God detests a heart that devises wicked schemes and feet that are quick to rush into evil. (See Proverbs 6:16-19.)
I guess this one covers those who don’t think through their wickedness, those who just do it.
Do your feet keep taking you to places where evil is done? Do they keep straying from God’s straight and narrow? Quickness implies a lack of restraint, an eagerness to do wrong. Folks who are quick to rush into evil have no conscience to catch them up short. They sin shamelessly, without the slightest compunction.
I hope this doesn’t describe any of you. If you are a follower of Jesus, the Holy Spirit within is saying, “NO!” when you’re tempted to sin. Hearing his voice ought to cause you to rein in your rush to evil. His inspired word, that’s the Bible, will guide you into right choices and right actions rather than wrong if you’ll read it. Far too many people who claim Christ’s name dishonor him by ignoring his word, by running pell mell into sin. They ignore the “oughts” given them in God’s word. They follow the world’s “oughts” instead. They choose the false freedom of doing whatever they please over the true freedom of doing the good that pleases God. They choose slavery to sin over slavery to Christ and they suffer cruelly under their taskmaster’s whip.
If you are a believer, listen up.
“The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” (Romans 13:11-14, NIV)
Do not be quick to rush into sin. That’s the world’s way. It is not the way of God’s children. The world gets angry and fights. God’s children patiently pursue peace. The world feels pressure and caves in. God’s children courageously stand up against temptation. The world sees evil and dives in. God’s children “flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace…” (2 Timothy 2:22, NIV)
Who are you following – the world or Jesus? The speed with which your feet head for evil is a good indicator of the truth. Slow down your headlong rush into sin.
“Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7, NIV)
To receive my once or twice weekly message via email, send a blank email to webmessage-subscribe@associate.com. Past messages are available at freegroups.net/groups/webmessage.
No comments:
Post a Comment