Abstain From Sin

1 Peter 2:11  Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.

Accepting Christ into our lives and being forgiven of our sins does not mean that we will no longer be tempted to satisfy the desires of the flesh. Especially as new born babes in Christ, the flesh wars against the new spirit within us to yield to the temptation to gratify sinful human desires that God tells us to refrain. As we feed on the milk of God’s word, the Holy Spirit begins to strengthen our resolve and gives us the means to fight against the flesh. As we grow in God, His Spirit brings us to a place where we yield our bodies as a living sacrifice to God’s perfect will in our lives. As it was in the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit takes control of our lives and empowers us to live holy and blameless. We daily submit to the will of God because Satan will continue to tempt us through our humanity to doubt God’s love and will for our lives. “Did God say?”.  Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.

Endure Temptation

James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Temptation is experience by all who are made in the image of God. For temptation to exist, one must know the difference between right and wrong. Life is full of choices and some of them have eternal consequence. Having desire in itself is not wrong. We all have human desires that are given to us by God. Our bodies are made in such a way that they seek out ways to be fulfilled and be satisfied. Jesus, the Son of God was drawn away from His own human lust (desire) for food. Satan enticed Him to fulfill that desire in a way that would have been displeasing to His Father. Making the right choice is to endure the temptation to make the wrong choice. The word has promised us that when we are tempted that if we turn to Him, He will give us the ability to say no. The Holy Spirit was sent to us, to purify our hearts, and to endue us with power. Power to resist temptation, power to make the right choice. We are not beyond the ability to fall in sin and yield to temptation. We all are face with choices to make. To them that make the right choice, God will bless and grant the crown of life.

3:50am-10:00pm

Our Affections

Col 3:2-3 “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”-

As a sinner, our affections were set on the things of this world. Our carnal lustful desires were rooted in self and gratifying the flesh. “If it feels good, just do It” has been the motto of many who seek their own pleasure. Setting your affections implies that one’s will is involved with how those affections are fulfill. Paul, knowing that sexual desire is a human affection given to us by God, write that this affection be not satisfied in a way that fulfills the lust of the carnal flesh. God has ordained that this heavenly affection is fulfilled between a man and a women who have joined themselves in marriage. Sex outside of marriage, or allowing the mind to fulfill this desire is unclean and considered inordinate affections. We are no longer sinners, if we have put on the new man which is the image of Christ. We must now set our will to desire those things that reflect this image. The “new man” will seek the Holy Spirit to help them set their affections on things that are above, or Christ like. We no longer walk in the way of sinful living, but Christ who lives in our heart sent the Holy Spirit to help us put to death those members that seek after the things of this world. As a Christian, Satan will try and twist our affections and tempt us to fulfill a desire that is holy and fulfill it in a way that is sinful. Many a good person have fallen because they failed to keep their eyes and affections on Christ and have given in to Satan’s suggestions. Let us walk in the Spirit, so not to fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Desire the Word

(1 Peter 2:2) “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” -

 Growing in the things of God does not come without effort and purpose. As it was in the day of Ezra, the people hungered for more of the word of God. It was their life substance to feast of the commandments of God. As Christians, we must not be satisfied with just a morsel or crumbs from the master’s table. If we want to grow strong in Christ we must consume His word and make it a vital part of our lives. Every day we should be like babies who cry out to fill the appetite and longing of our heart to have more of Him. If we are going to be able to stand in the test of time, we must be strong in God, and this comes by learning more about Him and putting into practice the things we learn in our daily lives. Let us not go a day without spiritual nourishment we need.