what benefit do i get?...

there are some questions that we are asking here on the front porch that will help you in this area of temptation.  you need to know where you’re tempted most.  we’ve asked, when am i most tempted?  where am i most tempted?  who is with me when i’m most tempted?  and then you need to ask the question, “what temporary benefit do i get when i give in?”

every time you give in to temptation… by the way, it’s not a sin to be tempted.  it’s a sin to give in to temptation.  even JESUS was tempted. 

now what payoff do i get when i sin?  there’s always a payoff.  every negative behavior has some sort of pay off. 

the bible says sin is fun, did you know that?  no one would do it if it were a bummer.  if sin had the pain of a root canal you’d never do it.  there is pleasure in sin.  the bible says it’s fun. 

but it’s just a short-term pleasure.  what is it trading, short-term pleasure, short-term relief, short-term comfort for a long term problem, damage and destruction?

so you need to ask yourself what am i getting out of this that causes me to keep doing it?  why do i keep blowing up?  why do i keep being fearful?  why do i keep lusting?  what’s the payoff in this?

sometimes you’re tempted because of comfort.  you give in to temptation because of comfort.  it’s comforting to do this.  sometimes you give in because of relief.  it’s a stress relief.  it’s a relief that you explode or whatever.  sometimes people give in to temptation for excitement.  they’re just bored with life and they just want some excitement in their life.  so they go and do something that’s really stupid to do, go get drunk and act really stupid because i’m looking for excitement.  other people give into temptation because it gives a sense of false confidence. 

how do i feel when i give in?  do i feel more loved?  do i feel more accepted?  do i feel more popular?  you need to know these things.  you need to know your pattern of temptation.  how satan hooks you.

just a thought from the front porch…

the benefits of a day of rest…

HE’s commanded us to take a day of rest each week. 

exodus 34.21 (ncv) talks about that, you must work for 6 days but on the seventh day you must rest.  even during the planting season and the harvest season. 

did you notice it said, even during the planting season and the harvest season?  the busiest time!  the time when you would say, “no, i don’t need to rest now.  i’ll do that later.”  in the busiest time you need to rest.

is there ever a week when you might need to skip a day off because of an emergency?  of course there is.  but when that becomes 2 weeks and 3 weeks and 4 weeks and 5 weeks you’re in trouble because GOD has designed us to need a day of rest.  you need to take a day off. 

·         do you need a business reason for that?  you’ll get more done if you take a day off.  your best ideas will always come a few days after a day off. 

·         do you need a health reason for that?  you’ll live longer by taking a day off.  study after study after study shows that. 

·         do you need a spiritual reason to take a day off?  you’ll develop your relationship with GOD and the people that are around you. 

that’s how GOD made us.  it’s that part of our schedule, that plan in our schedule.  HE said be sure you don’t miss this one.  it’s probably the most broken of the ten commandments, this day of rest that GOD wants us to take.

just a thought from the front porch…