True Direction

"...love believes the best so I am going against what I think."

If we are going to stick with what is real and true then many times we will have to go against what we think and feel. I was reminded of two songs from the 90's recently that both carried the idea that if something feels good then we should do it. In the flesh we often place our immediate happiness and gratification ahead of what we know to be true in God's word. These songs just reinforce our natural tendencies towards sin and comfort. God knows where we are at and has a way of bringing us around to His truth. 

What I think doesn't always line up with God's word. I have felt at times that I was right about someone or about a situation only to find out later I was wrong. Thoughts, feelings and emotions will present themselves as the authority on reality. But when I look over my life I can see in hindsight that what I feel for a moment can change, my emotions are like the tides of the ocean and my thoughts change as I get more information. It isn't about what I think or feel but rather about what God says. 

It is important to continually study God's word so that it gets inside of you. When you have it inside of you and a situation arises that jars you then what is inside will spill out. Jesus teaches it is out of the abundance of what is in our hearts that our mouths speak. If I can stay full of God's word then I will speak it in the face of opposing factors. What we say ultimately guides our lives. James used the illustration of a bit in a horses mouth and the rudder of a ship turning and steering the life. So it is with out tongues. The words of our mouths show what is in our hearts and guide our lives. 

Believe the best. God's truth is the best for your life. When you look at others view them as God does. Let God's love flow through you. Allow the truth inside to spoken out of your mouth. Speak it over your family, your coworkers, neighbors and community. It is easy to say negative things about what we see and feel. Many times we repeat thoughts that aren't even our own. It makes all the difference in the world when speak God's word and let His love guide us. 

Day 273 - Resisting Temptation

"I am reading the end of 1 Corinthians 9 into chapter 10 and hadn't really connected the thoughts of running the race, being temperate and then watching out for the pitfalls shown to us by the desert wanderings of Israel. These examples come and then the encouragement that God gives us a way of escaping temptation. It will never be more than I can handle. That means that when I do fall to temptations it is willful rebellion. I can handle it because God is watching my way. My choice is to bear up under it, flee from it (not cowardice but courage like Joseph) or to indulge in it. The first two are noble, honorable and upright. The last one easy, lazy, cowardice, rebellious and not ok."

Every human that has ever lived has encountered temptation. Even Jesus. The only one who has never given in to temptation is Jesus. He showed us in His life how to overcome when tempted. 

First of all He was lead by the Spirit. We need to realize that God lives in us if we are born of His Spirit. We can hear His voice. Where God leads we can be sure He has a plan and knows the way through. 

Second He confronted issues and didn't ignore them. I personally have to go against my flesh and natural inclination to ignore the problems and confront the issues. If we don't hit it head on we will be hit head on. What we allow will become more and more of a temptation and eventually a stronghold. 

Finally we see that Jesus spoke the Word of God. It is powerful when we speak God's Word. It is a seed that has power within itself to produce after it's own kind. We should be full of God's Word and speak the truth about our life, about the situation and about our enemy when tempted. 

Jesus endured and didn't give in to continuous tempting a of the devil. Jesus was lead by the Spirit, confronted the issues and spoke the Word. We have the perfect example of how to overcome and the assurance that God will keep us in a place of safety. The only way we can fail is if we choose to!

Do you see any other traits Jesus exemplified to overcome temptation? Read 1 Corinthians 9 & 10; how do these chapters show us how to endure temptation in practical ways?