Romans 6:15-23

 15What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no
means! 16Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him
as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin,
which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17But thanks
be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed
the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. 18You have been set free from
sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
 19I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you
used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing
wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.
20When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness.
21What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed
of ? Those things result in death! 22But now that you have been set free from sin
and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the
result is eternal life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal
life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Meditation
1. Search myself for an area where I don’t walk in freedom but continue to
struggle with sin.  When do I easily give in to temptation?  What comfort,
relief or pleasure does the sin give me?  What pain or discomfort does it
bring?  What do I fear I would lose if I gave up the sin?
2. Read this passage with this specific sin(s) in mind.  Read the passage through
my life experience.  Do I identify with “Shall we sin because we are not
under law but under grace”?  What about “now offer (your body) in slavery
to righteousness”?  Take time to identify what my do and don’t agree with.
3. Pray and ask God to take over my struggle and unresolved problems.  As I
determine to obey God’s command, I will ask God for my freedom.

Personal Note:
Like the topic of the workshop I will give in TC2012, three areas of struggle for myself and most guys (if they are really honest) are money, sex, and power.  I give in to temptation when I feel lost and hopeless.  I could be struggling at work, at a relationship, at ministry, over my self-esteem.  Giving in could take the form of not being generous towards God in offering, dwelling on thoughts of how to get rich fast, checking out lustful media, dwelling on memories of lustful images, create plans and execute actions that promote my own status, dwelling in thoughts of how to become like those successful people I read about.  There seems to be temporary comfort, relief, or pleasure that result from the actions mentioned above.  Realistically, the discomfort increases as it fuels more worries, envy, lust, insecurity, anxiety... I asked why myself why do I keep dwelling on the sin.  I realized that the sins mentioned were my coping mechanism.  I fear that if I live in faithful submission to God's leading, I would not be in control and having the comfort I desired.

I am totally convinced that I am under grace (getting a gift I do not deserve) instead of under the law.  I should not think that I can sin all I want because of God's grace and mercy.  I have a new heart and mind thanks to the work of Jesus Christ on the cross.  I no longer desire to engage in the sinful activities, which may appear to be pleasurable, but they ultimately leads me to death.  I agree that I am to offer my body including my eyes, ears, mouth, hands, legs, heart, brain...  to be slave for righteousness.  I trust God that He is faithful and will walk with me to overcome my struggles.

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

 1For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers
were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2They were all
baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3They all ate the same spiritual
food 4and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock
that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5Nevertheless, God was not
pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.   6Now
these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things
as they did. 7Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people
sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry.” 8We should
not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three
thousand of them died. 9We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and
were killed by snakes. 10And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were
killed by the destroying angel.   11These things happened to them as examples and
were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has
come. 12So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13No
temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he
will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,
he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Meditation
1. Temptation is the pressure to take our own way, to indulge ourselves, to
spurn God, to plunge into doubt or despair, lust or anger, to give in to our
own feelings and let them draw conclusions about our worth based on what
other people say about us or what we say about ourselves.  It’s an ever-present
pressure.  Sometimes it’s from others, and other times it’s from within.  But
Paul says not to worry for God will never let us down, never let us pushed
past our limit.  He will be there.  Always.  Not as a lecturer but as a Helper.
2. What temptations do I most consistently have to face? Does v13 encourage
or frustrate me? Why?
3. Tell it to Jesus and ask His help in acknowledge His ever-presence with me
and helping me to overcome this particular temptation.

Personal Note:
My initial understanding of temptation is very simple.  Temptation is being greedy and loves money.  Temptation is being lustful and desiring sexual things.  I thought that once I overcame the temptation of wealth and lust.  I am set to be holy for life.  With God's help, I overcame some temptations, but then I realize that the spiritual journey is a marathon.  There are tougher temptations and alternative forms of the temptation of riches and lust.

I would have to confess that I gave in to various temptations.  Currently, I am facing the temptations of doubt and despair about my identity and ministry.  The time when I fought and rely on God's strength was the time I am convinced that God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.