Stepping Into the FutureSample

As you step into your future, all kinds of temptations will cross your path playing their siren song to seduce you away from the future God has called you to.

It may seem counterintuitive, but we cannot succeed at what God has laid out before us when we listen to the siren song of the world.

In Galatians 5:19-21, Paul warns us to flee all sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, and wild parties.

God insists on our obedience to his commands, no matter how small or strict they may seem, for our own good.

One of the great paradoxes of the Kingdom of God is that when we make choices for our lives that are within the constraints God has decreed, rather than confining us, we are set free to be the person God created us to be and to do what God created us to do.

Rivers bring fresh water and life to the land they flow through. However, when a river overflows its banks, it can bring flooding and destruction. In the same way, when we choose to step outside of the boundaries God has established, when we choose to go our own way, we destroy the hope, joy, and peace of our community, workplace, and family.

All sin, no matter how small it may seem or how secretive, has a wider impact than we realize.

After Joshua and the Israelites had conquered Jericho, one man hid a few small spoils of battle in his tent instead of destroying them as God had commanded. Surely that wouldn’t matter. Yet his actions caused a humiliating defeat for the Israelites at their next battle, and the loss of 36 lives. Worse than that, his actions vaporized the hope and joy the Israelites had experienced after conquering Jericho.

As we step into the future, each of us will fall into temptation. When that happens, Jesus is waiting with arms wide open to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. When you fall into temptation, run to Jesus as quickly as you can, and embrace his forgiveness. He has seen what you have done; there is no point hiding or piling sin upon sin. Jesus died on the cross so that he might forgive us when we slip into temptation.

Prayer: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Amen.