Sunday, February 24, 2013

Saying "No" to Temptation


Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
Have you ever understood and appreciated how many times the Lord in His great mercy has saved you from falling into some open (or secret) sin that would have ruined you? For example, take Proverbs 22:14: "The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; he who is abhorred of the Lord will fall there."
If the Lord has held you by the hand and preserved you from that "fall," you can sing the Hallelujah chorus a thousand times. (Someone might be reading this who actually fell into the "pit," and he or she feels bad; well, remember that if the Lord "abhors you" He still loves you; what He "abhors" is not you personally, but that kind of behavior; there is hope for you.)
If in spite of your love for money you have been enabled to remain upright in the face of temptation. Again, you can be profoundly thankful to Him; it's not your "righteousness" that has preserved you, it's His.
Maybe you have wondered how holy beings can sing over and over their praises to the Lord; that's one reason--He has saved them from ruining their lives.
Isaiah comments about His special care for you, personally and individually: "'No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn.'" (He hasn't promised that no voice will ever be raised against you--all He promises is that you will "condemn" that accusation and He will defend you from it. "'This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,' says the Lord" (Isa. 54:17).
The Lord is so good to us, because of His much more abounding grace, that we can make progress all our lives; gaining such victories, we can grow day by day "like a tree." The time will come when we will find it is actually "easy" to say "No!" to temptation. Then Titus 2:11-14 (see NIV) will be fulfilled to us and we shall rejoice in it forevermore.
--Robert J. Wieland
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: March 22, 2008.
Copyright © 2013 by "Dial Daily Bread."

Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Please forward these messages to your friends and encourage them to subscribe. The "Dial Daily Bread" Web site resides at: http://1888message.org/dailybread/

To subscribe send an e-mail message with "subscribe" in the body of the message to:dailybread@1888message.org

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.