Happy Thursday! Today’s verses are dear to my heart. The battle against flesh, the battle against strongholds, the battle against things beyond us is real. Each day we encounter some type of temptation,  and if it goes unchecked it can and will cause us to sin. Let’s read what Jesus had to say about temptation. 

Bible Verse – Matthew 18:7-10 NLT
“⁷ “What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting. ⁸ So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand or one foot than to be thrown into eternal fire with both of your hands and feet. ⁹ And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. ¹⁰ “Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.”

REFLECTION
Jesus is not literally telling the disciples or us to actually go out and cut of our hands, feet or to gouge out our eye. However, He is informing us that whatever is causing us to sin, to remove its influence from our hearts and minds. Whatever, sin it is (e.g., lying, taking things that don’t belong to us, etc.) it’s time to turn away from it.

The words, ‘what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting’, is a reminder that God is aware of the wicked and their desire to lure others away from Him. Yet, we must also be wise. It’s time to give Satan notice that you will not be His servant any longer.

• Will you trust God to help you, so that truth will flow from your mouth?

• Will you trust God to remove temptations in relationships?

• Will you trust God enough to live a life that is first (above all else) pleasing to Him, instead of pleasing the world?

Let’s choose today, to give every temptation and sin over to the Lord.

Prayer
Father God, thank you for today. Thank you for the Lord’s prayer “give us this day, our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation  but deliver us from evil.” Lord we desire to be a pleasing aroma to you. Lord, direct our steps and align our will to Your will. Lord, remove from our hearts and minds anything that does not please you.  Strengthen our relationship with you. Lord, we need your strength to refrain from temptation(s) that cause us to sin against you and your people. Lord, bind those things within us and set us free from them. Lord, we don’t want to be a prisoner to those things, deliver us. Lord, remove fear from our hearts and the lies of the enemy from our ears and thoughts,  so that we can stand firm in this prayer and by your word. Lord, keep us attuned to Your voice so that we may hear You when You call and direct or redirect our steps. Lord, change us. In Jesus name, amen. 

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