- TODAY'S BIBLE TEXT
Text: Galatians 5: 16-18
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 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. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
- SASTURDAY, 3RD FEBRUARY 2024 DEVOTIONAL
Saturday, 3rd February 2024
HANDLING THE SNARE OF EVIL THOUGHTS 2
Text: Galatians 5: 16-18
Memory verse: Hebrews 4: 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
We need to distinguish however between temptation and sin. Even Jesus was tempted "in every respect as we are". But He never once yielded to temptation, even in His mind and so never sinned. We too shall be tempted till the last day of our life on earth. But we need not sin. We sin only when the evil desire is permitted to conceive in our minds: when we accept the lustful thought flashed into our minds. If we reject the suggestion at once, we do not sin. "While I cannot prevent the birds from flying over my head, I can prevent them from making a nest in my hair". When an evil thought presents itself to us, if we cherish it even for a moment in our minds, we allow it to "make a nest" there and sin follows. Every young person is sooner or later tempted by unclean thoughts. The sexual urge being stronger and more aggressive in men than in women, the former face this problem much more than the latter. To overcome these:
We must also "walk in the Spirit" and cooperate with Him in disciplining our lives if we are to enjoy continuous victory. If we fail to discipline our eyes and ears; cutting off all reading and seeing and hearing that is lustful, we shall not be able to discipline our thoughts either, this is the real implication of Matthew 5:28-30. Discipline of the body is essential for deliverance from lustful thoughts. The greatest of saints have confessed that they had to battle constantly with sexual temptations in their minds. They had to discipline their bodies severely to get victory.
In Mark 7:21, Jesus listed evil thoughts as the first things that proceed from the heart of men. The hearts of all unconverted men are equally wicked and so the description Jesus gave is true of all. Unclean thoughts plague the mind of the morally upright man as much as they do to the mind of the adulterer, though lack of opportunity and fear of society may have prevented the former from committing adultery in the flesh.
- TODAY'S HYMNAL
CGDS HYMN 53: SS&S 873:
YIELD NOT TO TEMPTATION, FOR YIELDING IS SIN
1. Yield not to temptation For yielding, yielding is sin Each victory, victory Will help you, some other to win2. Fight manfully on, onward dark, oh, dark passions subdue Mmh, you just look, look ever, ever, ever, ever To Je-, Jesus and I know that He Lord, He will carry you, He'll carry you all through3. Oh, oh, you just are asking Why don't you try asking Him to help you Why don't you just ask Him, ask Him to keep you Why don't you just ask Him, ask Him to comfort4. Get down on your knees and ask Him, oh, to keep you Lord, I know Jesus, I know that He's willing Oh, I know He's able, He's able to help you And I know, I know that Jesus Oh, Jesus will carry you again, you through - TODAY'S PRAYERS
Prayers:
- 1 Lord Jesus, let Your Spirit in me be my checker, checking every thought that is growing inside of me.
- 2. LORD God Almighty, I decree and declare that every tempting thought in me will be consumed and not lead me to any sinful acts in Jesus’ name. Amen.
- 3. Pray for others in this regard.