The world and sin no longer tempt us because we are
more interested in spiritual aspects than carnal ones. The world and its lusts
are passing away; not only in eternity, but in the life of maturing Saints of
God as well (1 John 2:17).
If we give in to temptation once, it is easier to
give in again and again. However, when we realize that sin separates us from
intimacy with our Father God, we want no more part of it (1 Corinthians
15:56-57).
Sin causes God to face away from us, because His
holiness cannot look on sin. That is why Jesus was so grief stricken in the
garden of Gethsemane.
He knew He would lose His intimacy with our Father
when He took on the sin of the whole world. After living in sinless perfection
for 33 years, this idea repulsed Him.
Yet, He willingly suffered this loss, along with
the horrendous torture and crucifixion that He endured, in order to pay the
penalty of our sins and to give us His righteousness in its place.
We lose our peace and joy when we sin, and we reap
the consequences of all of our thoughts, words and actions. God no longer finds
pleasure in us - we disappoint and grieve Him.
However, the Holy Spirit is always ready to empower
us to break the cycle of sin and to walk in God’s Righteousness (Philippians
2:13; 1 John 1:9). He helps us to remember the promises of God and to trust Him
to provide us with everything we need to live a fulfilled Christian life.
Prayer:
Father God, give us Your eyes to judge between
right and wrong, so that we never lose the joy of being in Your presence or
enjoying Your Spirit within us (Psalm 51:12). Through Christ in us, bring us to
a place of holiness in this life that conquers sin and death and sets us free
to live in Your rest, Your will and Your holiness.
We trust in You for our complete redemption in
body, spirit and soul - our mind, will and emotions. We believe in You with our
whole heart, and we never want to rely on our human understanding. Thank You
for directing our path in this life and helping us to accomplish Your perfect
will for each day of it (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Thought for the Day:
I never want to become so accustomed to sin that I
consider it normal behavior. Jesus walked in sinless perfection, and He abides
in us as authentic Believers, empowering us to walk by His example.
