually very clear.
The verse first tells us to grow in the grace of our Lord and Savior, but how is that done? The way that we grow in God's grace is by understanding that He is always there for us and that by His grace we are free. How can we mature as Christians if we are not certain of God's mercy? By growing in God's grace, we grow closer to Him and use His grace to gain more understanding about His true love. In turn, with a better understanding of God's love, we will be better equipped to reflect His mercy to others.
This verse continues on to tell us that we need to grow in the knowledge of God. This means that we need to dig deep into God's word on a daily basis and surround ourselves with the loving direction that it provides. The more we know about what God wants in our lives, the better equipped we will be to follow Him. The better equipped you are to follow God, the better you will be able to reflect and communicate His love to others.
As a Christian there is always room for growing; you can never reach a maximum maturity. I encourage you to continue to read your Bible every day and share God's word with those around you. You will find that the more you understand and use God's grace, and the more you soak up the knowledge that God provides, the more your walk in Christ will thrive.
Saturday, July 23, 2005
Spiritual Schizophrenia
A lot of people believe that once you become a Christian you lose all temptation to do worldly things. When one becomes a Christian, they are not reprogrammed to do right, rather they have the Holy Spirit to help direct their decision making process(John 16:8). What would be the point of God making us do right? That would not display our true devotion to Him; it would be a forced devotion!
As a Christian, I still have temptations to do worldly things; it's sort of like I have two "selfs". When I am tempted by worldly things, my old self wants to do it, but my new self in Christ knows better. New Christians will find this the hardest part of their walk with Christ because many will accept Christ thinking that they will not have to worry about doing right-they think they will just do it.
Do not be afraid that you will not be able to handle the temptations of this world though. Romans 8:1-2 says, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."
When you are struggling to overcome your old self, pray to God asking Him to help you take control and to rely on the strength He provides. The more you rely on the Holy Spirit, and the more you make an effort to live life as the new you through Christ, the more you will find God's blessings in everything you do. Dig deep into God's word so that you will be more in tune with what God wants for your life. Only then will you overcome your Spiritual Schizophrenia.
As a Christian, I still have temptations to do worldly things; it's sort of like I have two "selfs". When I am tempted by worldly things, my old self wants to do it, but my new self in Christ knows better. New Christians will find this the hardest part of their walk with Christ because many will accept Christ thinking that they will not have to worry about doing right-they think they will just do it.
Do not be afraid that you will not be able to handle the temptations of this world though. Romans 8:1-2 says, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."
When you are struggling to overcome your old self, pray to God asking Him to help you take control and to rely on the strength He provides. The more you rely on the Holy Spirit, and the more you make an effort to live life as the new you through Christ, the more you will find God's blessings in everything you do. Dig deep into God's word so that you will be more in tune with what God wants for your life. Only then will you overcome your Spiritual Schizophrenia.
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
The Attraction of God's Love
Jesus warns us in the Bible that because we love Him there will be those in the world who will hate us. This relationship with the world, as Christians, is normal - but what about those who love us because of God's love shown to them through us?
Tonight, as I was being smothered by a group of four year olds, I wondered what made me so appealing to them. As I begin to think about it, God showed me that what these kids saw in me wasn't just my goofy and crazy personality, but the love that God projects through me as a Christian. These kids were attracted to me for the same reason I am attracted to God: His unconditional love.
Have you ever noticed that the more love you show to a kid, the more they want to be around you? Many times, the most appealing thing about someone is the love that they share. I've noticed that I am most attracted to those who openly share God's love. As Christians, we are told to love everyone no matter what. I truly believe that the unconditional love that we share is what attracts others to Christ.
Our commandment to love others no matter what is not an easy one though. Matthew 5:39-40 tells us to turn the other cheek when someone slaps us, and to give our coat too if we are sued for our shirt! This type of behavior expresses exactly how we are to love others, unconditionally, just like God loves us! (For those who think that by loving others in this way is useless and won't get you anywhere, take a look at Proverbs 25:21-22!)
All in all, as Christians, we are always going to have a love/hate relationship with the world. There will be plenty of people who will hate us, but as long as we continue to show God's love to them, the love God provides will always outweigh the world's hate.
Do you show everyone God's love? As you go through your day, remember to show God's love to everyone, not just those who show you love, and constantly remind yourself that God's love shown through you is exactly what attracts people to Christ.
Tonight, as I was being smothered by a group of four year olds, I wondered what made me so appealing to them. As I begin to think about it, God showed me that what these kids saw in me wasn't just my goofy and crazy personality, but the love that God projects through me as a Christian. These kids were attracted to me for the same reason I am attracted to God: His unconditional love.
Have you ever noticed that the more love you show to a kid, the more they want to be around you? Many times, the most appealing thing about someone is the love that they share. I've noticed that I am most attracted to those who openly share God's love. As Christians, we are told to love everyone no matter what. I truly believe that the unconditional love that we share is what attracts others to Christ.
Our commandment to love others no matter what is not an easy one though. Matthew 5:39-40 tells us to turn the other cheek when someone slaps us, and to give our coat too if we are sued for our shirt! This type of behavior expresses exactly how we are to love others, unconditionally, just like God loves us! (For those who think that by loving others in this way is useless and won't get you anywhere, take a look at Proverbs 25:21-22!)
All in all, as Christians, we are always going to have a love/hate relationship with the world. There will be plenty of people who will hate us, but as long as we continue to show God's love to them, the love God provides will always outweigh the world's hate.
Do you show everyone God's love? As you go through your day, remember to show God's love to everyone, not just those who show you love, and constantly remind yourself that God's love shown through you is exactly what attracts people to Christ.
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