IBS Hebrews 13:5 (2-12-14)

Inductive Bible Study Method for Hebrews 13:5 (2-12-2014)

“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

This verse says to let your conduct be without covetousness. Coveting is a sinful act of the heart. Matthew 15:18 says “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.” If my heart is full of envy, jealousy and covetousness, then my actions are going to show those things - no matter how hard I try to hold it inside. 

There is no way that I can have a grateful, thankful, content heart without the help of the Holy Spirit. My flesh lusts after so many things and the only way to stop is to do what 2 Corinthians 10:5 says to do - “...bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ...” If it doesn’t stop at the thought process, then where does it stop? I love the song Slow Fade by Casting Crowns. One of my favorite lines is: The journey from your mind to your hands is shorter than you’re thinking, be careful if you think you stand - you just might be sinking.

Jesus said that He will never leave us nor forsake us. This is incredibly comforting. No matter what I do, where I came from, how much sin has ensnared me - His blood cleansed all of my sins and now He won’t ever abandon me. This doesn’t mean that we can sin all we want and He’ll have to stay with us - Romans 6:1-2 says “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?”

I am prideful in thinking that I could never do certain sins - but all it takes is one sinful thought. This thought leads to more thoughts, which leads to words, which leads to actions. Everyone knows Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Pastor Mike said (I’m paraphrasing) “Staying scared of falling into sin is the only way to make sure we don’t.” If we sin, it’s not the end of the world - but if after that happens, we don’t repent then our conscience will be hardened and we’ll resist the Holy Spirit. 

This study cut straight to my heart. I sat down to work on this IBS this morning and in the middle of a sentence, the Holy Spirit asked that I share my testimony today. I have known since I arrived at Ignite that I would have to (get to) share, but I’ve been dreading it and struggling with what I should say. I pray that my testimony will be one that shows how much Christ has changed my life from what it once was. I pray that this gives glory to Jesus - my God can do anything. 

My entire life, I’ve been told by my parents that whatever I put into myself is going to come out eventually. I got hooked on pornography at 13 - I knew it was wrong yet I ignored the Holy Spirit’s tugging on my conscience. I hardened my heart for 4 years, and refused to give it up. I contemplated suicide a few times because of the hopeless cycle of trying to change myself and constantly failing. I knew in my spirit that I couldn’t fix the problem myself, yet in my flesh, I didn’t want to be held accountable. 

When I couldn’t go on any longer, I gave up. I told Jesus that I needed serious help. I told my parents and their reaction was not at all what I expected. I feared that they wouldn’t love me anymore and that they would look at me differently. They told me that they loved me no matter what and they helped me by keeping me accountable. 

Even though I repented and was being held accountable, I fell into sin a few months ago. What’s in the heart ends up coming out of the mouth and in actions if you’re not extremely cautious. I thought I was above sinning and therefore stumbled. I had my first boyfriend in November of last year and we fell into sin by being intimate - emotionally and physically. We were forced to break up by both sets of our parents a month before coming here - but I am SO thankful that it ended when it did. 

I wish I could take back those years of rebellion against God. I was saved, but my heart was hardened. I see now that God makes beauty from my ugliest ashes. If those things hadn’t happened, I would not be dependent on God and I would not be broken. I used to have a false mentality of myself - that I really wasn’t that bad of a person. Seeing that I am capable of any sin has humbled me and has given me SO much awe and love for Christ. I will never know how much it cost for Jesus to pay for all my sin and I am growing closer to Him every day. 

He has been showing me that He needs to have my whole heart and that He truly wants the best for me. He wants me to be content in Him. There’s a void in my heart - and in every human being’s heart - that only Christ can fill. I need to stop trying to fill that with things other than Him. He needs to be the sole reason I live. I am going to thank Him every morning for cleansing my sins and ask Him to be the reason I live.