I believe that I am being “convicted” by the Holy Spirit to better prioritize my time. While it may be lawful to do some things; such as, watch T.V. news, it may not be expedient to winning the prize
that Paul talks about in (1 Corinthians 9:24).
Don’t you know that those who run in a race all run,
but one receives the prize? Run like that, that you may win.
(1 Corinthians 9:24 WEB)
I need and want to run the race with endurance and perseverance and never lose heart. Stewardship of our time is important.
Help me LORD!
And we must be on guard against the evil one who often misinterprets God’s word (think of the encounter between Eve and the serpent in the garden of Eden, Genesis, chapter 3).
And the serpent said unto the woman, “Ye shall not surely die.”
(Genesis 3:4 KJV)
In Genesis 2:17, God was referring to spiritual death as the penalty for eating from the tree of the “knowledge of good and evil”, but the serpent in Genesis 3:4 was relating to physical death. The serpent deceived Eve, and Eve persuaded Adam. Result: God made them leave the garden, and it’s a whole other reason as to why this was for the good of Adam and Eve.
God’s ways are above our ways!
The evil one will also use “fiery darts” in the form of emotions like guilt, doubt, and shame in an effort to separate us from the God who loves us so much. Make sure to take these “fiery dart” thoughts “captive to the obedience of Christ”.
… above all, taking up the shield of faith,
with which you will be able
to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.
(Paul writing in Ephesians 6:16 WEB)
For though we walk in the flesh, we don’t wage war according to the flesh; for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds, throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. (Paul writing in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 WEB)