our daily bread

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Dexu Xia

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Feb 18, 2018, 11:21:35 PM2/18/18

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Fleeing to Strength

You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:20

“Parry four!”

When I began fencing in high school, my coach would shout the correct defensive position (“parry”) against the move he was making. When he extended his weapon and lunged, to repel the attack I had to listen and respond immediately.

God offers us hope, forgiveness, and a new beginning.

That active listening brings to mind the prompt obedience Scripture calls for in the area of sexual temptation. In 1 Corinthians 6:18 Paul writes to believers tempted to solicit pagan temple prostitutes, telling them to “flee from sexual immorality.” Sometimes we are to “stand firm” in challenging circumstances (Galatians 5:1; Ephesians 6:11), but here the Bible practically shouts our best defense: “Run away!”

Immediate action guards against compromise. Small compromises can lead to devastating defeats. An unrestrained thought, a glance in the wrong place on the Internet, a flirting friendship when you’re already married—each are steps that take us where we shouldn’t go and put distance between us and God.

When we flee temptation, God also provides a place to run. Through Jesus’s death on the cross for our sins, He offers us hope, forgiveness, and a new beginning—no matter where we’ve been or what we’ve done. When we run to Jesus in our weakness, He sets us free to live in His strength.

Lord Jesus, out of love You gave Yourself on the cross for us. I give myself to You in obedience to Your will.

God alone can meet our deepest needs and give us soul-deep satisfaction.

逃向耶稣！

因为你们是重价买来的，所以要在你们的身子上荣耀上帝。-哥林多前书6章20节

教练大喊：“防守，四！”我高中时开始学剑术，教练会根据他的进攻方式，喊出正确的防守位置。当教练伸出他的剑朝我刺来时，为了还击，我必须仔细聆听，并且立刻作出反应。

这种聆听后立即反应的态度，让我联想起圣经提醒我们，面对性方面的诱惑时要迅速逃避。保罗就曾写信给那些受到庙妓引诱的信徒，要他们“逃避淫行”（哥林多前书6章18节）。有时，面对挑战时，我们需要“站立得稳”（加拉太书5章1节；以弗所书6章11节）。但面对性的诱惑时，圣经很实际地给了我们最好的防守方式：“逃跑！”

立即的行动让我们没有妥协的机会，毕竟，一失足可能成千古恨。一个放纵的念头、看一下不应看的网页，已婚还游戏人间，每一步都会引导我们误入歧途，拉开我们与上帝之间的距离。

当我们逃避诱惑，上帝就会为我们开一条出路。不论我们曾在何处、曾做了什么，耶稣在十字架上为我们的罪受死，赐给我们希望、宽恕和新的开始。当我们因软弱而奔向耶稣，祂会让我们倚靠祂的力量，得着释放和自由。

主耶稣，因为爱，祢在十架上为我们舍命。
我将自己献给祢，愿遵行祢的旨意。