<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There comes a point in every journey where grace must meet growth\u2014where you stop crawling and start walking with purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the last devotional, we explored the perspective of a baby: learning to walk, falling often, but being cheered on by a loving Father. That season is real and important. But today\u2019s message is this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s time to grow up.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n For some people, the struggle with lust, pornography, or masturbation isn\u2019t new. You’ve battled with this for more than 2years. You know what\u2019s right. You know what\u2019s wrong. You\u2019ve been in this fight for a while\u2014and now, God is calling you higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maturity means you stop playing with fire.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A baby might touch a hot stove out of curiosity. But a mature person doesn\u2019t need to feel the heat to know the danger. In the same way, you don\u2019t need to flirt with triggers to \u201csee how close\u201d you can get without falling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s not strength. That\u2019s carelessness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s a story of a pregnant woman who was advised to stop drinking alcohol for the sake of her baby\u2019s health. But instead of asking, \u201cWhat\u2019s the best diet for my baby\u2019s development?\u201d she asked, \u201cHow much can I drink without harming the baby?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She missed the point completely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We often do the same with sin:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHow much of this X-rated show is okay?\u201d The Bible says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCan a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?\u201d \u2014 Proverbs 6:27<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n The answer is obvious: No.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A mature believer doesn\u2019t ask, \u201cHow close can I get to sin without falling?\u201d In Nigeria, there\u2019s a bus called BRT. These buses have dedicated lanes and limited stops. If you miss your stop, you can\u2019t get off just anywhere\u2014you\u2019ll have to be carried all the way to the end at the bus\u2019 next stop<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s exactly what temptation feels like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019ll take you further than you intended to go and keep you longer than you planned to stay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you don\u2019t jump off early\u2014before<\/em> the thoughts spiral, before<\/em> the atmosphere shifts\u2014you\u2019ll end up in a place you never meant to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By now, if this has been a long-term struggle, you should know your patterns. Maybe it starts when you shut the door. Pull the blinds. Or your internet freezes suddenly. Those are early signs. Those are your \u201cjump off the bus\u201d<\/strong> moments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You’re now mature, you must now master how to exit the bus early.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Even King David had a chance. When he saw Bathsheba bathing, he could\u2019ve turned away. He could\u2019ve run to God. But instead, he stared. And stared. He got his security guards to fetch her, he had to describe the naked lady he saw, he described her features, described her house. The guards would have said \u201cThat must be Bathsheba, Uriah\u2019s wife\u201d. These were many points he could have jumped off, but he stayed on the bus too long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And what began with a second look led to adultery\u2014and then to murder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Growing up means looking ahead. Seeing the traps early. Understanding how the devil tempts us\u2014not just with what\u2019s in front of us, but with what\u2019s behind us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He\u2019ll whisper: \u201cRemember how good it felt?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He used the same lie with the children of Israel when they were in the wilderness. They longed for Egypt because they remembered the food\u2014but they forgot the slavery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t forget the pain just because you miss the pleasure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reflection Prompt:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Prayer:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Father, thank You for calling me higher. Help me stop playing with sin and start walking in maturity. Show me the warning signs, and teach me how to exit before I fall. I want to honour You with my thoughts, my habits, and my life. In Jesus\u2019 name, amen.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There comes a point in every journey where grace must meet growth\u2014where you stop crawling and start walking with purpose. 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\u201cCan I watch amateur p*rn\u2019?\u201d
\u201cFifty shades of grey?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
A mature believer asks, \u201cWhat helps me grow in holiness and honor God?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nKnow When to Jump Off the Bus<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t Let the Devil Romanticize the Past<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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