But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that will will not give in to it. 1 Cor 10:13 The Promise Bible New Living Translation
Temptations:
1) Poker game Deep Stack at 3p.m. today. Did Not Go! Even though this is a FREE game at a local bar. You do win a bar tab if you place in top 2. Tourneyment style. My habit is to play and drink hard.
2) Picked up some DVDs today to sell online. Old habit would be to smoke a bowl and watch DVDs. Instead I just cleaned up the DVDs and cases and listed them online. Then I took a nap. It was too cold and side streets have to much ice to ride to church tonight.
3) Not to Write a check to ex. Didn't really want to because have not been picking up as much stuff to sell online this week because of the ice on roads. Scooter isn't as good as a car would be on a day like today but it is better than the 2 years I didn't have a drivers license and only walked or bused. Remembered last nights post about "birds in the air" and Trust so went ahead and wrote check.
Also just want to confess this is an extra check for kids for Christmas. Still a jerk. Did ship them off a board game and a bunch of books this week, but still had the reluctance to hold back. Self first. Jackass. Jesus really does take care of me. I really do feel this.
4) And Yes I chew tobacco! Not willing to give that up now. Have a dip in and writing.
Application:
Found new things to do today...
Picked up Rick Warren's Bible Study Methods today at the library. Read introduction. Basically, book is going to provide a methodology for Study of Bible. Dynamic Bible Study. This is going to require discipline right from the start. Right away he talks about scheduling time and gathering reference tools to do a proper Bible study.
Will get more into that later but did read both the NIV and New Living Translation for 1 Corinthians 10:13 the NIV version is:
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God if faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
I like the New Living version better just because the language is simple. "Not give in to it" hits home for me better than "stand up under it."
My desk is a large 8 person poker table. Last game was Monday Night in Vegas. Sat down with only $100 in cash but stood up and walked away with $257. Will NOT gamble again, but it was nice to finish off up in the game. I really do love playing poker but know it isn't the best use of my time. Wasted so much time playing poker over the last year of my 3rd marriage. I rationalized it as a "second job." I was good enough not to loose money over time but now know that all that time could have been better spent. Also played poker online full-time for 6 months, not loosing but not making enough to get ahead. Escape and excitement in poker. Usually have short attention span, but can focus and play poker for 12 to 18 hours at a stretch no problem.
You hear about how God has a plan for you like a map that you can't see because your down in the middle of it. Just a couple months after I quit playing poker online and had cashed out most of my money I went to log in and play a tourneyment when a big FBI logo greeted me on the log in screen. The FBI seized two of the online poker sites I played at and shut them down to US players. If that had happened a couple months earlier I would have been devistated. I had racked up over $1,200.00 in winnings from my little $1 and $5 tourneyments. It's not a lot of money, but when your back to nothing it matters.
And the crummy little job I took has lead me into my new online business.
Got past the temptations today!
For Tomorrow:
Wake up. Work hard. Have orders to pack and ship. Also plan on hitting the road in the afternoon after the air warms up a bit.
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