Christian Living

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Today we are centered around what we desire. Our whole consumer base is relying on advertising based on what the masses want. You will never see a diet show featuring a 400 llb woman on a treadmill.What you see is a slim well endowed woman in her 20's or a young man also fit and with his six pack telling you that what he/she has can be yours - RIGHT? Of course! The advertisement companies play to our desire not our need. They tempt us with things that we desire not with things we don't want. You will never hear the banks tell you that the mortgage they want you to have will balloon into a debt you can not possibly pay. They assure you that all is well. Because you desire to believe all is truly well you bite into the temptation - RIGHT? Of course you do.

If people did not still desire gas engines today they would stop making them. Their ability to lure or tempt us shows them what they can sell to us --- even at the cost of our sanity. Yes I said sanity. Today's world is living proof that our desires have backfired on us and left our world on the brink of bankruptcy. They would love to blame someone else but first they need to look in a mirror.

Like wise we too as believers need to look closely to our desires and see the end result of them. This is why temptation is a good thing. Let me explain a bit more if I may.

When you go fishing for bass do you use chicken on a hook to catch them? Not unless he is a Baptist fish LOL. Of course you wont. WHY? Because the fish has NO DESIRE FOR CHICKEN!
What you would use is a nice juicy worm or a small grub. That bass will not be able to resist that - why? Because His Hunger for that dictates his consumption of them worms LOL. Getting my drift?

So when we are tempted by a beautiful woman and we fall prey to that temptation - it is a good thing. I bet I lost you now right? Let me clear the air. When you fall...the Holy Ghost will convict you. Right? Of course He will - that is His job!
Joh 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Joh 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
Joh 16:10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
Joh 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

You repent and go on to serve the Lord with a better understanding. That understanding is that you STILL HAVE A DESIRE that needs to be dealt with by the Father. That desire is LUST! You may not have seen it before you were confronted by it through temptation.

You see there was a time all of us were ruled by carnal lusts. ALL OF US. However when we gave our life to Christ we said in our minds WE SURRENDER ALL - however in our hearts we still hold unto things we may not even know we have. Thus the need for TESTING!!!! You see? If I have a problem with lust before Christ I sure will have it after Christ -----UNTIL IT IS MORTIFIED!!!

Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Col 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

All of the above are awesome however look at this last one

When you are tempted - there is suffering - when you fall - there is suffering - when you receive healing the suffering has produced a glorious thing. It brings us to a place of cessation from SIN!

Now saints do you see that Temptation is a Good thing? It shows us our weakness to bring it to light!

God is so awesome!

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