Stand Strong
Wouldn't it be great if when we placed our faith in the saving knowledge of Jesus, it also signaled the end of all our worldly woes? The truth is, we now have somewhere to turn when temptation comes our way…but we are not immune to these temptations. We are still mortal beings who struggle with human emotions, desires and inadequacies. Some of us understand how weak we truly are and so we stay close to our Great High Shepherd. There are others, however, who feel strongly that they will never fall in a certain area of sin. It is for this reason that Paul writes in his first letter to the Corinthians
"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." 1Co 10:12-13.
Satan has been around for thousands of years and he is very good at what he does. Our flesh is unfortunately all too willing to play ball with him under the right circumstances. Can you safely say that you are beyond any sin outside of the grace of our loving Savior? What often happens is that we tend to guard ourselves against the areas in which we feel the weakest, while leaving the back door open to any other sin that may cause us to fall. Enlisting in God's army does not automatically make you a strategic military genius. We must stay in constant communication with our Commanding Officer.
The practice of three areas of personal discipline will at least significantly reduce your chances of giving in to forbidden areas:
Stay in the Word
Stay in prayer
Stay in fellowship
Staying in the Word means that you don't open your bible on Sunday morning and then throw it back on the shelf to collect dust. It also doesn't mean that you read a few days a week or when you get a chance. It means that you ask God to help you set up a time each day when you can not only read, but also meditate on the scriptures. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your understanding and to apply it to your life in a very personal way.
Staying in prayer means that you pray without ceasing. You should pray before you even get up in the morning. Pray before every meal. Pray for the salvation of others. Pray for wisdom, protection, discernment, guidance, joy, peace and a humble heart. Pray that the Lord would empower you to serve Him with a heart of diligence and thankfulness. You should never run out of things to pray for, and if you feel that you have…then start all over again.
Staying in fellowship is one of the most difficult areas for Christians to maintain. The busyness of life in the 21st century has forced this vital area of our walk to the wayside. Between our jobs, work around the house, running the kids to various sporting events and any other thing that we have to deal with, who has the time for fellowship? It's all about priorities! Some things are essential while others only seem essential.
Not many Christians wake up in the morning and declare "I think I'm going to sin today and I'm going to make sure that it not only hurts me, but many around me!" The fact is that even though we don't plan it, many still do it! Greater men and women of faith than you have fallen and caused countless people to stumble as a result. Do everyone a favor and take some spiritual inventory today. If your bible reading has slipped, your prayer life is spotty and the thought of fellowship has you feeling overwhelmed…then something is very wrong. Ask Jesus to set your priorities straight and to put your eyes back on what is truly important. We only have one life to live, so let's make it count!
Pastor John
