The temptation that emanates from Satan is real. Those of us who have let God into our hearts know the difference between those that work for Satan and those that love God. The temptation to evil is stronger than the temptation to smoke. To avoid the temptation of both comes naturally to we who, through our love of God, have vowed to be imitators of Him. We know that God is not tempted by Satan…oh, how we know that!
Ephesians 5:1 says to be imitators of God as beloved children. God lives us who strive for goodness and righteousness. By doing good, we are imitators of God. Our love of God is a two-way street. In loving God, we are his imitators who do good not only for ourselves but for others and each other.
After the many Books of the Bible, we come across the Book of Jude who in Verses 20 and 21 sums up most of what is written before: “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.”
For many, it may not be easy to keep to that fold as the world is full of conflicts that spread ambiguity, making it a challenge to determine what is truly good. Sometimes it seems we are faced with the prospect of resorting to evil toward some, that we may do good toward others. If done in a righteous manner, we sacrifice evil in order to preserve and expand on the good.
We may all be living east of Eden, but that includes those who have discarded themselves from the yoke of the Lord or never really loved Him to begin with. The Book of Jude warns us about these scofflaws against the Almighty; these scofflaws only know evil mischief. As Jude explains in Verses 20-21, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.” To that last point, Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
What comes from God is a gift to us, who, through our love of God, act in His behalf and ours.
Ephesians 5:1 says to be imitators of God as beloved children. God lives us who strive for goodness and righteousness. By doing good, we are imitators of God. Our love of God is a two-way street. In loving God, we are his imitators who do good not only for ourselves but for others and each other.
After the many Books of the Bible, we come across the Book of Jude who in Verses 20 and 21 sums up most of what is written before: “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.”
For many, it may not be easy to keep to that fold as the world is full of conflicts that spread ambiguity, making it a challenge to determine what is truly good. Sometimes it seems we are faced with the prospect of resorting to evil toward some, that we may do good toward others. If done in a righteous manner, we sacrifice evil in order to preserve and expand on the good.
We may all be living east of Eden, but that includes those who have discarded themselves from the yoke of the Lord or never really loved Him to begin with. The Book of Jude warns us about these scofflaws against the Almighty; these scofflaws only know evil mischief. As Jude explains in Verses 20-21, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.” To that last point, Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
What comes from God is a gift to us, who, through our love of God, act in His behalf and ours.
