How to Defy Sinful Desire

 

By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. (Hebrews 11:24–26)

Or, boil it down to the essentials: “By faith Moses . . . [left] the fleeting pleasures of sin . . . for he was looking to the reward” (Hebrews 11:24–26).

Faith is not content with “fleeting pleasures.” It is ravenous for joy. Joy that lasts. Forever. And the word of God says, “In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11). So, faith will not be sidetracked into the deceitful pleasures of sin. It will not give up so easily in its quest for maximum joy.

The role of God’s word is to feed faith’s appetite for God. And, in doing this, it weans my heart off of the deceptive taste of lust.

At first, lust begins to trick me into feeling that I would really miss out on some great satisfaction if I followed the path of purity. But then I take up the sword of the Spirit and begin to fight.

I read that it is better to gouge out my eye than to lust (Matthew 5:29). I read that if I think about things that are pure and lovely and excellent, the peace of God will be with me (Philippians 4:8–9). I read that setting the mind on the flesh brings death, but setting the mind on the Spirit brings life and peace (Romans 8:6). I read that lust wages war against my soul (1 Peter 2:11), and that the pleasures of this life choke out the life of the Spirit (Luke 8:14). But best of all, I read that God withholds no good thing from those who walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11), and that the pure in heart will see God (Matthew 5:8).

As I pray for my faith to be satisfied with God’s life and peace, the sword of the Spirit carves the sugarcoating off the poison of lust. I see it for what it is. And by the grace of God, its alluring power is broken.

FRIENDSHIP WITH UNBELIEVERS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY JULY 23, 2021.

SUBJECT : FRIENDSHIP WITH UNBELIEVERS!

Memory verse: "And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for today I must stay at your house." (Luke 19 vs 5.)

READ: Luke 5 vs 27 - 32: 

5:27: After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow me.”

5:28: So he left all rose up, and followed Him.

5:29: Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them.

5:30: And their scribes and Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, “Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

5:31: Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who  are sick.

5:32: I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

INTIMATION:

Unbelievers are those skeptical of matters of religious truth; not believing in God, and in the substitutionary work of His Son Jesus Christ for mankind. Consequently, they are not Christ’s followers.

Jesus taught his followers to befriend unbelievers or sinners and lead them to Him. Befriending unbelievers is investable if we are to lead them to Christ. However, we must be wary of those who are viciously evil, immoral, or opposed to all that Christianity stands for. Such people are more likely to influence us for evil than we are to influence them for good. It is obvious that we should not disassociate ourselves from unbelievers—otherwise we could not carry out Christ’s command to tell them about salvation (see Matthew 28 vs 18 - 20).

But we are to distance ourselves from hypocrites; the person with pretense of piety—false or godless persons. Such person pretend or claim to be Christians, yet indulge in sins explicitly forbidden in Scripture by rationalizing his or her actions. By rationalizing sin, a person harms others for whom Christ died and dims the image of God in himself or herself.

Christians or believers usually wrongly interpret the apostle Paul’s teaching regarding association with unbelievers in Second Corinthians 6 vs 14 - 15. He said, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with unbeliever?” 

The apostle Paul urges believers not to be “unequally yoked,” that is, not to be burdened or bear burden together with unbelievers. That is burdens of partnerships in business or any associations of like manner, because this might weaken their Christian commitment, integrity, or standards. Because believers don’t share the same faith with unbelievers, common grounds are usually difficult in such partnership due to different believe systems. It would be a mismatch. Earlier, Paul had explained that this did not mean isolating oneself from unbelievers (See First Corinthians 5 vs 9 - 10). When believers in leadership positions become allied with unbelievers, values can be compromised and spiritual awareness dulled. Hence the Bible often warns against teaming up with unbelievers.

For married couples, the apostle Paul even urges Christians to stay with their unbelieving spouses if such marriages were consummated before any of the spouse becomes a believer (First Corinthians 7 vs 12 - 13). He wants believers to be active in their witness for Christ to unbelievers, but they should not lock themselves into personal or business relationships that could cause them to compromise their faith. Believers should do everything in their power to avoid situations that could force them to divide their loyalties. 

These verses also have strong application to marriage. The apostle Paul did not want single believers to enter into marriage with unbelievers. Such marriages cannot have unity in the most important issue in life—commitment and obedience to God. Because marriage involves two people becoming one, faith may become an issue, and one spouse may have to compromise beliefs for the sake of unity. Many people discount this problem only to regret it later. Don’t allow emotion or passion to blind you with someone who will not be your spiritual partner. For those who have discovered God’s light, there can be no fellowship or compromise with darkness (First Corinthians 10 vs 20 - 21.) 

Just as when a man and a woman fall in love, so also new believers rejoice at their newfound forgiveness. Associations with unbelievers when the new believers are not yet firmly rooted in Christ may cause them to lose sight of the seriousness of sin, and then they begin to lose the thrill of their forgiveness. In the first steps of your Christian life, you may have had enthusiasm without knowledge. Do you now have knowledge without enthusiasm? Both are necessary if we are to keep love for God intense and untarnished.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with divine wisdom, that I may walk circumspect in dealings with unbelievers that my faith will not be compromised, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

REAL GREATNESS COMES FROM SERVING GOD AND OTHERS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY JULY 22, 2021.

SUBJECT: REAL GREATNESS COMES FROM SERVING GOD AND OTHERS! 

Memory verse: "If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures." (Job 36 vs 11.)

READ: Exodus 23 vs 25 - 26: 

23:25: And you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread, and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you.

23:26: No one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of thy days.

INTIMATION: 

To serve is to meet the needs of and subject one’s will to that of another. Therefore, to serve God is to subject to the will of God. When we give our lives in service to God, we discover the real purpose of living; you live an exceedingly fruitful life and achieve greatness in God’s assessment. Real discipleship implies real commitment—pledging our whole existence to His service or will. 

Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 23 vs 11 - 12, "But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." To Jesus, greatness comes from serving—giving yourself to serve God and others. Service keeps us aware of others' needs, and it stops us from focusing only on ourselves. Jesus, the greatest man, came as a servant. Evaluate yourself to find out what kind of greatness you seek.

God requires our all in serving Him. In Matthew 16 vs 24 - 25, Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let Him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” In service to God, if we try to save our physical life from death, pain, or discomfort, we may risk losing our true eternal life. If we protect ourselves from the pains, and discomfort of this world, usually inherent in service to God, we begin to die spiritually and emotionally. Our lives turn inward, we become selfish, and we lose our intended purpose.

Service is a cure for selfishness. In Philippians 2 vs 3 the Bible says, "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself." Considering others' interests as more important than our own links us with Christ, who was a true example of selflessness. We are to lay aside selfishness and treat others with respect and common courtesy. 

We are called to serve even at great cost to us. In Luke 1 vs 26 - 38, God visited Mary through an angel and asked her to serve Him. She was told that she will conceive in her womb and bring forth a Son. Mary wondered how possible this can be, since she knew no man and was only betrothed to Joseph. The angel assured her that the Holy Spirit will come upon her, and the power of the Highest will overshadow her. It is logical for her to have doubted because such has never happened in history, and she ought to have refused because of the enormous negative societal implications of conceiving and bearing a child outside marriage. 

A young unmarried girl who became pregnant risked disaster. Unless the father of the child agreed to marry her, she would probably remain unmarried for life. If her own family rejected her, and she cannot fend for herself as a single parent, she could be forced out into begging or prostitution in order to earn her living. And Mary with her story about being made pregnant by the Holy Spirit, risked being considered crazy as well. Still Mary said, despite the possible risks, "Let it be done to me according to your word." When Mary said that, she didn't know about the tremendous opportunity she would have. She only knew that God was asking her to serve Him, and she willingly obeyed. She never bothered about the bottom line before offering her life to God. 

God has a place for all to serve. He knows us more than we know ourselves, and we are called to serve God in specific ways. Therefore, avoid excuses when God calls you to serve. He that called you knows about you and will equip you for any tasks He gives you. Although God promises us the tools and strength we need, we often make excuses. But reminding God of our limitations only implies that He does not know all about us or that He has made a mistake in evaluating our character. Spend the time to make excuses on doing what God wants. 

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to serve You diligently and acceptably, that I may live a purposeful and fulfilled life, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Preach to Yourself

 

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. (Psalm 42:11)

We must learn to fight despondency — the downcast spirit. The fight is a fight of faith in future grace. It is fought by preaching truth to ourselves about God and his promised future.

This is what the psalmist does in Psalm 42. The psalmist preaches to his troubled soul. He scolds himself and argues with himself. And his main argument is future grace: “Hope in God! Trust in what God will be for you in the future. A day of praise is coming. The presence of the Lord will be all the help you need. And he has promised to be with us forever.”

Martyn Lloyd-Jones believes this issue of preaching truth to ourselves about God’s future grace is all-important in overcoming spiritual depression. In his helpful book, Spiritual Depression, he writes,

Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself? Take those thoughts that come to you the moment you wake up in the morning. You have not originated them, but they start talking to you, they bring back the problems of yesterday, etc. Somebody is talking. . . . Your self is talking to you. Now this man’s treatment [in Psalm 42] was this: instead of allowing this self to talk to him, he starts talking to himself. “Why art thou cast down, O my soul?” he asks. His soul had been depressing him, crushing him. So he stands up and says, “Self, listen for a moment. I will speak to you.” (20–21)

The battle against despondency is a battle to believe the promises of God. And that belief in God’s future grace comes by hearing the word. And so preaching to ourselves the word of God is at the heart of the battle.

WHAT CAN I DO? BY TYE TRIBETH

 

Models for Combating Discouragement

 

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:26)

Literally the verb is simply fail, not “may fail.” This God-besotted psalmist, Asaph, says, “My flesh and my heart fail!” I am despondent! I am discouraged! But then immediately he fires a broadside against his despondency: “But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

The psalmist does not yield to discouragement. He battles unbelief with counterattack.

In essence, he says, “In myself I feel very weak and helpless and unable to cope. My body is shot, and my heart is almost dead. But whatever the reason for this despondency, I will not yield. I will trust God and not myself. He is my strength and my portion.”

The Bible is replete with instances of saints struggling with sunken spirits. Psalm 19:7 says, “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.” This is a clear admission that the soul of the saint sometimes needs to be revived. And if it needs to be revived, in a sense it was “dead.” That’s the way it felt.

David says the same thing in Psalm 23:2–3, “He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.” The soul of the “man after [God’s] own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14) needs to be restored. It was dying of thirst and ready to fall exhausted, but God led the soul to water and gave it life again.

God has put these testimonies in the Bible so that we might use them to fight the unbelief of despondency. And we fight with the blast of faith in God’s promises: “God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” We preach that to ourselves. And we thrust it into Satan’s face. And we believe it.

OUR MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY JULY 21, 2021.

SUBJECT : OUR MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION.

Memory verse: "Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation." (Second Corinthians 5 vs 18).

READ: Romans 5 vs 6 - 11:

5:6: For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

5:7: For scarcely for a righteous man will one; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.

5:8: But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

5:9: Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

5:10: For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

5:11: And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

INTIMATION:

The Amplified Version rendering of our memory verse is, "But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself [received us into harmony with Himself] and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation [that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him]. 

The Bible gave the explanation of our memory verse (vs 18) in verse 19 thus, "It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but canceling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor). (Amplified Version.)

God is present, and at work in Christ reconciling the whole world to Himself, canceling out their trespasses, not counting them no more against them. For the believers in Christ, God has reconciled us to Himself by the mediation of Jesus Christ. All three members of the Trinity are involved in salvation. The Father loved us so much that He sent His Son to bridge the gap between us (John 3 vs 16). The Father and the Son sent the Holy Spirit to fill our life with love and to enable us to live by His power (Acts 1 vs 8). 

In like manner, God has appointed those who believed and accepted Christ and what He wrought for us in redemption, as His representatives (ambassadors of Christ), and has commissioned us to do the same thing He is doing—reconciling the world to Christ. He has given us, through Christ, the ministry of reconciliation; not the ministry of condemnation which we have had before this time, but a ministry of reconciliation. He has also, given us the word (message) of reconciliation, to preach to the world as Christ's personal representatives in the world.

What then do we preach? In most of the preaching, we have reckoned unto men their trespasses. We have kept them "trespass-minded." We have kept them conscious of their weaknesses and failings, constantly preaching sin, and judgement to them. That is not wrong in itself, but God has not given us such ministry. He has instead given us the ministry of reconciliation; to preach Eternal life in Christ.

It is proper to remind us of where we are coming from, but it is much more proper to recount to us what God has wrought for us in Christ Jesus, and where we, as believers in Christ and His work in redemption, are heading to. For believers in Christ, the remission of sin is a reality, God has blotted out our past records, and made them nonexistent. Where we are coming from has seized to exist in God's memory, haven given us His righteousness in Christ (Second Corinthians 5 vs 21). It was for this reason He commissioned us as Christ's ambassadors with the message of reconciliation. We have that Word, and we have the message, It is therefore, ours to give to the world. 

As Christ's representatives, a new commandment has given to in John 13 vs 34 - 35: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

That is the pivot on which the life of the "New Creation" man revolves. God, by His Nature, is love, and He showcased His love nature when He gave to the world His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, as a propitiation for our sins (John 3 vs 16). He came and paid the debt we owed and ought to have paid for our sins. and legally set us free from that debt.  When we were set free, He blotted out the records of our past, and made them nonexistent. He recreated us to be now in conformity to His love nature that was lacking before now, hence His pouring out His love out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5 vs 5). 

It is after the impartation of His 'Love Nature' in the new creation, that He gave us the new commandment. Out of love for one another, we are to joyfully and freely let others know about Jesus, and the immeasurable worth of what He wrought for us in redemption, that they may come to partake of it.

As ambassadors of Christ, reconciled to God, we have the privilege of encouraging others to be reconciled to God in accordance with the ministry given to us. As ambassadors of reconciliation, we have very important responsibility—the message of entreating the world to be reconciled to God. We dare not take this responsibility lightly. The question then is, 'How well are you fulfilling your commission as Christ's ambassador?

Prayer: Abba Father, let the zeal of 'Your Commission' burn in me that I may be an ambassador of Christ worthy of my calling, and that I may obtain the crown of rejoicing, and righteousness, which the Lord will give to me at the day of His coming, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen. 

PRAISE THE LORD!