All posts in " temptation "
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Temptation to bail – frustration

By Dave Henning / November 3, 2023

“The temptation to bail in [disillusionment with self] lies not in a loss of faith, but in a loss of confidence in our ability to follow God.  Instead of ‘I thought that God would be different,’ disillusionment with self prompts us to whisper, ‘I thought that I would be different.’  It is a form of […]

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Resist temptation before it strikes

By Dave Henning / December 22, 2021

“Mordecai refused to bow.  And you? . . .  Your resolve might be the decisive gesture that breaks the stronghold.  Decide now what you will do then.  Don’t wait until the heat of the moment.  A crisis is no time to prepare an escape plan. . . .  The time to determine to resist temptation […]

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I will steer where I stare

By Dave Henning / March 29, 2019

“Life may be swirling all around me, threatening to steal my hope, my peace, my joy.  But I am declaring right now that I will not be swept up into a storm of fear and wild emotions. . . .  I very much recognize that I will steer where I stare.  So I must watch […]

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Satan – death on his breath

By Dave Henning / March 23, 2019

“Sin is a lie, and its subtle suggestion are being whispered into your ears and mine right now by the one with death on his breath.  But we don’t have to simply sit and take it, trying our best not to listen.  We can do something about it.  The thing that has helped me so […]

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Sin – the deadliest force; taken out of the Spirit’s flow

By Dave Henning / July 5, 2017

“But sin is the deadliest force because it takes us out of the flow of the Spirit.”- John Ortberg In Chapter 13 (“Recognize Your Primary Flow Blocker”) of The Me I Want to Be, John Ortberg encourages us to give serious thought to how God grades our moral character.  That is, grade out in the […]

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Real freedom = internal freedom

By Dave Henning / July 4, 2017

“Real freedom is not the external freedom to gratify every appetite; it is the internal freedom not to be enslaved by our appetites.”- John Ortberg In Chapter 12 (“Temptation: How Not to Get Hooked”) of The Me I Want to Be, John Ortberg tells of when he and his wife fly-fished for the first time.  Reflecting […]

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Every unconfessed sin

By Dave Henning / February 10, 2017

“Every unconfessed sin is a seed that will produce a multiplied harvest.”- Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth As Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth concludes Chapter 3 of Holiness, she concentrates on the effects of sin.  Sin affects a holy God, and it affects others.  Beyond that, however, sin also exacts a price from the sinner.  Hence, sin preys on […]

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Prosperity’s greatest temptation

By Dave Henning / August 20, 2016

“Moses warned his nation (Deuteronomy 6:10-12) of prosperity’s greatest temptation: to forget God, who redeemed them from slavery.”- Wayne Stiles As Wayne Stiles continues Chapter 6 of Waiting on God, he notes that Joseph made no personal requests when he stood before Pharaoh.  Most noteworthy, Joseph said nothing of the injustices he’d endured.  Furthermore, he […]

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Tough circumstances

By Dave Henning / August 11, 2016

“With very few exceptions, tough circumstances simply reveal the holes in our hearts, not the holes in our lives.”- Dr. Wayne Stiles In Chapter 4 (“Going Backward, Moving Forward”) of Waiting on God, Wayne Stiles asserts that many people use physical or material substitutes as sedatives to a disappointing life not firmly founded on God.  […]

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God leans in closer

By Dave Henning / May 30, 2016

“But when you fast and pray, God leans in a little closer.”- Congressman Tony Hall In Chapter 5 (“A $100 Million Dollar Fast”) of If, Mark Batterson discusses the topic of fasting- a time when God leans in.  Pastor Batterson believes fasting is one of the best ways to break the power of the flesh.  […]

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The day of small things

By Dave Henning / August 14, 2015

“Faith is not about me getting what I want in my outer world; it’s about God getting what he wants in my inner world.”- John Ortberg “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.”- Zechariah 4:10 (NLT) John Ortberg continues Chapter 4 of All the Places to Go […]

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Anticipated blessing

By Dave Henning / May 12, 2015

Charles Stanley continues Chapter 3 of Waiting on God as he concludes his discussion of Abraham’s responses to God’s promises. 2.  The temptation to speed the plan along.  Especially when the anticipated blessing is important to us, time has a way of wearing on even the strongest faith.  The temptation to take matters into our […]

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