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Ephesians 5:3-7
Ephesians 5:3-7
Did you know that one of the most powerful weapons in the Christian life is thanksgiving? That’s right. Learning how to give thanks can help us overcome temptation and sin. This is what Paul writes in Ephesians 5 verses 3 and 4, “But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as become saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not fitting: but rather giving of thanks.” Paul is suggesting here that if we’ll learn how to give thanks, we can overcome temptation and sin. What is temptation? Well, temptation is the devil’s offer to give you something that perhaps you want or think that you need but he wants you to get it his way, not God’s way.
We believe that God does meet all of our needs. The devil comes along and says, “Well, God hasn’t met your need. God isn’t doing what you want Him to do. Now I have this offer. Why don’t you do this?” Temptation is an opportunity to get a good thing in a bad way. It’s a good thing to save money. It’s a bad thing to cheat on your income tax to do it. It’s a good thing to pass your examinations. It’s a bad thing to cheat in order to pass your examination. Paul is suggesting here that the opposite of temptation is thanksgiving. If I am thankful, I’m grateful for what I have. I’m not looking around wondering, what else I can get? For example, take these sins that Paul writes about: fornication and uncleanness. What are we talking about? We’re talking about doing something out of the will of God. David fell into these sins. Oh, had he just been thankful for what he had he would not have fallen for temptation!
Covetousness. What is covetousness? Wanting more. But if you’re thankful, you don’t want more! You’re thankful for what God has given to you. He talks here about filthiness and foolishness. He’s talking about the things of life that lead us astray. Paul tells us that the way to overcome sin and temptation is be thankful. It’s very difficult for the devil to tempt a thankful heart. Let’s fill our hearts with thanksgiving to the Lord.
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By Back to the BibleEphesians 5:3-7
Did you know that one of the most powerful weapons in the Christian life is thanksgiving? That’s right. Learning how to give thanks can help us overcome temptation and sin. This is what Paul writes in Ephesians 5 verses 3 and 4, “But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as become saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not fitting: but rather giving of thanks.” Paul is suggesting here that if we’ll learn how to give thanks, we can overcome temptation and sin. What is temptation? Well, temptation is the devil’s offer to give you something that perhaps you want or think that you need but he wants you to get it his way, not God’s way.
We believe that God does meet all of our needs. The devil comes along and says, “Well, God hasn’t met your need. God isn’t doing what you want Him to do. Now I have this offer. Why don’t you do this?” Temptation is an opportunity to get a good thing in a bad way. It’s a good thing to save money. It’s a bad thing to cheat on your income tax to do it. It’s a good thing to pass your examinations. It’s a bad thing to cheat in order to pass your examination. Paul is suggesting here that the opposite of temptation is thanksgiving. If I am thankful, I’m grateful for what I have. I’m not looking around wondering, what else I can get? For example, take these sins that Paul writes about: fornication and uncleanness. What are we talking about? We’re talking about doing something out of the will of God. David fell into these sins. Oh, had he just been thankful for what he had he would not have fallen for temptation!
Covetousness. What is covetousness? Wanting more. But if you’re thankful, you don’t want more! You’re thankful for what God has given to you. He talks here about filthiness and foolishness. He’s talking about the things of life that lead us astray. Paul tells us that the way to overcome sin and temptation is be thankful. It’s very difficult for the devil to tempt a thankful heart. Let’s fill our hearts with thanksgiving to the Lord.