When is "Bad" Really Bad???

As a person who spent many years as a "smoker", I will spend the rest of my life as a recovering nicotine addict. Usually, my days don't consist of fighting the urges anymore (been without for several years now). However, being around smoke-filled rooms and just basically around many smokers this week, the urges have been quite difficult. My relation to Scripture today comes in this question to each of you...when is "bad" bad to each of us? What is your major crutch or stumbling block that you must lay down each day?

I am brought to the verse in James 4:17..."Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." Doing good isn't always the easy thing, is it? But when the Spirit impresses on our heart, it is obvious what we should be doing or not doing.

This is such a difference from what we are being taught in the world, right? In these times of "do what feels good", "do what you want to do", and basically "you are your own god"...we have this mis-guided thinking that we are in charge. How far from the truth that really is. There is a big difference between having free will and doing right or wrong.

In my battle against my addictions, I have found the only way to find victory is to ask God for His power and strength everyday. The days I get up and forget to ask for help, I struggle. It is a daily thing...not unlike we are supposed to have.

My question for you today again is...what are you battling with today (or everyday)??? And, how do you or will you claim victory over it???

Please let me know if you have a special prayer request I can word on your behalf today!!!

A prayer for grace...

This morning, as every Monday morning, I pray that my eyes will be fixed upon the things of God and not on this world. When I was reading, I stopped at Psalm 19 and came across a prayer that each of us should raise to the Lord. It begins in verse 12...

"Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. (13) Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. (14) Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer."

As we go through each day, we do sin. Whether you want to admit it or not, we are sinful beings. Sometimes, even though we have what we would think a great Christ-like day, we have sinned in our actions, words, or by omission.

I believe that is what David is referring to here. We as finite beings don't understand the infinite wisdom of God and can't grasp fully the sin we are indwelt with. Therefore, we need to pray for our secret faults as they are mentioned in the KJV.

In verse 13 he asks for power against what he calls presumptuous sins...Webster defines presumptuous like this: overstepping due bounds (as of propriety or courtesy) : taking liberties. So, David is asking to be kept from sinning willfully or boldly. He also states that if the sin doesn't overtake him he shall be upright and innocent.

Finally, in verse 14 may we be ever cognizant that our thoughts, meditation, and words be acceptable to the Lord, who is our strength and redeemer. If we keep our eyes on our redeemer and lean to His strength and not our own, the wiles of this world will have no allure to us.

My prayer today is that we may ask God to take away our presumptuous sins...What sin have you been taking liberty with? Will you turn it back over to Him and let yourself be upright and innocent? Please let me know if I can word a prayer of comfort for you today...