Practicing Growth

"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man."

1 CORINTHIANS 10:13

When you have an unpleasant memory continually being brought to your mind of a time where you didn't do the right thing, it is often, not as a penalty, but rather to help serve as a mind place holder to initiate a response change. The purpose of the memory of yourself not acting properly stays in your mind to allow you to respond better the next time you are tried in a similar type situation.

There is always a choice of time spent. Passing time always has a cost. Either idols or items of sinful nature will desire your time at the cost of spending time with Jesus or you allow the desires of the human nature to fall away as you spend more time with the Lord. So, you either allow the sinful nature to be worked out as the spirit of Jesus is worked in or you give into the sinful nature, which is the spirit of death, or death itself which pushes the Lord away. You cannot have two masters and a divided kingdom will not stand. So, something will be lost as time passes. This is how you grow properly.

It is like having two seeds. One leads to death, which is the natural life and one leads to life, which is Jesus. The choice of the sinful human nature is watering the seed of your own death. Though it may be fun for a time, death will follow as you water the seed of sin. The choice of the new life, the spiritual nature, is love, giving, helping and having faith in Jesus. This seed is watered by reading the Word of God and speaking in the spirit continually to the Lord.  Watering this seed, leads to eternal life, peace that surpasses understanding, hope and love. 

“Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.” James 1:14-15 

“We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them.” 1 John 5:18 

“Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.” Romans 8:5-6 

“No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.” 1 Corinthians 2:11-12