Temptation: What Am I Responsible For?

The other day I saw a guy walking his dogs. All was fine until the two dogs spot something... The gentleman is yanked and caught off guard and he loses control. It's very hard to get them to calm down because they are all riled up and they aren't listening to him. His dogs are pulling him this way and that. He...has lost control.

That's how it is sometimes when temptations come along... If we are being careless with our attitudes, not guarding our hearts, eyes, actions...when we see a temptation...our flesh may lose control. Without self-control...we can/will... get caught off guard. 

So...

We need Him as our guide. We need Him to help us learn to deal with the temptations we come across...Taking every thought captive and making the decision: Do I really want to take my eyes off of Him for this distraction, or do I want to continue on the path with my Father?

We're not responsible for feeling temptation. We are responsible...for how we respond to it.

So what do we do?

We allow Him inside the areas we've been keeping Him out of. We ask for His forgiveness. We ask that He renews our heart and searches it...that He reveal what it is that is causing us to veer off the road. 

As they say...

We become like those we spend the most time with. Having said that...it is God who we need to spend more time with. We need Him to heal us, build us up...for Him to write His Word in our hearts so that when we do get tempted, we can stand on The Rock...So that we can get to the point where we can say...

Jesus...Is...Better.

Our prayer:

'Lord, guard our hearts from what may come against us. Change our appetites so that we desire more of You, over more of the things that bring us down. Give us the strength to hold onto You when parts of us want to veer off on our own course. Move in us...and may we see more of the Beauty in having a life with more of You. We love You. In Jesus' name. Amen.'

Imagine

Imagine all the good you could do. Now, understand that, that doesn't come close to what He can do, in and through you, when you let Him.

Understand that our imagination has limits, He doesn't have any. There's no telling what He can and will do in and through those of us who allow Him to use us.

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk with Him." Ephesians 2:10

"Truly, truly I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, He will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father." John 14:12

Imagine...if we were more than conquerors...

Well...we are!!

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." Romans 8:37

Victory

I just spent the evening sharing with my parents about my past. I never thought I'd be so encouraged going through some of that stuff. Please take a minute to be reminded that victories do happen.

What was:

...Calls in the middle of the night being told their son is in jail... again.

Mother and Father got to the point where they were afraid to answer the phone late at night.

They asked themselves... "Will we ever get our son back?"

It is a shocking feeling when handcuffs are placed around your wrists. It can be very defeating when the life you live reveals a cycle of choices leading to that difficult outcome. 

Losing respect for myself because all I saw was my failures, I drowned myself in things that would prove that that was who I was, a failure.

But God didn't let go. No matter how hard I tried, He wouldn't let go. He finally got my attention. It took a prison cell and a lot of hurt... but He showed me that I was here for more than this.  My heart started to turn.

Now... it takes time for change, but it only takes a moment to make the choice to turn around and stop pushing Him away. Then, we start to grow... turning from wanting to push Him away... to wanting to pull Him closer.

So I started a journey and that journey led me to where I am today. You see, God took an addict who wanted nothing more out of life but a never-ending bottle of pills and gave him Life. 

What is:

Now, as I talk about how I used to be, it doesn't bring me discouragement. It brings me joy because I see how God moved in my life. I see how He changed my desires, my appetites. Now my parents don't share their concerns about whether they will ever have their son back like they used to. Now, they say they are proud of the man I've become/ am becoming.

Now please understand, I am NOT writing these things to boast in myself, because it was not me. Trust me, it was NOT me. I say these things because of what He's done in my Life... what He continues to do. 

What we need to do:

We've all been somewhere, but God takes the things that the world meant for our destruction and turns them into opportunities to show His glory. He takes our past that we were burdened by... and uses it as a stepping stone to rise from... a mark for Him to show us what He can and will deliver us from.

Think about it:

There are victories made every day. Addictions being overcome by those who choose to chase after God harder than chasing a habit. Marriages are being saved by those who decide to lay their weapons down and choose to love and pour out grace instead of dishing out selfishness. Anxious minds are being calmed by those who choose to rest in the Rock as their refuge, shelter and protection. Strongholds are being broken as people stand on the promises that God gives us in His Word: That we are more than conquerors... That we are dearly loved and cherished... That He has plans to prosper and not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future... Promises that He will make our paths straight when we don't lean on our own understanding, but trust in Him. 

So...

Don't let the enemy use your struggles against you. Let God have them and allow Him to lift you out of whatever is brining you down. There is power in the name of Jesus. There is hope in the message of the Cross. There is encouragement and strength in the empty tomb. There is life in His Living Water.

In Him, we have victory.

Journey well.

Men: May We Know Our Role

Single men, men:

Know your role. I'm not talking about how much power you may have or how you feel you're owed this or that. Know your role. As a child(hopefully a man) of God, we are called to lead...so lead. Trust me, I'm talking to MYSELF as well. We are to be strong, yes, but loving and respectful...To love as Christ loved the church. We are not to expect adoration, but to give it. We are not to expect to be served, but to serve. We are suppose to love, because He first loved us. 

Men, let's be men. Let's be men of God. There's nothing wrong with a man being loving and respectful towards a woman...and yes...sensitive to her needs. Men, we need to change our image. But in order to do so, we must change ourselves...or better yet...allow Him to change us. Men, we have a great opportunity to make a difference. Lets do it.

Your brother,

Marco

Women: Please Know Your Worth

Single women, women:

Know your worth. I'm not talking about how popular you are. How many guys' numbers you can get. Know your worth. As a child of God, you are set apart. You are to be loved...Not because of what you can give, but because of who you are. You are to be respected...Not because of what you may have done, but because of what was done for you. 

He(God) respects you...so please respect yourselves. Know that you deserve love...respect. You deserve...to be cherished. Ladies, please know your worth. Know your worth to Him.

Your brother,

Marco