Dealing with sin and temptation
Ponder: Our daily struggle against sin and temptation
Scripture: “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (James 1:14, 15 NKJV).
As long as we live in the flesh, we will be subject to temptation, and we will have to deal with sin. We look forward to the day when, in Heaven, we will no longer be tempted, nor will we be plagued by sin. But, in the meantime, here are a few suggestions on dealing with sin and temptation:
1. Always look at sin in the past – it is ugly! Satan tries to get us to think of sin in the present and future. “Just look how much fun it is, or how good it will make you feel!” But if you look at sin in the past, you will see how awful it really is.
2. Have a deep reverence for yourself. You’re made in God’s image, and He loves you. When you yield to temptation, you are degrading yourself and insulting God. A healthy dose of self-respect will go a long way toward resisting temptation.
3. Forgive yourself. If you live another hundred years, you still will not be perfect. Strive against sin! But when you have sinned, remember that God is bigger than your sin. He will forgive you, and you need to forgive yourself. David recognized his sins of adultery and murder, repented, received God’s forgiveness, and didn’t let his sins drag him down. Paul did the same regarding his sin of persecuting the church.
4. Choose your friends wisely. The tendency to “run with the crowd” is especially noticeable in young people, but it is still there in older folks. “Evil companionships corrupt good morals” (1 Corinthians 15:33).
5. Be positive about Christianity and morality. It is easy to develop a “thou shalt not” complex. While we must remember the things the word of God prohibits, let us also remember the positive side – the things which we should do as Christians. For example, rather than saying, “I must be careful not to use vulgar language,” say, “I am going to see how sweet and kind I can make my speech today.”
May God be with us as we strive to resist temptation and overcome sin!
Song: “Yield Not To Temptation”
Prayer: Dear God, we need Your strength to resist the temptations we face from day to day. We pray You will help us not to bring those temptations upon ourselves, and when we fall, we ask You to pick us up and put is back on the right track. Through Jesus we pray, Amen.
Joe Slater (Justin, TX)