FOUNDATION OF FAITH PART VI

Blessed Sunday to Everyone

A CHRISTIAN AND HIMSELF

A Christian should keep his body and mind pure and clean. The Bible tells us why. "Don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and who was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourselves but to God" (I Corinthians 6:19). Such habits as smoking and using drugs injure a person's health, can harm both his body and his mind, and shorten his life. The user may think he can stop whenever he wants to, but that isn't true--he becomes a slave to his habits. "Surely you know that when you surrender yourselves as slaves to obey someone, you are in fact the slaves of the master you obey--either of sin, which results in death, or of obedience which results in being put right with God" (Romans 6:16). Perhaps some temptations have overcome you. Do you go to places that are not pleasing to the Lord, or read books or magazines that you would be ashamed for Him to see? Harmful habits can be broken by asking God to help us change our ways. Tell the Lord that you cannot conquer evil in your own strength and He will help you. Ask for His healing within you. Then learn the following verse and repeat it whenever you are tempted. "I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me" (Philippians 4:13). "Give yourself to the Lord: trust in him and he will help you; he will make your righteousness shine like the noonday sun" (Psalm 37:5).

Verse of the Week

Give yourself to the Lord: trust in him and he will help you; he will make your righteousness shine like the noonday sun.-

( Psalm 37:5)