Devotional Time with God

That is the question I need to ask myself with every thought that comes across my mind. I don’t always think about good thoughts. There are plenty of temptations and evil thoughts that I’m bombarded with, either on the movies, or the people around me.  But I have to find that peace that only comes from knowing God and His word.  I can no longer be influenced by this world:

Don’t be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him.

Romans 12:2

I have to know Jesus. I have to know what He has to say (and do) about everything in my life – from what I eat, speak, think, or look at. I have to constantly test what I’ve encountered:

Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don’t ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise. You know the teachings I gave you, and you know what you heard me say and saw me do. So follow my example. And God, who gives peace, will be with you.

Philippians 4:8-9

I must look for what is pure, noble, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. Another words, a higher standard!  My mind has to be filled with God’s standard of living. My thoughts will shape my mind, and my mind will shape my character.

And my character needs to be like Jesus!

The Scriptures ask, “Has anyone ever known the thoughts of the Lord or given him advice?”  But we understand what Christ is thinking.

1 Corinthians 2:16

If we say that we have not sinned, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth isn’t in our hearts. But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away.

1 John 1:8-9

I’ll always be tempted. I’ll always be tested. I’ll always fall down. But, the good news is God will never let me stay down. He offers a way out.  In Him, I have an escape route. God will not tempt me beyond my capabilities (1 Corinthians 10:13).

However, I do have to abide in Him. I do have to ask for forgiveness whenever the temptation is too great and I give into it. I need to have an accountability partner. I’m not in this alone. I have God on my side. I just have to beware that the more God use me, the more Satan will tempt me to move away from God.

Lead me, Lord, to your salvation. Lead me out of temptation and into Christ’s perfect love. Rescue me when I’m down. Fix me when I’m broken. Forgive my sins as I forgive others. Thank you, Abba Father!

Temptations are always there, in every turn, ready to pounce when I least expect it.  I would see a woman and suddenly felt an attraction. I would be in a situation where I may be forced to lie to spare myself from embarrassment. I may find a wad of cash and tempted to keep it for myself. “It’s all good, no one’s looking. No one will know.” as the devil would say.

The truth is, God knows. He sees everything. He sees my heart and my intentions. He knows what I would do – or what I can do. This is why I always focus on God, and His words and promises. One promise that I cherish:

You are tempted in the same way that everyone else is tempted. But God can be trusted not to let you be tempted too much, and he will show you how to escape from your temptations.

1 Corinthians 10:13

He wants me to escape from my temptations! I must run away from it. I must ignore it. I must refocus on something else – something good, something positive, something useful. I thank God, at every moment of my life, for this protection!

Everyday, I struggle with temptations. When no one’s looking, it’s easy to say hey, it’s harmless – and besides, everyone else is doing it!  But how do I know it’s harmless?  My mind may be playing tricks on me, as the devil would like to direct me to the lies and deceits.  The devil would suggest half-truths, like “that’s ok, you’re only human”, or “that’s ok, you deserve a little indulgence once in a while!”  I have to tell myself, at what cost?  Am I sacrificing my spiritual growth? Am I really only harming myself, not the people around me?  Does this have long term effects?

Walking with God is a life time thing.  My spiritual growth takes my life time. Every step of the way, I have to watch where I’m going.  I have to be mindful of the evil temptations to commit sin. I may think I know better, but I don’t.  I need God’s wisdom and grace, for when I stumble I need to depend on Him to pick me up and help me learn my lessons.

Pray to me in time of trouble. I will rescue you, and you will honor me.

Psalm 50:15

I’ve often wondered, how many times have I ever been in control of my mind?  What have I been thinking?  Why do I think the way I do?  It’s often an instinct and purely involuntary.  It’s also not pretty.  With the images I see on TV, the words I hear on the radio, and the actions I observe on others, my mind can go wild.  The world is too quick to feed me with the wrong ideas.  People are just too eager to get into their vices, and bring others along with them.   The mind is the start of guilty pleasures.

A guilty pleasure is often used to described liking something that’s negative.  My example would be enjoying a bad movie, looking at dirty pictures, or listening to gossips.  All devoid of value.  This is the easiest way the devil gets to me.  With the Internet, where sinful materials become so much easier to obtain, it’s so easy to stumble this way.  When my mind is polluted, that’s when I do things wrong.

I need my mind to resolve conflicts, make decisions, get creative, and plan for the future.   I must guard myself against all evil thoughts.  I shall not let my guilty pleasures get the best out of me.

But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Galatians 5:5-6

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Who could I ask to be a spiritual partner to help me defeat a persistent temptation by praying for me?

The Purpose Driven Life, p. 216

My best friend is my wife. She prays for everything that involves the family. I’ve asked her to pray for my health, intercede for me, and keep me awake when I’m starting to fall asleep on the wheel (literally and figuratively). However, I do need another person to help pray for and disciple me, especially from a male perspective. I may ask one of the men in my small group (Jeff?). It is always helpful to have more people praying for my well being. I’m not trying to hog God’s blessings, but as God said, if two or more pray, He will be among us.

I love to have God’s presence in my life, all the time! When I focus on God’s will, there’s a way out of temptation.

What Christlike character quality can I develop by defeating the most common temptation I face?

The Purpose Driven Life, p. 208

I am just like any other man out there, the temptation storm is always raging within me. I would be driving along the road, noticed people would do stupid things with their cars, and I would be tempted to get angry and curse. I would be browsing the internet, sometimes pornographic images would appear, and then tempted to look and thought about it. I would have some free time, and my first thought to do something useless and ignore the need to meditate on God’ s word.

God promises that if I let the Holy Spirit rule my thoughts and actions, I will receive an antidote for temptation.  I will see the results in my life, as it is written in Galatians 5:23-24 (NIV):

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

I must take the opportunity to do good, instead of evil. I must not let the temptations lead me away from focusing on Jesus and His character.