Proverbs 3:7-8 – “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.  It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.”

My exhortation today is for you to be honest with yourself.  The commandments of God are not meant to be a burden to you, but a delight in knowing God, and having the peace of God rule in your life.  If you are struggling with pornography, get an internet filter.  If that won’t work, then get rid of your computer.  If you struggle with materialism, give most of what you have away and go serve the poor.  If you struggle with alcoholism, stop going to bars and stop putting yourself in situations where others will be drinking.  You might be saying, well if I did that, then I wouldn’t have a social life, I wouldn’t be able to go out. Maybe, but what does Jesus say?  Matthew 5:30 – “And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.” 

Here’s usually where I get accused of legalism religious fundamentalism.  If I was saying that doing those things would keep you from being a sinner and in need of the grace of God in Christ Jesus, they’d be right, but I’m not.  Taking action that outwardly limits your potential for sin is not legalism, it is wisdom.  I would rather be accused of legalism, to limit outward sin and continually ask God to change my heart to love Him more, than to keep the praise of men, and my soul be lost for eternity.  Make no mistake – if you play with sin, it will kill you.  If you say to yourself, “I’m saved, I live under grace”, and then go about your life without a fear of God and continually dance with temptation – you might not be saved.  This is what it says in 1 John 3:9 – “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.”

I’m not here to say where to draw the line with temptation is, because I believe it is different for each person.  I’m definitely not calling people to a monastic life either.  What I am encouraging you to do, is know yourself;  know where you fall, how you fall, and remove the possibility to fall as much as is reasonably possible.  No material thing, no computer, no bar, can replace the peace and joy of an intimate relationship with God.  Do you believe that?  If you do, then take action in line with your belief, you will not be disappointed.  Fear the Lord – run from sin – and let the peace of God rule your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Grace and Peace,

Adam