Latest / Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons / The Trial of Faith and Temptation to Sin

Transcript

The Trial of Faith and Temptation to Sin · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

0:00
James chapter 1 and at verse 12.
0:30
And so on.
0:43
I want to return to looking at this first chapter in the letter of James.
0:48
And we have noticed that the first part of this letter, James, is is dealing with how we need to learn spiritual wholeness and health and well-being in the best sense of the of the terms.
1:03
That is that we have a walking with the Lord Jesus, which is in commune with him and walking to learn from him and to thereby grow up in faith.
1:15
And we saw from verse 2 to verse 4, the way in which spiritual maturity comes by remaining steadfast in our trials.
1:24
And we notice the ways in which we all have our different trials, that God gives trials to us in order to build us up on the faith.
1:33
And we grow up as we remain steadfast in these trials.
1:39
And we saw from verse 5 down to verse number 8, the way in which faith responds to our trials.
1:46
And that is that we respond in prayer and we seek the wisdom that comes from God alone.
1:52
And we notice that the wisdom that comes from God is a wisdom that enables us to serve God.
1:59
It enables us to live the right kind of life.
2:02
It enables us to make right judgments.
2:05
And it even enables us to govern our own lives and for the church to govern itself.
2:12
Praying for wisdom in order to associate with our trials and to learn from them.
2:18
And at verse number 12, we see the way in which the people are once more encouraged in their trials and encourage that if they remain steadfast, then they will receive the crown of life.
2:29
And from verse 12 to verse 13, James changes his focus.
2:38
And he does so by moving from trials to think of temptation.
2:43
And in verse 13 down to verse number 15, this evening, we want to look at what James has to say and to think of the trial of faith and temptation to sin.
2:58
And we might be saying, why should we focus on sin?
3:03
And perhaps there are two simple reasons for that.
3:07
Because sin is something that we have to deal with ourselves.
3:12
And secondly, our sin is what God does deal with.
3:17
And the more we understand what sin means and the more we understand why God deals with us in the way that he does,
3:24
then that helps us on our journey to spiritual or Christian maturity.
3:30
And so we have the trial of faith and the temptation to sin.
3:35
Well, I notice first of all, that there is a pastoral concern.
3:42
And the pastoral concern, we have brought to our attention in that verse 13,
3:47
let no one say when he is tempted, I am being tempted by God.
3:51
He introduces the idea of temptation.
3:57
The word translated temptation here is from the same word group as the word translated testing earlier.
4:05
And there is that kind of double meaning in the terms.
4:08
And James is now focusing on the second interpretation of the term.
4:13
That is temptation.
4:15
When things cross our path and things work in our experience,
4:23
that that draws us away temptation,
4:26
which is the design to destroy our faith,
4:31
to lead us into sin,
4:34
and therefore lead us into separation from God.
4:37
And when we think of temptation in that way,
4:42
it reminds us of the importance of understanding something about the way in which temptation works in our lives.
4:51
Its goal is, its purpose is to sever us from God and for us to lose the assurance of our faith.
4:59
The pastoral concern here is that there are those who are blaming God for their temptation.
5:07
Let no one say when he is tempted,
5:09
I am being tempted by God.
5:14
Now perhaps we may say,
5:15
surely we don't do that.
5:18
But the reality is that we do that more often than we think.
5:22
In this letter here,
5:25
there are those who are facing poverty.
5:29
There are those who are rich.
5:31
There are challenges associated with poverty and with riches.
5:36
We may think of financial difficulty,
5:40
causing us to question God's providence.
5:44
We're blaming God for bringing us into financial difficulty.
5:49
When we are facing personal illness,
5:52
we begin to question the goodness of God and even the love of God.
5:59
When we see,
6:00
as we saw in Psalm 73,
6:02
the wicked prospering and the people of God suffering,
6:08
we may question the justice of God and blame God.
6:12
Why is God allowing this to happen?
6:15
In so many parts of life,
6:17
we blame God for the situations that we have arrived in.
6:24
When we suffer personal bereavement,
6:28
and we blame God for dealing with us so sorely,
6:33
we question the love of God.
6:36
And tonight,
6:38
if we have faith,
6:39
all of us at one time or another,
6:43
if we are honest with ourselves,
6:45
we'll have blamed God,
6:47
questioned God for what he is doing.
6:51
And at the very beginning of the Bible,
6:54
we see that blame culture emerging in the very first sin,
6:59
where Adam blames God for giving a wife,
7:02
Eve,
7:03
who led him into the transgression.
7:07
And that blame culture follows our own experience
7:10
and our relation with God time after time.
7:13
And one of the writers commenting on this
7:17
makes the point that so often,
7:21
when we sin,
7:23
we blame God in order to relieve our own personal guilt.
7:30
Instead of going to God with our sin
7:32
and confessing our sin,
7:35
if we can find some way of blaming God
7:37
in the midst of our sin,
7:39
then it tends to ease our guilt.
7:43
A pastoral concern.
7:47
Do you think that's a concern
7:49
that includes your own life,
7:52
your own relationship with God?
7:55
Does this speak into your heart
7:58
as it speaks into my heart this evening,
8:01
forcing us to think
8:02
of a response to our sin,
8:06
of a response to situations
8:08
where we actually blame God?
8:11
And James is very quick
8:13
to make it clear
8:15
that because of God's character
8:18
that cannot happen.
8:20
And in God's activity
8:21
that will never happen.
8:25
For God cannot be tempted with evil.
8:30
He is immune to that sense
8:32
of being tempted himself.
8:34
It just cannot happen
8:35
because of the God that he is
8:38
in all of his perfection
8:40
and in all of his holiness.
8:42
He cannot be tempted by sin.
8:45
It simply does not happen.
8:47
Sin is apparent to him.
8:50
And because of his relationship
8:52
with his people,
8:54
neither is he engaged
8:57
in tempting them.
9:00
And of course,
9:02
that's,
9:03
that leaves us
9:05
with a mystery.
9:08
A mystery that does not
9:10
lead us to blame God,
9:12
but it does
9:12
lead us to think
9:14
about the mystery
9:15
of our providence.
9:18
Where providence takes us
9:20
to different places.
9:21
and in these very places
9:24
that we face temptation.
9:28
And the God who is
9:29
the God of our providence
9:31
still cannot be blamed
9:34
for our temptation.
9:37
The pastoral concern.
9:39
Important for us to,
9:40
to consider
9:41
temptation
9:42
and to be on our guard
9:44
and to always ensure
9:47
that temptation
9:49
does not ever
9:51
have its source
9:52
in the reality of God.
9:55
It simply cannot
9:56
happen in that way.
9:59
The pastoral concern.
10:02
Secondly,
10:02
then we see
10:03
that there's a process.
10:05
If that's not the source
10:06
of our temptation,
10:09
what is the source?
10:11
The process.
10:12
We see in a version number 14,
10:13
but each person is tempted
10:15
when he is lured
10:16
and deticed
10:17
by his own desire.
10:21
Our personal desire.
10:24
The reality of it
10:26
is the source
10:27
of our temptation.
10:31
And that,
10:31
and the desire,
10:32
the way in which
10:33
James speaks of it
10:33
and the way in which
10:34
the New Testament
10:36
speaks of it,
10:37
it's something that
10:38
speaks deep
10:40
into our experience.
10:43
It's the longing
10:44
that we have
10:45
and the impulses
10:47
of our hearts
10:48
towards certain things.
10:51
The desire that we have
10:52
in our hearts
10:53
towards satisfaction.
10:57
And that desire
10:58
in our hearts
10:58
is something
10:59
that is a power
11:01
which draws us
11:02
to this object
11:03
in which we will
11:04
have satisfaction.
11:06
and such is the desire
11:09
that we suffer pain
11:11
and we feel a pain
11:12
if we cannot have
11:14
the satisfaction
11:15
that we can have
11:15
by embracing the object.
11:17
It is something
11:18
that's powerful
11:19
within us,
11:20
deeply rooted
11:21
in our being.
11:22
It is the tendency
11:24
to choose the things
11:27
that are all about
11:30
ourselves
11:31
and not about God.
11:35
Indeed,
11:36
it is the tendency
11:37
to choose
11:39
the very things
11:40
that God has
11:42
prohibited.
11:46
Temptation
11:46
from our desire.
11:49
We read Peter
11:51
in 1 Peter 2
11:53
speaking about
11:53
the way in which
11:54
we are to abstain
11:55
from the passions
11:56
of the flesh.
11:58
It's like a powerful
11:59
energy that builds
12:01
up inside of us
12:03
that leads us
12:04
to desire the things
12:06
that will satisfy
12:07
the flesh
12:07
and that will
12:08
separate us
12:09
from God.
12:14
And while
12:15
the New Testament
12:16
speaks of
12:17
that desire,
12:21
we understand
12:23
the diversity
12:25
of individual
12:27
experience.
12:29
we understand
12:31
tonight that
12:32
the things
12:33
that are a powerful
12:34
temptation to you
12:35
because of your
12:37
disposition
12:37
might not cause me
12:40
even to look
12:41
at these very things.
12:43
And all of us
12:44
tonight are made
12:45
in such a way
12:46
in the diversity
12:47
of our disposition
12:48
as God has made us
12:50
that there
12:51
we find ourselves
12:52
drawn to one thing
12:54
and not drawn
12:54
to another thing.
12:55
tonight we may
12:59
well be here
13:00
and in the
13:03
sacred of our hearts
13:05
tempted by the
13:08
things that
13:09
are attractive
13:11
to ourselves
13:11
and others
13:14
tempted by things
13:14
that are attractive
13:16
to them
13:16
and that would
13:17
be unattractive
13:18
to you.
13:19
and whilst we
13:22
understand that
13:23
we all have
13:24
the same sinful
13:25
heart
13:25
we understand
13:27
the diversity
13:29
of experience
13:30
your attractions
13:32
won't be mine
13:35
and your attractions
13:37
won't be those
13:38
of the person
13:39
next to you.
13:41
and that's why
13:43
in circumstances
13:45
circumstances
13:48
in temptation
13:49
are tailored
13:51
to suit
13:53
your personal
13:55
disposition
13:56
and it's
13:58
it's wonderful
13:59
and mysterious
14:01
and awesome
14:03
in so many ways
14:04
the way in which
14:05
the devil works
14:07
and the way in which
14:09
we find ourselves
14:11
in the very
14:13
circumstances
14:13
that are tailored
14:15
to our individual
14:17
passions
14:18
and to our
14:19
individual desires.
14:21
Our temptations
14:23
arise from
14:25
the reality
14:27
of the sinful
14:29
disposition
14:30
of our sinful
14:31
hearts
14:32
the power of
14:33
our passions
14:35
and because
14:37
of that
14:38
powerful
14:39
passion
14:41
of our hearts
14:42
the process
14:43
is explained
14:44
to us here
14:45
it's
14:45
if
14:46
there are fishermen
14:47
here
14:47
I'm sure
14:48
there are
14:48
explained to us
14:50
a process
14:50
here
14:50
which
14:51
highlights
14:53
how temptation
14:55
works
14:56
but each
14:59
person
14:59
is tempted
15:00
when he is
15:02
lured
15:02
and
15:03
enticed
15:06
there are two
15:07
things going on
15:08
there is
15:08
there is the
15:09
enticement
15:10
and there is
15:11
the attachment
15:12
and because
15:15
of
15:15
of our
15:16
sinful
15:16
disposition
15:17
we see
15:19
first of all
15:20
that we
15:21
are lured
15:22
we're
15:22
drawn
15:24
away
15:24
something
15:27
attractive
15:27
is presented
15:29
to us
15:30
that the
15:31
fisherman
15:32
will
15:32
bait his
15:33
hook
15:33
or the
15:34
fisherman
15:34
will use
15:34
a particular
15:35
kind of
15:36
fly
15:36
he will do
15:37
that in
15:38
order to
15:38
attract
15:39
and to
15:41
bring
15:41
the fish
15:42
out of its
15:43
hiding place
15:44
and to
15:44
bring it
15:45
and for
15:46
it to be
15:46
drawn and
15:47
attracted
15:47
to the
15:48
very thing
15:49
that's on
15:49
that
15:50
hook
15:51
there is
15:53
that
15:54
enticement
15:57
and it
15:59
is
15:59
an
16:00
enticement
16:01
that is
16:02
powerful
16:03
in the
16:03
sense
16:04
that we
16:06
must have
16:06
it
16:07
it's
16:08
delicious
16:09
bait
16:09
and we
16:11
must have
16:11
it
16:12
and we
16:14
think of
16:15
how that
16:15
works
16:16
and we
16:17
think of
16:18
how it
16:18
works
16:19
in our
16:19
personal
16:19
experience
16:20
and that
16:22
process
16:22
through which
16:23
the devil
16:24
will keep
16:25
presenting
16:26
the same
16:26
thing to
16:27
our minds
16:27
in order
16:28
to draw
16:28
us away
16:29
and there
16:32
are two
16:33
graphs that
16:33
we can
16:34
think of
16:34
and the
16:35
more the
16:36
devil
16:36
persists
16:38
in seeking
16:38
to draw
16:39
us away
16:40
the more
16:41
our
16:41
resistance
16:42
will
16:42
diminish
16:43
and as
16:45
our
16:46
resistance
16:46
diminish
16:47
the more
16:48
the bait
16:50
becomes
16:50
attractive
16:51
until we
16:53
reach the
16:54
point
16:54
where we're
16:56
attached
16:57
and that's
16:58
what
16:58
what James
16:59
is saying
16:59
here
16:59
lured
17:01
and
17:02
enticed
17:03
there is
17:05
the sense
17:06
of
17:06
being
17:08
dragged
17:08
away
17:09
that's
17:10
what the
17:10
word
17:11
means
17:11
that's
17:12
what the
17:12
fisherman
17:13
does
17:13
let me
17:14
get my
17:14
fish
17:14
on the
17:15
hook
17:15
and
17:15
no matter
17:17
how much
17:17
it struggles
17:18
it's
17:18
pulling my
17:21
line in
17:21
and do it
17:22
professionally
17:23
understanding
17:24
what's on
17:24
the hook
17:25
in order
17:25
to ensure
17:26
that the
17:27
fish is
17:27
landed
17:27
and that's
17:30
how temptation
17:31
works
17:31
once we're
17:33
enticed
17:33
once we
17:35
see it
17:35
as the
17:35
must-have
17:36
thing
17:36
then we
17:39
grasp it
17:39
and we're
17:40
caught
17:41
and we're
17:43
carried away
17:44
and
17:45
carried away
17:46
not like the
17:47
struggling
17:47
fish
17:47
but
17:49
carried away
17:50
because we
17:51
have now
17:51
come to
17:52
the point
17:53
where we
17:54
are willing
17:55
to embrace
17:55
the very
17:57
thing that
17:57
God
17:58
prohibits
17:58
and the
18:00
very thing
18:00
that in
18:02
the first
18:02
place we
18:03
knew
18:03
would affect
18:05
our relationship
18:05
with God
18:06
and would
18:07
bring about
18:08
some kind
18:09
of severance
18:10
in that
18:11
relationship
18:11
there is
18:13
that
18:15
process
18:16
the process
18:19
described by
18:20
one of the
18:21
writers in
18:21
this way
18:22
there's the
18:23
personal struggle
18:24
with evil
18:25
desire
18:26
it's not
18:27
usually one
18:27
of confrontation
18:28
with the
18:30
devil
18:30
but rather
18:31
a confrontation
18:32
with their
18:33
own worst
18:34
enemy
18:34
namely
18:36
our very
18:36
selves
18:37
that's where
18:39
temptation
18:39
works
18:40
the pain
18:40
of temptation
18:41
is a
18:42
self
18:42
inflicted
18:43
attack
18:44
it's our
18:46
fault
18:47
it comes
18:48
from the
18:48
reality of
18:49
who we
18:49
are
18:50
and this
18:51
this is the
18:52
sense of
18:52
being dragged
18:53
away
18:53
our own
18:54
desires
18:54
are like
18:55
a marauding
18:55
beast
18:56
that would
18:57
soon
18:58
consume
18:59
us
18:59
the process
19:02
do we
19:06
tonight
19:06
understand
19:07
how the
19:09
bible
19:09
describes
19:10
temptation
19:12
that leads
19:12
us to
19:13
sin
19:13
can we
19:16
allow the
19:17
bible
19:18
to give
19:20
us that
19:21
background
19:22
and to
19:23
give to us
19:24
the image
19:25
into which
19:25
we can
19:25
fit our
19:26
experience
19:27
and realise
19:29
even now
19:30
or tonight
19:30
or tomorrow
19:31
that's
19:33
temptation
19:34
and I'm
19:36
attracted to
19:37
it
19:37
and I have
19:39
to be
19:40
careful
19:40
that the
19:41
hook of
19:42
temptation
19:43
that I don't
19:44
bite it
19:44
and take the
19:45
bait
19:45
I need to
19:47
appreciate
19:47
what's happening
19:48
around me
19:49
in the realm
19:50
of my faith
19:51
and in the realm
19:52
of my relationship
19:53
with God
19:53
this is the
19:55
biggest threat
19:56
and the biggest
19:58
threat as the
19:59
writer said
20:00
it's not the
20:01
devil himself
20:02
the biggest
20:03
threat and
20:04
danger
20:05
is your
20:06
sinful heart
20:07
and mine
20:08
the process
20:11
and thirdly
20:14
there is a
20:16
product
20:16
then decide
20:21
when it has
20:22
conceived
20:22
gives birth
20:23
to sin
20:24
and sin
20:25
when it is
20:25
fully grown
20:26
brings forth
20:28
death
20:29
he changes
20:31
the metaphor
20:32
from the
20:32
fishing metaphor
20:33
and uses
20:34
the metaphor
20:35
of conception
20:36
and of birth
20:37
and as soon
20:39
as I'm
20:40
attached to
20:41
the temptation
20:41
then
20:42
sin has been
20:47
conceived
20:48
it's hidden
20:51
it's like
20:52
the conception
20:52
of the child
20:54
in the mother's
20:54
womb
20:55
it's hidden
20:56
but something
21:00
new
21:00
a new
21:01
person
21:02
has been
21:02
created
21:03
and it's now
21:05
in my Christian
21:06
experience
21:06
because of the
21:08
way in which
21:08
this process
21:09
has led me
21:11
to embrace
21:12
the temptation
21:13
because of that
21:14
something new
21:16
has taken
21:18
place
21:18
in my
21:20
relationship
21:20
with God
21:21
there is the
21:23
beginning
21:23
of the very
21:25
thing
21:25
that harms
21:27
my relationship
21:28
with God
21:29
the conception
21:31
and once
21:35
the conception
21:37
happens
21:37
and we
21:39
understand
21:39
that naturally
21:40
as conception
21:41
happens
21:42
it happens
21:43
where there is
21:44
a loving embrace
21:45
where there is
21:45
a relationship
21:46
where there is
21:48
a bond
21:48
and that's
21:50
what happens
21:50
with sin
21:53
as I embrace
21:54
it
21:54
there's a bond
21:55
there's a relationship
21:56
and my attention
21:58
and my desires
21:59
and my heart
22:00
is given over
22:01
to that sin
22:02
sin is conceived
22:08
and sin
22:11
when it is
22:12
fully grown
22:13
brings
22:15
forth death
22:17
the child
22:19
conceived
22:20
will be born
22:23
into
22:23
the visible
22:24
world
22:25
at the
22:26
appropriate
22:26
time
22:27
and there is
22:29
that process
22:30
that James
22:31
describes here
22:31
that the same
22:32
thing happens
22:33
with my sin
22:36
it's conceived
22:38
in my heart
22:39
and then
22:41
it will become
22:42
visible
22:42
in the first
22:44
place
22:44
in my relationship
22:45
with God
22:46
it brings forth
22:49
death
22:50
I begin to
22:51
realize
22:52
now that
22:53
the very thing
22:54
that attracted
22:55
me
22:55
that I embraced
22:56
with all of my
22:57
heart
22:58
has affected
23:00
the relationship
23:01
where my heart
23:02
should be
23:02
exclusively
23:03
it's affected
23:04
my devotion
23:05
to my
23:05
savior
23:06
and it's
23:07
brought about
23:08
a change
23:08
in that
23:09
relationship
23:09
and of course
23:12
it doesn't
23:15
bring that
23:15
relationship
23:15
to an end
23:17
but there is
23:20
a difference
23:21
between the
23:22
status of
23:23
that relationship
23:24
and the
23:25
experience
23:26
and the
23:26
enjoyment
23:27
of that
23:27
relationship
23:27
and as
23:28
soon as
23:29
conceived
23:30
it brings
23:31
forth death
23:32
in the sense
23:32
that in my
23:33
experience
23:34
I lose
23:36
every sense
23:37
of spiritual
23:38
well-being
23:39
I lose
23:40
every sense
23:41
of the
23:41
presence of
23:42
God with
23:43
me
23:43
and I'm
23:44
alert
23:44
immediately
23:45
to the
23:47
fact
23:47
that sin
23:48
has affected
23:49
my relationship
23:50
with God
23:51
think of
23:53
David
23:53
and Bathsheba
23:56
David
23:59
when other
24:01
kings were
24:01
at war
24:02
his guard
24:04
was down
24:04
David
24:06
saw
24:07
Bathsheba
24:09
David
24:11
desired
24:12
Bathsheba
24:13
David
24:16
acted
24:16
and brought
24:18
Bathsheba
24:18
to himself
24:19
and David
24:21
committed
24:21
adultery
24:22
there was
24:23
that process
24:24
through which
24:25
because his
24:26
guard was
24:27
down
24:27
he embraced
24:29
what God
24:30
was forbidding
24:31
him
24:31
and he took
24:33
someone else's
24:34
wife
24:35
and read
24:36
of David's
24:37
experience
24:38
in Psalm
24:39
32
24:39
he had
24:41
lost his
24:42
strength
24:42
his
24:44
relationship
24:45
with God
24:45
was turned
24:46
upside down
24:47
Bathsheba
24:48
was there
24:49
Uriah
24:50
was to be
24:51
dealt
24:51
with
24:51
the problems
24:52
mounted more
24:53
and more
24:53
all because
24:54
he embraced
24:57
the temptation
24:58
he endured
25:00
the pain
25:01
his heart
25:02
his experience
25:03
was like
25:04
the drought
25:05
of summer
25:05
he had
25:06
lost every
25:07
sense of
25:08
living with
25:09
God
25:09
and living
25:10
for God
25:10
that's the
25:12
death
25:13
that it
25:14
brings
25:14
about
25:14
and that's
25:16
the death
25:16
it brings
25:17
about
25:18
for you
25:19
and for
25:20
me
25:20
and tonight
25:23
it may be
25:24
the case
25:25
that in
25:27
someone's
25:28
heart
25:28
something
25:30
has gone
25:31
wrong
25:31
and someone's
25:33
heart
25:34
tonight
25:34
may be
25:34
like
25:35
David's
25:35
heart
25:35
and maybe
25:37
feeling
25:37
the pain
25:39
of that
25:39
disruption
25:40
in
25:41
your
25:42
relationship
25:43
with the
25:43
Lord Jesus
25:43
and your
25:46
sense of
25:46
experiencing
25:47
his love
25:48
and grace
25:48
has gone
25:49
it's
25:49
evaporated
25:50
your sin
25:53
has broken
25:55
has taken
25:55
that away
25:56
your sin
25:57
has brought
25:58
your heart
25:58
to be like
25:59
a desert
26:00
where there is
26:01
no water
26:02
and where there's
26:03
no sense of
26:03
the goodness
26:05
of God
26:06
and tonight
26:08
as we close
26:10
we
26:10
remind
26:12
ourselves
26:12
of the
26:14
importance
26:14
of being
26:15
on our
26:16
guard
26:17
Paul
26:19
prays for the
26:19
Philippians
26:20
in chapter 4
26:20
that the
26:21
peace of
26:22
God
26:22
would guard
26:23
your hearts
26:23
and minds
26:24
we depend
26:27
and trust
26:28
in God
26:28
through prayer
26:29
and the wisdom
26:30
that comes
26:30
through prayer
26:31
we depend
26:31
on God
26:32
for him
26:33
to guard
26:34
our hearts
26:35
and minds
26:35
there may be
26:37
situations
26:38
where we
26:39
can guard
26:40
each other
26:41
in certain
26:43
circumstances
26:44
and we
26:46
are Job
26:46
in Job
26:47
chapter 31
26:48
I made
26:49
a covenant
26:50
with my
26:50
eyes
26:50
we need
26:53
to ensure
26:54
that we
26:55
stop looking
26:56
at the
26:56
things
26:56
that we
26:57
know
26:58
lead us
26:58
into
26:58
temptation
26:59
but Jesus
27:01
of course
27:02
reminds us
27:03
as he
27:03
reminded the
27:04
disciples
27:04
that it is
27:06
what comes
27:07
from the
27:08
heart
27:08
that's what
27:10
defiles a
27:11
person
27:11
even
27:12
we may
27:13
shut
27:13
our eyes
27:14
and not
27:14
look at
27:15
anything
27:15
but it
27:16
doesn't
27:17
take away
27:17
the reality
27:18
of the
27:19
power
27:20
of our
27:21
lusts
27:21
and of
27:22
our
27:22
passion
27:22
that work
27:24
away
27:24
daily in
27:25
our
27:25
experience
27:26
as Paul
27:27
himself
27:28
discovered
27:29
and as we
27:29
do
27:30
discover
27:30
ourselves
27:32
we guard
27:33
our hearts
27:34
and it's
27:35
worth quoting
27:35
as we
27:36
close the
27:36
words of
27:37
Ralph Waldo
27:38
Emerson
27:39
who was a
27:40
19th century
27:41
philosopher
27:42
when he said
27:43
this
27:43
sow a
27:44
thought
27:45
and you
27:46
reap an
27:47
action
27:47
sow an
27:48
action
27:49
and you
27:49
reap a
27:50
habit
27:50
sow a
27:52
habit
27:52
and you
27:53
reap a
27:53
character
27:54
sow a
27:56
character
27:56
and you
27:57
reap a
27:58
destiny
27:59
what we
28:01
sow we
28:01
shall reap
28:02
says Paul
28:02
to the
28:03
Galatians
28:03
let's
28:04
ensure
28:05
tonight
28:06
and always
28:07
that we
28:08
are sowing
28:08
to the
28:09
spirit of
28:10
God
28:10
and living
28:11
a life
28:12
guarded
28:13
by God
28:13
himself
28:14
trusting
28:14
in him
28:15
and ensuring
28:16
that as
28:18
we realise
28:19
that the
28:19
power of
28:20
our own
28:20
sinful
28:22
hearts
28:22
are need
28:23
to be
28:24
under guard
28:25
against
28:25
anything
28:26
and everything
28:27
that will
28:28
seek to
28:28
disrupt
28:29
and destroy
28:31
our relationship
28:32
with God
28:33
may God
28:33
bless his
28:34
word to us
28:34
so we're
28:36
now going to
28:37
conclude by
28:37
singing Psalm
28:38
103
28:39
in Psalm