Friday: Further Study: Enduring Temptation
Further Study: Read about sin and the power to change in Ellen G. White, Repentance,
Steps to Christ, pp. 23-36 and summarize the key points.
-Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 311.
The plan of redemption contemplates our complete recovery from the power of Satan. Christ always separates the contrite soul from sin. He came to destroy the works of the devil, and He has made provision that the Holy Spirit shall be imparted to every repentant soul, to keep him from sinning.
If you have accepted Christ as a personal Saviour, you are to forget yourself, and try to help others. Talk of the love of Christ, tell of His goodness. Do every duty that presents itself. Carry the burden of souls upon your heart, and by every means in your power seek to save the lost. As you receive the Spirit of Christ-the Spirit of unselfish love and labor for others-you will grow and bring forth fruit. The graces of the Spirit will ripen in your character. Your faith will increase, your convictions deepen, your love be made perfect. More and more you will reflect the likeness of Christ in all that is pure, noble, and lovely.
-Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 67, 68.
Discussion Questions:
- Think more about the reality of the power of words. Why are they so powerful? How can language be easily manipulated? How often is how we say or write something just as important, or even more important, than whatwe say or write?
- Of all the gifts that you have been given
from above,
which is the greatest one, and why? - Read over James 1:12-21. What is the essential message there? What hope and promises are there for us?
- Lust brings forth sin, and sin brings forth death. Why, with such high stakes before us, do we not have the victories that should be ours? What are the ways in which we rationalize sin, and why is that always a dangerous mind game to play?
- Read the last Ellen G. White statement found above. What crucial counsel is found there, especially for those who might be wavering in faith?
(15)
Salvation is the most important gift you will ever receive. Becoming a Christian through the free gift of salvation lets you not only live a more peaceful life here on earth but an eternal life in heaven. This helps us to live a peaceful life here on earth knowing that We are saved.
No one wears a crown in Heaven who did not bear a cross on Earth....Jesus Christ endured so do we!!
The greatest gift God has given me is Himself. Thank you, Father, for Jesus to show me your character and your Holy Spirit to produce the mind that was in Christ in me; that I may have your character and think and feel as you do.
This is the greatest gift because there is no other gift more valuable than God and His character.
I love this part of the quote the most:
1. “If you have accepted Christ as a personal Saviour, you are to forget yourself, and try to help others."
Forget yourself!! Help others!!
2. "Talk of the love of Christ, tell of His goodness."
Talk about good things, spread joy and love.
3. "Do every duty that presents itself."
There's so much for each and every person to do. Be active in God's army!
4. "Carry the burden of souls upon your heart, and by every means in your power seek to save the lost."
Without God's love in our hearts, we will not care about others. Pray for God's love to come into our hearts and motivate us!
One of the reasons our Father in Heaven is so hard on sin isn’t that He expects us to be perfect to begin with.
It’s because He’s given us everything we need and want in order to overcome it. He gives us His grace and mercy which draws us, He sacrificed Himself so we wouldn’t have to pay the penalty. He gives us His Spirit who convicts, interprets our prayers and encourages us to do what is pleasing in His site. There’s no time He looks down on us for failing. Each time we fall, His Spirit is there to help us get up, dust off, or He cleans us up throughly and sets us back on our feet, saying, I will arm you with strength, so that your way is secure. Psalm 18:32.
When we’re despondent, hurt, grieving or angry because of experiences we have on this sin-sick planet, God comes and comforts, holds, supports and stays with us when we struggle. He soothes us with His Word in the most difficult moments.
When we’re sick, He heals us and in His arms He embraces us. If He decides it is best that we die, He keeps vigil until we fall asleep in Him. Mighty angels are stationed to protect and cover us from evil till our life here is ended.
Even if we have little, our temporal necessities are provided.
Our tears matter to Him, our temptations He takes seriously and rebukes the evil one for our sakes.
What else do we need but to fall on Him in full surrender and trust Him? In the midst of our many troubles we learn to lean on Him and believe Him. That’s all He asks us to do for all of these blessings and many many more...BELIEVE HIM...
Heaven is our home because our Father and Big Brother live there. Our Father promised He will make us ready, and He will. Our Big Brother always pleads His blood before our Father's throne. He told us His blood takes care of the price of our salvation. It does.
God is not a man that He should lie or change His mind (Numbers 23:19). We've got it made in Him.
I don't think that lust is the primary motivation. Before lust comes a more basic motivation--selfishness. Selfishness and Love are the two most basic opposing motivations. Love is the motivation of God and His Kingdom. Selfishness is the motivation of Satan and his kingdom. Selfishness is our natural motivation and is the default motivation if we don't choose God's Spirit of Love to be our motivation.
So I would think that there are three basic motivations in humans as there are in God. The first is the Spirit of Love or spirit of selfishness. The second is the mind which is made up of our thoughts and feelings and the third is our body which motivates physically. God has made us in His image.
The primary motivation is the motivation that is responsible for all that we do because it is the driver of the vehicle of our soul.
The most crucial point of the counsel of Ellen White in the last paragraph is "the Spirit of unselfish love and labor for others." This counsel involves the work of the Holy Spirit of God's Love in our lives which is opposed to our natural selfishness which would make us want to go to heaven but not to love others enough to share with them the riches of the true gospel of God's Love and the fact that it can be ours for the asking and claiming.