1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us that no temptation will come our way that we cannot resist. God will provide an escape for us. Isn't that a great promise?
Notice, it doesn't say we even have to stand and fight the temptation. As Joseph ran from Potipher's wife, we will be given an escape from sin! We just have to ask Him for that escape.
When I am tempted, I have a choice to make. Give in or not. It's that simple. When Joseph was confronted by Potipher's wife, he said, "How can I sin against God?". He couldn't even conceive in his own mind sinning. And when temptation came his way, God gave him an escape, the front door! Joseph RAN! And that's what we need to do. Run to God asking Him for our escape.
Each and everyday, we make many choices, but the most important choice we make is whether to resist temptation when it comes our way. For when we resist temptation, we maintain our relationship with our heavenly Father. When we do not resist, we let sin get in the way of that relationship.
I always notice that when I do not resist, everything seems to go wrong. Things break. Things at home seem to go wrong. It seems like when I let sin get in the way of my relationship with the Father, my life doesn't go so well.
But, when I am in tune with God and making sure I resist temptation, life seems to go pretty well. I have peace. I feel safe.
When I sin, I feel vulnerable and out there on my own. Not a good feeling.
So, today, when you feel tempted, call on the Father and His promise in 1 Corinthians 10:13 and seek out His escape for you so that you will not sin!
It's a great promise that He will honor each and every time you call on His help!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Psalm 40 - God's Plan
Psalm 40 is such a comfort. Read as David recounts how God "heard my cry" and "lifted me out of the slimy pit".
Are you in a "slimy pit" right now? Have you ever been. Oh, yes, know it well.
What a picture this psalm paints. God lifted David out of the slimy pit and put his feet on a rock.
Being out of work, this really speaks to me. Unemployment can feel like a slimy pit, for sure. I feel like I'm sinking. Like I'll never work again.
The first line of this Psalm is key, though. The Psalm starts off, "I waited patiently for the Lord". No! Ugh! There's that "waiting" thing again. Oh, waiting is not my favorite thing to do, but in David's case, he waited "patiently". If that's not the hardest thing to do, I don't know what is.
We have to wait patiently on God. Why? I wondered that, but I think, and this is just my opinion, is that it shows our faith in God. If we are patiently waiting on God, we show Him that we trust Him to do the right thing for us at precisely the right time. Not easy. No, not easy at all, but we see what the fruit of waiting patiently is. The Lord hears us and lifts us out of our slimy pit.
Then, later in the Psalm, David talks about "proclaiming righteousness in the great assembly". Once God pulls us out of that pit, we should tell everyone we can about it. Shout it! It says that "many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord" because of what He's done for us..
How can people see the love of God, unless we show them how He loves us?
So, we cry out to God, wait patiently for Him to answer us, then we proclaim that to as many people as we can and then people will come to know and put their trust in Him!
That's God's plan.
Sound like a good one!
Sounds PERFECT to me!
God bless you.
Are you in a "slimy pit" right now? Have you ever been. Oh, yes, know it well.
What a picture this psalm paints. God lifted David out of the slimy pit and put his feet on a rock.
Being out of work, this really speaks to me. Unemployment can feel like a slimy pit, for sure. I feel like I'm sinking. Like I'll never work again.
The first line of this Psalm is key, though. The Psalm starts off, "I waited patiently for the Lord". No! Ugh! There's that "waiting" thing again. Oh, waiting is not my favorite thing to do, but in David's case, he waited "patiently". If that's not the hardest thing to do, I don't know what is.
We have to wait patiently on God. Why? I wondered that, but I think, and this is just my opinion, is that it shows our faith in God. If we are patiently waiting on God, we show Him that we trust Him to do the right thing for us at precisely the right time. Not easy. No, not easy at all, but we see what the fruit of waiting patiently is. The Lord hears us and lifts us out of our slimy pit.
Then, later in the Psalm, David talks about "proclaiming righteousness in the great assembly". Once God pulls us out of that pit, we should tell everyone we can about it. Shout it! It says that "many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord" because of what He's done for us..
How can people see the love of God, unless we show them how He loves us?
So, we cry out to God, wait patiently for Him to answer us, then we proclaim that to as many people as we can and then people will come to know and put their trust in Him!
That's God's plan.
Sound like a good one!
Sounds PERFECT to me!
God bless you.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Wow! It's been a Long While!
It's good to be back. Lost the writing bug for a while, but it's back. I got very political for a while. Yes, I still can't wait to elect a new President. I think this one is just not right for the country and he proves it just about every day. Looking for the right person to come along and run. Not sure who that will be. But, now I want to write about Jesus. About faith. About Christianity. And, hopefully, it's what God wants me to do.
We're in the Lenten season. Easter is coming. Today, as a matter of fact, is known as Ash Wednesday in some faiths.
As we close in on Easter, this is a good time to reflect on what Easter is really all about. Is it about bunnies and candy and new hats? Or is it the culmination of God sending His Son to redeem the human race from our sins?
Easter is a celebration. It's different than most as it's beginning is a sad event, namely death. The death of Jesus. However, it ends in a grand celebration of LIFE. That life is the resurrected Jesus. It is proof positive of who Jesus is. He is God. Always was, always will be.
As we approach that Easter weekend, it's time to examine yourself and take account of how Easter is reflected in your life. Do you live a life that reflects the Risen Savior? Take time this Easter season to honestly look at yourself and see what you can do differently to reflect the awesome fact that God sent His Son to be the substitute sacrifice for our sins, so we could once again enjoy a relationship with Him!
We're in the Lenten season. Easter is coming. Today, as a matter of fact, is known as Ash Wednesday in some faiths.
As we close in on Easter, this is a good time to reflect on what Easter is really all about. Is it about bunnies and candy and new hats? Or is it the culmination of God sending His Son to redeem the human race from our sins?
Easter is a celebration. It's different than most as it's beginning is a sad event, namely death. The death of Jesus. However, it ends in a grand celebration of LIFE. That life is the resurrected Jesus. It is proof positive of who Jesus is. He is God. Always was, always will be.
As we approach that Easter weekend, it's time to examine yourself and take account of how Easter is reflected in your life. Do you live a life that reflects the Risen Savior? Take time this Easter season to honestly look at yourself and see what you can do differently to reflect the awesome fact that God sent His Son to be the substitute sacrifice for our sins, so we could once again enjoy a relationship with Him!
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