Resisting Temptation: Strength in God and Community

Devotional

Day 1: Knowing, Living, and Inviting the Truth

In our journey of faith, it's crucial to not only know the truth but to live it and invite it into our lives. This involves studying God's word, applying it to our daily lives, and inviting God and others to be honest with us about our spiritual growth. This process helps us identify the exits from temptation and depend on God for strength and guidance. [49:59]

Bible Passage: James 1:22 - "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."

Reflection: What steps can you take today to not only know the truth but live it and invite it into your life?

Day 2: The Gap Between Belief and Behavior

Often, there's a gap between what we believe and how we behave. This gap can lead us away from God's best for us. It's important to not only believe in God's word but to act on it, closing the gap between our faith and our actions. [52:42]

Bible Passage: James 2:17 - "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."

Reflection: What is one area in your life where you see a gap between your belief and your behavior? How can you address this gap?

Day 3: The Power of Prayer

Prayer is a powerful tool that helps us see the gaps in our lives and motivates us to do something about them. It's not enough to believe or think differently; we must act on our faith and develop healthy habits of prayer. [41:48]

Bible Passage: 1 Thessalonians 5:17 - "Pray without ceasing."

Reflection: How can you incorporate prayer into your daily routine to help you identify and address the gaps in your life?

Day 4: Escaping Temptation Through God's Deliverance

We all face temptations that can lead us away from God's best for us. However, we can escape these temptations through God's deliverance. We must remember that we can't battle temptations alone; we need God's help to conquer them. [43:38]

Bible Passage: 1 Corinthians 10:13 - "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."

Reflection: What temptations are you currently facing and how can you rely on God's deliverance to overcome them?

Day 5: Found People, Find People

As followers of Jesus, we are called to find people who need to know Him. This is a reflex that should become instinctive for us. We are called to invite others into a relationship with God and share the good news of His love and salvation. [56:02]

Bible Passage: Matthew 28:19 - "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear about Jesus? How can you invite them into a relationship with Him this week?

Sermon Summary

In this sermon, I discussed the importance of recognizing and resisting temptation, and the role of God in helping us do so. I emphasized that temptation is a part of life that we all face, and it often leads us to trade what we need in the long term for what we want in the short term. However, I stressed that we are not alone in this struggle. God is there to help us, and we must depend on Him to overcome temptation. I also highlighted the importance of knowing, living, and inviting the truth. This involves studying God's word, living according to His teachings, and inviting others to hold us accountable. Finally, I touched on the importance of community in our spiritual journey, and the need to reach out to others who may be in need of God's love and guidance.

Key Takeaways

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Sermon Clips

1. "This prayer is a tool in your life to regularly ask God to show you the gaps. But my encouragement is don't just let believing something correctly or thinking something differently be enough. The distinction for us as followers of Jesus is that we do something about it." - 42:38

2. "Temptation always calls us to decisions that we know will trade what we need ultimately for what we want immediately. That's what temptation does. The Bible describes that pattern of decisions and the destruction that follows it as sin, missing the mark from God's best for us." - 45:00

3. "If you are trying to battle temptations in your life alone, you will fail alone. That's the pattern. So, if we're going to escape as a reflex of God delivering us, what does that deliverance look like?" - 46:25

4. "If you're a follower of Jesus you have been found forever and becoming finders of people who are close to us and far from him it should become instinctive for us. It should become second nature." - 56:02

5. "But God there are also things in our lives that I think you're calling us to set aside for a minute. There are priorities in our lives that maybe we have made too big that we can't see the people around us who are close to us and far from you." - 57:16

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