1 Peter 4:12 says, "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you , as though something strange were happening to you."
The word test means to "makes someone do something wrong; temptation; enticement." As I desire to finish well, there are many "tests" that have come my way and will continue to come my way. Peter says to not be surprised. They will come. Steve Farrar gives 4 practical tips to finishing well. I am going to adapt these to the four ways to avoid the enticement to not finish. He talks about "4 Stays". First, he says that we need to Stay in the Scriptures. This is obvious yet so easy to neglect. Do you have a plan to get in the Word on a consistent basis? Second, he says to Stay Close to a Friend. The greatest challenge for men in particular is to have a friend. We need men in our lives to process life. Third, Stay Away from Other Women. If you are not married, stay away from tempting situations. No matter what situation you are in, you need to stay away from other women. This is not to say we are to be rude to women. Instead, we need to be wise with how we spend time with women who are not our wives. One of the key enticements I will face is the enticement of another woman. Fourth, Stay Alert to the tactics of the Enemy. It might seem obvious, but Satan longs for you not to finish well. He uses tactics and strategies to trip you up.
My hope is that I will work hard in these practical tips so that I could finish well.
Nice One Brownie! Always challenged by the first, "Stay in the Scriptures". Not that I am not in them but the question for me is am I carving out enough time to really meditate, think, digest what I am reading? I don't want to just skim through the scriptures like I am checking something off the list but I want to slow down and meet with my Savior. Also, appreciate your friendship more than I can say. Thanks for posting this.
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