In the last post, Healthy Seeds!! —> Healthy Harvest!! – TEMPTATION [14], http://wp.me/p5nZpi-BQ, I mentioned that when we plant “seeds” of kindness, thoughtfulness, etc., in time they will produce a beautiful and abundant harvest.
But what happens if we plant “seeds” of unkindness, uncaring, selfishness, adultery, sex before marriage (fornication), abuse of alcohol, pornography, etc? We’ll get a harvest alright, and it may be abundant, but instead of beautiful, it can be ugly, hurtful, destructive, isolating, and painful.
…whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. – 2 Corinthians 9:6
This just makes logical sense. If I want to have a harvest of apples, I don’t plant pumpkin seeds. If I want a harvest of apples, I plant apple seeds.
We learned in this post and the last that the only way a harvest (a result) comes about is from the “seeds” we plant. But in between the planting and the harvest is the “tending”.
NOTE: Everyone is tempted from time to time. James reminds us in James 1:13 that when tempted… That is not an if statement, but a “you can guarantee you’ll be tempted” statement.
In fact, when Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray in Luke 11:1-4, Jesus teaches them the following prayer, called the Lord’s Prayer.
Father, may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
Give us each day the food we need,
and forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation.
Notice the last line of the Lord’s Prayer – And don’t let us yield to temptation.
Jesus obviously knew people would struggle with temptation. In fact so much so that He included it in what is probably the most recited prayer in churches worldwide.
So I have a choice at the ”tending” point. Am I going to fuel the fire, or throw cold water on it and cool it down. Keep in mind that what you feed grows and thrives, for the good or for the bad. Choosing to cut off temptation’s “food” source will “kill” the temptation before it reaches the harvest.
Her are some examples of temptation’s “food” —
- Lusting after a person when married to someone else
- Watching or reading pornographic material
- Thinking only about yourself and what will make “me” happy
- Gossiping, bullying, drinking in excess, etc.
When I make the choice to “kill” the temptation, I’ll be able to continue along a more healthful path were I can thrive.
The Gospel writer, Matthew, warns us with this principle, If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. – Matthew 5:29
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Healthy Seeds!! —>> Healthy Harvest!! – TEMPTATION [14] – http://wp.me/p5nZpi-BQ
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