Being able to
resist temptation does not guarantee that God's grace in you is strong,
however. Lest you grow complacent, ask yourself why you are resisting the
devil's trap. Perhaps you remember a time when your love for Christ would have
spit fire in Satan's face for tempting you to sin. But now that holy fire is so
nearly extinguished that some base motive is the only thing that keeps you from
sinning.
If all you care about is your own reputation, for instance, and you
have little or no regard for God's reputation, your grace is at a low ebb.
After all, He is the one most offended by your sin. Every act of grace must be
a building stone in the monument to His glory, or it becomes a stone of
offense.
Perhaps at one
time your heart eagerly answered the call of the Holy Spirit bidding you to
seek God's face: "Thy face, Lord, will I seek Psalm 27:8. You longed as
much for the season of worship to come as the sinner does for it to be gone.
You cherished time alone with your heavenly Father. To hunger and thirst after
righteousness is a sign of health, for a craving soul is a thriving soul. On
the other hand, the soul that does not constantly cry out to God for spiritual
food will grow weaker by the day.
Those who commune most with God know best how to
serve Him. A captain can lead his soldiers only if they stay within the sound
of his voice. Your frequent retreats into the secret places of God assure that
you will hear Him when He speaks and receive your orders direct from Him. It is
not frequency of duty but spirituality in duty that causes a Christian's graces
to thrive. Just to be busy doing something for the Lord is not enough; you must
make certain your work is stamped with faith, zeal, and love. If you find
yourself going about your spiritual tasks out of habit rather than love, it is
time to repair your armor”.
Reflection: “If you find yourself going about your
spiritual tasks out of habit rather than love, it is time to repair your armor”
by renewing your passion for God. His armor will then not be a burden but a
joy.
Action: If your spiritual passion needs renewing find time immediately to get away from life’s duties so that you can renew your passion for Him. Buy the Spiritual Disciplines Pamphlet linked below to develop a life of Spiritual Discipline in which your passion for God can grow deeper!
WANT AN ADDITIONAL RESOURCE TO HELP YOU KEEP YOUR ARMOR ON THAT ALSO ANSWERS THESE QUESTIONS?
- What does it mean to be Jesus' disciples in the twenty-first century?
- Do spiritual disciplines look different in an electronic age?
- How can spiritual disciplines be a joy, not a legalistic burden?
Quoted material from, ”The Christian in Complete
Armour Daily Readings in Spiritual Warfare” by Gurnall and James S Bell.
http://www.moodypublishers.com/pub_productDetail.aspx?id=41823&pid=53617
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