Tag: The Word

Resisting Temptation and Conforming to Christ

When I walked into the kitchen this morning, I saw the pumpkin pound cake I baked last night. I have tried to lose the weight I gained in the last year due to some medical issues. I saw the cake and my first thought was, “I could eat that for breakfast!” and took the cover off.

Immediately, I realized it would be detrimental to my goal of losing the extra pounds. I disciplined myself and walked to the bathroom where we have a set of scales. I stepped on them and was two pounds heavier than yesterday, much to my dismay. I know we fluctuate by a few pounds every day, but I didn’t want to lose this battle! I went back to the kitchen, covered the cake with the lid and pulled out a box of cereal. 

While I was doing this, I thought about how, as Christians, we face temptations every day of our lives. Sometimes it is frustration in traffic, or being impatient in line at the grocery store. It could be irritation at a family member or an acquaintance, seeing what we view as inadequacies, instead of seeing what they add to life. The list is endless and everyone has a different set of temptations they face. I thought about how we need to discipline ourselves to keep our thoughts Christ-centered. It sounds like such a simple thing until we get away from that focus.

… Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8

… Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12

The verse in Timothy says to be an example; the Greek word for example is tupos which means to be indelibly marked (marks which cannot be erased). It is likened to a seal on soft wax or to leave an impression of something, to be a replica or pattern. When we bear the image of Christ, we are able to resist temptations, we are sealed in our hearts. It is a surrender to the will of God, which conforms us into His image.

“Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” Mark 14:38

So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. 2 Corinthians 3:18

Jesus’ instructions were to watch and pray to keep our hearts from temptation. If we don’t keep our Spirits malleable, our fleshly nature takes over. When we submit to God through Jesus Christ the veil is removed and we reflect the image of God.

Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 2 Corinthians 5:14-16

The love of Jesus Christ controls our thoughts when we live for him, which allows us to see others with the eyes of God… How awesome is that?!

Prayer: Father, help me to resist temptations and allow Christ to conform me into his image. Guide me to immediately take captive of thoughts which are contrary to your will. Help me to have discipline in all that I do and the way I act towards others. Give me your vision as I keep my Own eyes on you!

Words of Honor

There are six things the Lord hates—no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family. Proverbs 6:16-19

As I thought about these verses yesterday, I came up with these sayings:

You can dress up a lie with flowery words and the allusion of honey, but in the end, it is still a lie.

False accusations will eventually bring sorrow to those who speak them.

A smooth lie wounds deeper than a harsh truth.

A vicious tongue cuts deeper than a sword by dividing relationships.

Controlling what comes out of our mouths is essential to peace in every facet of our lives.

Once a person becomes used to lying, they become immune to understanding truth.

If you claim to show love, but cannot control your tongue, the only person continually fooled is yourself.

A salty ocean cannot produce pure sweet water.

Pleasant words and a bitter heart are in conflict with each other. They produce dissension and division.

Those who pretend to be your friend and gossip behind your back are not your ally.

If you want to put out a fire, don’t give air to a spark of rumors.

When you listen to rumors, you are as guilty as the one who gossiped and when you repeat the gossip, you are embellishing hearsay. You start with a domino effect and create an avalanche of trouble.

Prayer: Lord help me to control what comes out of my mouth and may all my words be a blessing to you. May I glorify God as I journey through this life. Allow the Holy Spirit to say words that are worthy of your honor and in a timely manner.

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.  But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Galatians 5:16-25

Love and Potential

(For those who follow my blog, sorry for my absence. I have been dealing with some health issues, but I am being restored! Praise God!)

Along with wisdom and knowledge, King Solomon also had Love & saw Potential!

He asked for wisdom and knowledge, but first he demonstrated love towards the people he was placed over to govern and he saw their potential. He also recognized they belonged to God. Dig deeper into 2 Chronicles 1:10…

“Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of Yours?”

He asks God for wisdom & knowledge to govern the people who belong to God!

God answers him in verses 11 & 12: 

Then God said to Solomon: “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies, nor have you asked long life—but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king—wisdom and knowledge are granted to you; and I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings have had who were before you, nor shall any after you have the like.”

God granted Solomon’s desire because that desire of leading with wisdom and knowledge to govern and judge fairly was in Solomon’s heart (his bosom, his deepest understanding). Solomon already recognized what was required of him. He did not seek riches nor wealth and saw the people belonged to God. This was Also God’s desire to have a leader after His own heart (the heart of God – a heart of fairness, of Divine judgment, of discernment, of Love, of the ability to see potential in everyone). Then to top it off, blessing upon blessing, riches, and wealth, and honor, which were not asked for were added in abundance, more than any other king, before or after. So, when we capture the heart of God and see with His vision the potential of others, and show Love to everyone, blessing upon blessing is stacked upon us. 

Prayer: Father, help me to see everyone with your vision, help me to see the Potential in everyone I come in contact with and help me be able to demonstrate Your Love, not my limited love, but Your Love, all consuming, which has been imparted to me through the redemptive power of Jesus Christ to each individual. May Your Love, Grace, and Mercy shine through me and may I see that everyone belongs to you and that you are calling us all back as your Word says in 2 Cor. 5:20-21. Please give me wisdom and knowledge in every situation of my life. In Jesus’ mighty name, I ask. Amen!