Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.
All around us there are limitations in this world, such as stop signs, traffic lights, and speed limits. But although many of them have been created to protect others and yourself from getting hurt, sometimes people will purchase a product to avoid radar detection, and go barreling down the highway. They have a need for speed, so they do whatever they can in order to push it to the edge. Sometimes children like to push the limits with their parents to see how far they can actually go before the parent is going to punish them.
This reminds me of the Christian life.
Testing the limits is something that you don’t want to do with God. If you choose to go down that path, God is not mocked and without humble submission to His will, you will reap what you sow.
Galatians 6 ⁷ Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. ⁸ For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
True repentance is about understanding the limits, and like a Spiritual speed limit sign, God’s Word limits us to certain behaviors that are acceptable in His sight. Every man is tempted and led away by his own lust and desires, but repentance is understanding the will of God and turning and doing what’s right with your life.
James 1 ¹² Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. ¹³ Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: ¹⁴ But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. ¹⁵ Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
To overcome the carnal nature, it requires limiting yourself to certain things that God doesn’t approve of, making sure not to tempt or test God.
Matthew 22 ¹⁵ Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. ¹⁶ And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. ¹⁷ Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
¹⁸ But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?
“And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” Luke 4:12
Although we have grace available, you want to make sure that you use it to repent of your sins.
“We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.” 2 Corinthians 6:1
The Lord Jesus cares about us, and laid down His own life on the cross for our sins. You want to make sure that you don’t stir Him up to anger by pushing the buttons of immoderate living.
1 Peter 5 ⁶ Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: ⁷ Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
The Bible is a book that has a lot of limitations inside of it. What you are doing is limiting the things of the carnal nature, and encouraging the things of the Holy Spirit. But sometimes people will push the limits of God and tempt Him to anger. They overindulge in the things of the carnal nature rather than the things of God. Rather than repenting of dead works, we must go on to perfection.
“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,” Hebrews 6:1
To overcome temptation we need to be addicted to doing good things for others, and the more the merrier! Jesus did so many good works that they couldn’t even be counted.
“And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.” John 21:25
“I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)” 1 Corinthians 16:15
Scriptures teach about being involved with good works. So rather than testing the boundaries of some things that you shouldn’t be involved doing, you need to retrain your mind on the will of God and doing what is right with your life. It’s a process of redirecting the mind. When I quit tobacco over 25 years ago, I spent a month each day fishing on a lake to keep my mind off it. It was an activity that kept me away from any temptations, which is something that we must overcome in the Christian life. I was also rewarded with a nice pile of fish on the supper table!
There are two paths in this world, right and wrong. There are two directions you can take, good or evil. What you must do is obsess on the good things, rather than sinful. The Apostle Paul spent his life redirecting people to do works meet for repentance. This means completely changing your life around and doing things that prove to God and others that you are correcting your past life. Someone who was a thief, needs to use their hands to give to others instead. Those who are chronic liars need to speak the truth. The Apostle Paul tried to stop churches from starting, and his works of repentance were building new ones.These types of activities are required in our faith.
James 2 ¹⁴ What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
¹⁷ Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. ¹⁸ Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. ¹⁹ Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. ²⁰ But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
²² Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? ²³ And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. ²⁴ Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. ²⁵ Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
²⁶ For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Sometimes siblings know exactly what to do to get a rise out of each other order, but I think its high time to find something good to do instead, rather than simply…….
…….Pushing the Limits
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.❤️
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