PURITY

Every morning I receive a devotional.. this one came this morning and has good advice that I want to share.

Staying pure

"How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word and following its rules.
I have tried my best to find you—don't let me wander from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:9-11 NLT"

Piling on

"In the game of football it's called "piling on": You're already down when suddenly you get pummeled again by your opponent.
In real life it's called spiritual warfare, and it's often disguised.
You're suffering through a hard time when suddenly the enemy comes at you with what actually looks like relief.
Ah, how vulnerable we are in such moments! After all I've had to endure lately, I think I deserve a little break! How easy it is to rationalize!
Would it really be so wrong for me to ________? Why not?
Of course, this is the nature of temptation. On the front end, sin looks "heavenly." On the back side, it is always hellish and makes bad situations worse.
Our only hope is in living out the promise that God's Word can keep us from sin.
By filling our hearts and minds with the truth of God's Word, we are able to recognize the enemy's lies.
That is how we stay pure in hard, tempting times (see Matthew 4:1-11). It is how we avoid Satan's deceptive attempts to hit us again when we're down.

Praying God's Promise:

God, when I hide your Word in my heart, I can keep from sinning!
Grant me the wisdom to seek you and to hide your Word in my heart.
I need discernment to apply your truth to everyday situations, especially when I am going through difficult times.

from PRAYING GOD'S PROMISES THROUGH TOUGH TIMES by Len Wood (Tyndale) pp 170-71"