A walk in the woods

Do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. – Romans 6:12

A friend of mine wrote to me about certain "reservations" in his life – areas of secret sin that he reserved for himself and into which he frequently withdrew.

These "reserves" are like the large tracts of wilderness in my home state of Idaho. It may sound exciting to wander around these untamed regions by oneself, but it’s dangerous.

So, too, each journey into sin takes its toll. We sacrifice our closeness with God, forfeiting His blessing (PSALM 24:1-5), and we lose our influence on others that comes from purity of mind and body (1 TIMOTHY 4:12).

The wild areas in us may never be fully tamed, but we can set up perimeters that keep us from wandering into them. One perimeter is to remember that we are dead to sin’s power (ROMANS 6:1-14). We do not have to give in to it.

The second perimeter is to resist temptation when it first attracts us. Initial temptation may not be strong, but if we entertain it, it will in time gain power and overwhelm us.

The third perimeter is accountability. Find a person who will commit to ask you each week, "Have you ‘taken a hike in the wild’? Have you gone where you should not go?"

Impurity is ruinous, but if we long for holiness and ask God for help, He will give us victory. Press on! – David H. Roper

O Lord, help us to recognize

When we begin to compromise;

And give us strength to follow through

With what we know is right and true. – SPER

Read: Romans 6:11-14

Beware – the more you look at temptation, the better it looks!