As Christians, that is why it is so important to flee from evil. One little movie, or book....just a bite of evil...and you've affected everything.
Read today's passage paying close attention to verse 22...then note the different areas of the body Solomon talks about in verses 23-27.
What part of your body is always getting into trouble? Worse than that is it seeking evil? When you close in prayer today, ask God to reveal to you areas in your life that need to be more hasty in fleeing from evil. Ask for help with the little temptations that you keep falling into.
For our discussion, you don't have to discuss your own self and temptations, but name a body part or two and tell how it can cause you to fall into temptation.
Before closing, I want to point out verse 25. Read it again. How often have you been to the store to get ONE thing, but your little eyes couldn't help but dart around and see all the other things that you NEED. (even though you don't.) To me this verse says it all. If we would just keep our eyes fixed on the path we are supposed to be on..the path to Christ...then we wouldn't see all these goodies the world has to offer us.
I really, really want to encourage you, if you never have...pick up a copy of Pilgrim's Progress. It is written in Old English and some might find it hard to understand, but there are updated, modern versions in today's English. It is about a man and his journey on his path to Christ--it is in story book form. Like a fairy tale, but is an allegory of our Christian walk. It is a great read aloud for family reading time too. I know there are several of you doing this study that are very new to Christianity and there are others who aren't that could stand to read it again. You can go RIGHT HERE to obtain a copy.
The main two that jumped out at me, were the mouth and eyes.
ReplyDeleteOur mouths can do untold damage. A mouth can criticize, demean, utter vulgarities, gossip... the list goes on and on. Psalm 39:1 states:
I will guard my ways that I may not sin with my tongue..."
As you said, if our eyes are not on Christ, we will see all kinds of "goodies" that make us want. And greed kicks in.
Watching a questionable movie or tv show, reading the wrong kind of book, looking at the wrong kind of website, are all stumbling blocks.
In Hebrews chapter 12:1-2, we are told to set aside everything that causes us trouble, and "run the race that is set before us...LOOKING TO JESUS, the author and finisher of our faith."
This tells me to only speak good, and keep my eyes toward the goal of becoming more Christ like. Run the race set before me in a manner that would bring glory to the Lord.
For me, easy to say, hard to do.
Tonya - can you do a blog article about movies/books you would recommend for Christian families - we don't watch "R" movies but we find "PG-13" is the new "R"... Books are a love for me and wow it can be such a challenge to find Christian writers - not saying there aren't any just not enough for me. Today's topic is so true. I don't do sugar for so many reason number 1 being a diabetic says "oh no you don't wanna die?" I don't do bread often maybe once a week. I don't do snacks/treats and such except for popcorn. I am on the healthy side because I keep mega active. I eat meat only once a week too (my secret).
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Ok I have to agree with mouth and eyes.
ReplyDeleteEye's can cause you to be jealous of what others have, we recently had a sermon on coveting and when your friend get a new pool or new car you can become bitter or jealous.
Mouth's harmful words, complaining(my #1 problem), gossip, what you put in your mouth(I have issues with this also!)
Evielynne -Bethany House Publishers and Zondervan Publishing House both have Christian books, if you haven't read Karen Kingsbury she is a great author to read.
Okay, I read todays' passage. How far behind am I? I see that the study following is M-F. Did you just begin with the book of Proverbs or ?.......
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