Help for staying on the straight and narrow path

Let's talk about two things that will keep us on that straight and narrow path as a Christian. ..not just in theory - in application.

#1. Take Encouragement in the Lord by Rejoicing in Him

Really. The Bible tells us not once, not twice but NINE times to rejoice in the Lord

>You might think: "Everything is going bad for me right now. I'm almost mad at the Lord. Why should I rejoice? HOW can I rejoice?" That is a fair question. Every Christian, if they were honest has been there!

Did you know David felt the same way?
1Sa 30:6  And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David **encouraged himself in the LORD his God.**

How do we do that? By dwelling in and believing His Word
Isa 61:10a  I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for  he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation,

HALELLUJAH! IF YOU KNOW JESUS, YOU ARE SAVED!!!! You are saved from the fires of hell. If that isn't something to rejoice about I don't know what is!

Remember, your troubles here - your life here is just a blink of an eye. It is a mere gust of wind and then it's gone. What is a little trouble here in light of eternity?

Paul writes, "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2Co 4:17-18)

The second part of God's promise through Isaiah is   "he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." (Isa 61:10b)

Male, or female: God has DECKED YOU OUT Spiritually - REJOICE!!!

#2. The second thing we need to do is avoid sinning and thinking about sin. This is a very serious thing.

Eph 5:3,4,7  But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. ...Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 

Not only need we stay away from sin, we need to not look back at sin.
When recounting the people of faith like Abraham, the writer of Hebrews pens:

Heb 11:14-15  For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 

To have returned in the Greek literally means to “bend their way back again" 

We don't want to "bend our way back" into sin. We never want to return to a sinful lifetyle! Remember Lot's wife who looked back at Sodom. She lost her life. And while we probably won't turn into a pillar of salt, we can start dying spiritually when we entertain sin - in thought or action.

Rom 13:14  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. 

I pray this for you, me and all our brothers and sisters in Christ as Paul did for the Colossian church 

Pray that you have the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;  Strengthened with all might!  (Col 1:9-10 paraphrase)

I love you all!!!!
Amen

1 comment:

Don Porter said...

One of the greatest things about the KJV is the ability to take the scripture and make day to day real life application. The problem is that we just don't apply enough to our daily walk.