If you happen to read this blog on a regular basis, you will know that Randi and I recently joined Kathwood Baptist Church. It has been a positive life enriching experience for us. As I have related that my challenges for the most part, are ones of suddenly letting "colorful language" suddenly pop out of my mouth. WHOOPS! It isn't the end of the world.
I have other temptations that I decided to take out of my life 100%. It didn't bother me one bit to remove things from my life that were one step away from temptation. I really felt very good about being proactive about the matter and removing items from my life that might make me stray away from God.
In the past I didn't take temptation very seriously. I thought that God would steer me away from temptation by some miracle of divine providence. It didn't work very well and I wondered why. I was setting myself up to fail. It wouldn't be God that would have failed me but it was me failing myself and my Christian walk.
Life isn't easy and Christian life really isn't easy. The Devil will be waiting to put a block in your way that puts you in harm's way. We have a freedom of mind and the choices we make are OUR fault. It takes a keen amount of mental attention to keep oneself walking the straight and narrow.
Not only should we pray to God to "lead us not into temptation" but we should also use our mind to steer us clear of things that tempt us. Who knows you the best in the world? You Do! You knows what tempts you and you know how to turn your feet to get away from what tempts you.
My Christian walk has sometimes been an emotional one. I'm a Southern emotional mess. I sometimes act out of the frustration of my emotions. It isn't a good thing and it isn't good for my Christian life. Living a Christian life is one driven by faith. Hebrews 11:1 says Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. or as the King James Version says " Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
It is good to be happy about being a Christian but when that happiness starts to wane, are we still as close to God as we always have been? The answer is a resounding YES. Our faith is the anchor of our walk with God, not our emotions. I am so thankful for that fact, as my emotions are a mess on a daily basis.
I can also say that living a Christian life is SO much easier with Randi around. She was raised in a very church going home. (She once described her young family life as being like Ozzie and Harriet or Ward and June Cleaver) Her guidance and natural easy going manner has made decisions we have made concerning church so much easier. I'm happy for her experience and knowledge to explore as we go forward with our Christian walk.
I can say I'm very happy with our return to church. Since we returned to church, Randi's youngest daughter, Debbie, got baptized in October and a few weeks ago my son, Christopher told me he and his family are also going to church on a regular basis! It has been a good year for getting back to God.
Our great thanks to God for all that good news!
J.
Many people are not aware that two separate words are translated as "tested" in the Bible. One of the words is used with Satan and means tested towards destruction. It is similar to our testing materials for strength through their destruction. The other term is used regarding the purifying of an item and is associated with God. We know that precious metals are mined and have to have the impurities removed in order for them to achieve their intended use/ strength.
ReplyDeleteJohnny, I feel you are on target in saying that we should desire God's temptations/ testing to prove that we are in an impure world but are able to achieve more through a loving God who empowers us. My biggest problem is that when issues come up, I tend to whine and carry on before I allow God to transform me into the person He is calling me to be. It is funny that when I start to pat myself on my back for how good I am, I become aware that I have only started the purification process.
May God help us all to strive to become transformed through His love.
God bless you brother.
Robert. Interesting comment. I didn't realize there are two words in the bible for the word "tested"....Sometimes we need to be tested to learn or appreciate a different point of view. My main point in writing this was to remind myself that I need to notice the things in my daily life that steer me or could steer me down the wrong path. Rather than just think that God will magically take care if it, I also need to use the brains that God has given me to realize when a situation isn't good for me.
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