The Word of God teaches us to live in the Spirit and not in the world. This is especially important for those that love God. It is plain when Paul said, 3“let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.” To live as a child of God, we put off the lusts of the flesh. This means, giving God our smoking addiction, our drug addiction, our alcohol addiction, and our sexual addiction. The sexual addiction could involve fornication, adultery, pornography, and homosexuality. 3We also put off anything else that will keep us out of the kingdom of God. How often do I get asked, as a Christian, if I would like to have a beer or smoke. I understand that these questions come from non-Christian believers but when these people proclaim to be a Christian, it makes me wonder about their faith. How can somebody live for Christ if they are given over to alcohol or drugs? And then to ask another person to partake in this wickedness is only causing our fellow brothers and sisters to stumble. Let 1“no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.” To cause another person to sin is evil and this person has much need for repentance.
To know of God’s laws and disobey them anyways is to walk away from His will. To be in God’s ministry, we must put off the natural man. 2We all come into this world with natural tendencies to sin but once we allow Jesus to transform our lives, we now walk in the Spiritual light. To be sober-minded, is somebody that does not put their minds to sin but to live for God. They understand that giving themselves over to smoking, drugs, drinking and sexual sin, will only quench the Spirit. This is when temptation will have full force in our lives and it will be hard to resist. We are called to 4“be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” We are able to resist temptation when we are not allowing sin to come into our lives. And yes, smoking and drugs leads to getting high, alcohol leads to getting drunk, and looking at women to lust leads to sexual sin. So why not put off these evil tendencies today? The Lord can break these bad habits, if you allow Him to. Follow Paul’s advice when he said, 3“be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” I pray that you do as He directed. In this, your walk with Christ will be more vigilant and valiant for God’s cause.
Let us pray:
Oh Lord, please help us all shine our lights before all the men and women around us. May we lead others to know You Lord. If there are any evil tendencies left in our lives, bring it to our attention today. To those that smoke, help them understand that getting high is wrong and to stop. To those that drink alcohol, help them know that getting drunk is evil and needs to stop. To those that are involved with pornography, fornication adultery or homosexuality, help them know that these things are an abomination and needs to stop. These things do not edify our souls but only lead us in the ways of sin and death. I know Lord, that nothing good comes from heeding temptation for You are unable to work in our lives. Help us all to put off the natural man, that we may be transformed in the Spirit. Bring us out of darkness and into Your glorious light. Lead us away from being a stumbling block but a person that helps a brother and sister in the faith. Shine Your light upon us now, that we may shine brightly before them. Use us to do Your will, oh Lord. I trust in You. I am blessed to have You in my life. You give me the direction I need to stay strong in the faith and to resist temptation. I love You. Amen.
Let us read the Bible:
Note: Any Numbered References, found above, are listed below.
1Romans 14:13-23 (KJV)
13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.
14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
21 Corinthians 15:44-49 (KJV)
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
3Ephesians 5:1-21 (KJV)
1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
41 Peter 5 (KJV)
1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock.
4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
12 By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand.
13 The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.
14 Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
