Choices

Mark 14: ³⁸ Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

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Many times I have had the opportunity to really do some great things for GOD and chose not to. I mean I really wanted to serve GOD when I woke up that morning but by the time I went to bed it seems I had ruined another day.

• When I say I want to be more graceful, “that” person got on my nerves and my flesh kicked in to argue, fuss and fight.
• When I say I want to be less lustful, greed, power and sex seem to pop up everywhere I look and I fall into their trap.
• When I say I want to be more loving, “that” person downplays my efforts and sometimes ridicules it rather than accepting my gift of love so I withdraw my efforts and blame them.

My flesh is weak! When I think I am strong, I seem to fall into a hole quicker than when I feel weak and helpless. In fact I believe I am blind when I think I am strong so GOD wants me to be on the lookout for temptation.

• GOD wants me to see my temptation coming at a distance and pray to HIM for help.
• HE wants me to understand my weaknesses and give them to HIM daily.
• GOD wants me to make small adjustments in my life so that I can have success.

GOD knows I am weak yet HE uses me and loves me anyway. HE knows my heart is filled with the wrong stuff yet rejoices when I make the tiniest effort to truly serve HIM.  Each time I ask GOD for help way before the temptation begins, HE gives me the strength to get through it.  HE does this a little at a time so each time I am successful I can praise HIM.

• Are you falling into temptation?
• Can you choose to not flirt with that coworker today?
• Will you choose to show grace and mercy to that person who wants to pick a fight?
• Will you choose to listen to the HOLY SPIRIT today and do what HE says?

Watch out!

Matthew 26: ⁴¹ “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

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“LORD if YOU would just get me out of this situation, I will never to ‘that’ again” are the empty words I have used several times with GOD.  I said these words to manipulate GOD into not punishing me for the sin I had just done.

• When I lie my SPIRIT cries out yet I lie anyway.
• When I lust my SPIRIT cries out yet I lust anyway.
• When I am lazy my SPIRIT cries out yet I am lazy anyway.
• When I am lost my SPIRIT cries out yet I remain lost anyway.

Temptation to sin is like falling into a sticky gooey substance with dirt and junk blowing around getting stuck to me. No matter how hard I struggle it seems like stuff just stick to me.

• In order to avoid temptation I need to watch where I go.
• In order to avoid sin I need to pray for help.
• In order to avoid the traps laid out before me I need to watch out.
• In order to avoid GOD’s judgment on me I need to pray for HIS forgiveness.

“Watch and Pray” are GOD’s words to clean me up while avoiding the pitfalls of life that I can easily fall into. HE wants me to understand myself and know what tempts me in order to stay away from that thing. HE knows if I were around “that” temptation I would easily fall into the sin.

The best thing for me to do is stay far away from that temptation by “watching” out for it and “praying” for GOD’s strength.

• Are you falling into the same sin over and over?
• Do you feel discouraged that you are doing that sin again?
• Can you believe GOD has forgiven you for all your sins?
• Can you relax your mind enough to replace discouragement with “watching” and “praying?”