Here's my take, for what it's worth...
Submitted by DW on November 28 2001 17:51:51
In reply to Is this God's test or his message? submitted by Ben on November 21 2001 16:59:47
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Ben, I wholeheartely agree with your biblical way of thinking. I think you're right on the money. As far as God possibly testing you, I don't think so. God would NEVER tempt us. He might allow things certain things to happen to us. 1 Cor. 10:13 says, "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." I think Satan is tempting you. He knows your weaknesses. He knows if he can just get his foot back in the door of this area in your life, he can then work to get deeper. He wants to destroy everything you've worked for. All the relationships you've built, he wants to devour. He wants to see you at his feet, worshipping anything and everything, except God. He wants to turn your focus from the things of God, and tempt you to pursue anything that will waste your time. Don't let him do it! Don't allow him to "creep" back into your life, and destroy all the good things God has blessed you with. My advice is to not pursue this relationship with this boy. Satan wants you to believe it's a good thing, but remember, he is the author of lies. Even Paul struggled with sin. Read Romans chapter 7. "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin."He is stronger than you, and smarter than you, and will defeat you, if you give him the opportunity. With God on your side, you CAN defeat him. Will it be hard? Most DEFINITELY! Will there be times you want to give up and give in? Absolutely, but we have the Almighty God on our side! Pray hard, spend time with God in His word, continue going to church on a regular basis. Above all, guard your mind. I'll pray that God will continue to work in you and convict you. I only ask you to do the same for me. Take care. DW |
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