One Down, A Million To Go

Journey To The Cross, "Temptation Along the Journey" was the title of today's sermon at FFUMC.  And let me just tell you, Pastor Kathy BROUGHT IT! 

Just this morning as I was getting ready for church, I was thinking about temptation.  You think God is trying to tell me something?  YES!

On this journey we call life, we are delayed by crossroads.  At those crossroads, we have a choice to make.  While we SHOULD stop and study which road to take, many times we are speeding through this life and don't take the time to STOP and look.  We just zip on down the road and end up in a major construction zone that slows us down or we might even wreck!  We get sidetracked by the sights around us and we aren't focused on the road ahead. 

I remember my younger years when I was a little speed demon.  Flying from here to there and barely taking time to stop at the crossroads.  Whichever road looked the most fun, I dropped a gear and sped on down it!  I admit, I received a few tickets but even those tickets really didn't slow me down.  Now you may think I'm just talking about me and my car on a road but I am also talking about my life in general.

We throw caution to the wind and supposedly live life to the fullest.  We don't INTEND to get ourselves into trouble because we wouldn't knowingly do that but by not taking the time to THINK about situations we are a part of will ultimately be our demise.  At the mere age of 38, I am BEGINNING to learn to stop and take a look around.  Which path is the best for me?  One path may LOOK more fun and exciting but will that path be laced with traps and temptations that will lead me off the path God has for me? 

I know for a fact I will be tempted on this journey.  Will I let the temptation stay around me and allow it to grow?  I know if I do that I will eventually be entrapped by sin.  Jesus, FULL of the Holy Spirit in Luke 4, was tempted by Satan while in the desert.  You see, Satan likes to get us away from people who are TRYING to live a life in right standing with God.  He doesn't want us to be "influenced" by them.  He wants to draw us to the dark side where he can convince us what we are doing is OK.  Ultimately, when we fail, and we WILL when we are dealing with him, he leaves us high and dry to crash own our on!  You see, Satan doesn't REALLY want us, he just doesn't want God to have us!

Now, how do we get there?  How do we get the life God desires for us after crashing and burning time after time?  One decision at a time!  At the crossroad, stand there and look.  We KNOW what we are suppose to do but do we do it?  Do we do the right thing or do we do the thing that "feels good"?  Do we lie or do we tell the truth?  Do we keep our mouth shut or do we gossip?  Do we eat the dessert because it looks good or do we stick to our diet?  Do we login to facebook just to sneak a peek or do we abstain from it and stay true to ourselves?  Do we not drink tonight and stay sober or do we have just a couple of drinks to "take the edge off"?  Do we refrain from clicking on the porn site or do we just have "one more look"?  There are many, many, many "do we" questions.  Right or wrong.  That's the question.  We can justify it to pieces in our minds but if Jesus Christ was sitting right beside us when we ask ourself this question, how would we answer?  You know what...He is.  The Holy Spirit indwells in us.  He knows the decisions we make.  Some decisions He is proud of and some break His heart.

Victorious living begins one day at a time.  The days we obey and do the right thing, we place a mark on our "Right" Calendar.  And eventually, we have more marks on our "Right" Calendar than we do on our "Wrong" Calendar.  We get there One. Day. At. A. Time. 

I still have "Wrong" Calendar days but thankfully my "Right" Calendar days are beginning to outnumber the "Wrong" ones!  Is it easy?  NO.  But is it worth it?  ABSOLUTELY!