Each week we read of a tragedy  ‐    war, hatred, jealousy, murder and war — so much of pain and sorrow — every week so much of evil.    We have to fight against evil – not a human fight but a godly fight.

Jesus fought against evil, but he did not fight the way humans tend to fight. He fed the hungry, He healed the sick, He cast out demons and He taught against religious oppression. Jesus did not try to stop all evils through force. He did not suggest that we need better police or better defense systems. But Jesus gave us a more fundamental weapon : repentance.

Jesus died on the cross for our sins  ‐ so we should repent of our sins, be cleansed and come before God. If we have attitudes of jealousy or anger we have already committed murder in our hearts. We need to be shocked by the wrong attitudes within ourselves. When the results of sin are made so clear, what we need to do is repent. The only way we can overcome evil is to deal
with it within ourselves

“He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.”Proverbs 18:9

Evils can be of all sorts. Besides the regular teen temptations to watch T.V. or surf the internet when I’m supposed to study, disobedience to parents, trying to look cool in church and all the regular complaints you hear from a teenager’s mother, there is a little-known temptation that stood out in my life, as it does in many of my friends lives – the temptation to waste time, talents and resources.

I had an opportunity to become aware of this temptation during this summer vacation. when I went for a mission field trip in Kerala along with some members of Teens Forum and their families. I
realized there is another world with children who are not as blessed as we are.

Though the adjacent days were rainy, the particular day of our visit was without rain, making it comfortable for us to travel. What I thought would be fun moments were really moments of new
experiences for me – at places called Kattachira and Thavalappara of Ranni. In Thavalappara of Ranni we went to a Child Development Center hostel. As I saw the inmates of that hostel walking
bare footed inside the hostel and around the compound, I recollected my demands of the latest branded shoes even when I have three pairs of them. Most of the kids belonged to broken families, some with single parents and others orphans. They cultivate livestock and plants. We offered all the kids sweets – they gave us snacks which we did not expect. We then said our goodbyes and headed to Kattachira of Ranni.

Kattachira is a place similar to Thavalappara but is in the mountain forest region. Even wild elephants roam in this region. Some of the old students of that hostel also came there to see us. The students entertained us with their wonderful God given talents.

These experiences helped me to understand the value of the blessings God has showered upon us – loving parents, good homes, good schools, all kinds of material comforts, even luxuries. God has
entrusted us with many talents that we hardly use and sometimes misuse. Let us be grateful to God and strive to use every God-given talent for His glory. Let us share the God given blessings with others who are in dire need of it. Let us be fruit bearing Christians.

As a believer of Christ , how can we live our faith without compromise in a world full of temptations? In today’s fast paced world, can we possibly maintain ethical standards in business and personal integrity in our social life when external forces are constantly alluring us away from God? Extreme competition has made ethical compromise more common than ever; at school, work place, businesses etc.

As a mortal human being, with every passing day we are faced with new temptations and lethal attractions. A trip to the theatre seems more appealing than a visit to the church. Purchasing an expensive cell phone takes priority over providing for our ageing parents. If your neighbour has a new car, you go green with envy and go to any extent to buy an exquisite car! Degrading the
environment, inflicting cruelty to animals, destroying public property are crimes which we commit without even understanding its magnitude.

Recently scandals of famous politicians, journalists, sportspersons, even religious leaders have been making headlines. Who can imagine that men of such repute and position would stoop down to
cheap misconduct? They probably rationalize that their acts won’t be noticed in the grand scheme of things. Many a times this is what happens to the top notch people. They start believing that
they are all-mighty; they are supreme and ultimate! In the bargain, God and Godliness takes a back seat in their life. They forget God!

In my opinion, you can breeze through all these day to day temptations and tribulations only if God takes a supreme position in our life. The Bible and its teachings have given us a clear
understanding of right versus wrong; there are neither half rights nor half wrongs. So for us, Christians, Jesus Christ has made things easy and understandable through the scriptures;
we need not be in doubt for an answer to a problem. The Bible should be our road map in life!

If a friend tempts you to try something bad, you should have the courage and character to say a firm no! You might lose a friend, but you have established your integrity. It’s of utmost importance to establish our integrity early on in life, and never hedge on it. When we get a reputation for being non-negotiable on ethics, friends won’t even try.

In corporate life, however, things get a bit more complicated. You might be asked to lie, to cover up, to say what you did not see or hear, just to keep your job! Whenever faced with such a dilemma just remember; what is of more importance to you. Is it to climb up the corporate ladder with no integrity of character or to hold on to the cross and be a true child of God?

We have to stand up to the pressures of the world. We know what God expects. Sin is never right just because everybody else is doing it. As said in Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

These earthly temptations will only grant short time pleasures, but eventually it will leave us emotionally dry and void.

To avoid the snares of this world and the mischiefs of the enemy, we need to continue to seek God in our hearts. We need to pray daily for forgiveness and strive to live a life of holiness according to the Word of God.

With the Bible by your side and God within you, no devil will dare distract you.