Strength

“If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” Genesis 4:7

This passage is taken just before Cain kills his brother Abel. God speaks to Cain and challenges him to do better. Cain is coldhearted and consumed with jealousy and anger. At some point and in some way, we can all relate.

Every day we are faced with the battle against sin. In the verse above it states that “sin is crouching at your door.” Identifying sin and temptation in our lives is imperative in order to master it. How can we battle sin in our own lives? What if we are not strong enough?

In Ephesians 6:10-20, Paul talks about putting on the full armor of God in order to “stand against the schemes of the devil.” Each piece of armor that is mentioned cannot be attained on our own. Truth, righteousness, readiness, faith, salvation, and the spirit are all pieces of the armor that God supplies. Each of these gifts prepares us for day to day battle. Alone we are weak but with God we are strong.

In any competition or battle, we must be equipped in order to succeed. This week I encourage you to read Ephesians 6:10-20 and to begin preparing yourself each day for the battles ahead. Thanks for reading this week and have a great Thanksgiving with friends and family.

-Matt

Commitment

“In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.” Titus 2:7,8

Baseball Hall of Fame Great, Willie Mays, once said, “It isn’t hard to be good from time to time in sports. What’s tough is being good every day.” This statement highlights how valuable a trustworthy, committed and skilled performer is. We can relate to this message in almost every area of our lives. For example, great parents are always looking out for the wellbeing of their children. Great employees are always prepared for the tasks of the day. Great performers are never out of shape. It is easy to set an example some of the time and much harder to continually be an example for others.

Being an example is a quality found in leader. In a book named “The Secret” by Ken Blanchard and Mark Miller, an aspiring business leader named Debbie has a fascinating revelation. She says, “Not only do I win or lose credibility based on how well I embody the values, but I also set the tone and the example for my team. No one controls how well I do this except me. I guess it’s just part of being a leader.”

This week our challenge is be committed. The most influential leaders are continually setting the bar and the critics that oppose them are left speechless. We have much more control over our lives than we credit ourselves. “No one controls how well I do except me.”

Matt