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Rev. Ray's  April 19, 2021 Devotion 

“Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin;
Each victory will help you some other to win;
Fight manfully onward, dark passions subdue;
Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.”

Perhaps you remember those words from the old Cokesbury hymnal. We may need to dust it off and use it a little more often. Do you remember Tweety Bird? He said, “I am going to get in trouble if I do it, but I am going to do it anyway.” The Bible says that we can be sure that our sins will find us out. It sure happened to me.

I was a thief in the night. All was clear, and I knew I would get away with it so, “Why not?” There was just enough light to see as I eased the lid off the crystal-clear treasure chest. With a knife in hand, I would have a slice of Pat’s cake.

“What are you doing?” I was busted. Any answer that I had was like a cat with a mouth full of feathers trying to explain that it had nothing to do with the missing Parakeet.

“Raymond you were doing so well, and you are ruining it.” Pat was right and I could only throw myself to the mercy of the court. There are two battles that seem to be every day and life-long for me: daily skirmishes with the devil, and the battle of the pounds.

“You were doing so well,” She was right; and now, here I go; time to lose weight again. Paul wrote to the Galatians and said, “You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth?” We Christians can sometimes get too big for our own spiritual britches. If we must squeeze into the robe of righteousness there is a problem. We just may need to have a better spiritual diet of God’s Word, and drink more living water; and of course, do more exercising our faith.

In the words of Hebrews, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus...”

“To him that over cometh, God giveth a crown,
Through faith we will conquer, though often cast down;
He who is our Savior, our strength will renew;
Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.”

Grace and Peace, Rev Ray