Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

The Holy Spirit just gave me a theme of no excuses or explanations for this week.

Let’s begin where excuses began, with Adam.

In today’s scripture, Genesis 3:11-12 (NLT) we read…
[11] “Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?” [12] The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.”

Consider…
Let’s look at Genesis 2:15-17 (NLT) for important background to today’s scripture. It says…
[15] The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. [16] But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— [17] except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”

God gave Adam every tree to eat from except one. Yet, Adam chose God’s exception over His permission.

Worse than that, Adam actually tried to blame God for his sin. Look at Adam’s excuse again, “It was the woman you gave me”. Wow! Adam’s excuse was it’s not my fault LORD, it’s Yours.

Before we get all high and mighty in our judgement of Adam, let me offer some modern day equivalent excuses…

• God made me this way
• I’m a product of my environment
• I had a bad childhood
• Life’s not fair
• I come from a rough neighborhood
• Everybody does it

Looking at those excuses, I realize many people still indirectly blame God for their ungodly attitudes and behaviors. Their excuses usually fall into one of the following categories…

• How God made them
• Where God placed them
• Who God gave them

This realization reveals our tendency to blame God’s providence for our choice to eschew His perfect provision. Think about it…

• God provided the Garden
• God placed Adam in it
• God gave Adam the helper suitable for him

Stated in law enforcement terms, God gave Adam…

• Means
• Motive
• Opportunity

These criminal investigation terms just made me think of the most common excuse since Adam, I’m a sinner. We tend to use Psalms 51:5 (NLT), as an excuse because it says…
[5] For I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.

But the Holy Spirit is showing me that’s an invalid excuse because Genesis 1:27 (NLT) states…
[27] So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

God wants us to remember that before we were conceived in sin we were created in His image. Therefore, we need to stop blaming sin for our choices.

The Holy Spirit led me to James 1:13-15 (NLT) to emphasize our SOUL culpability…
[13] And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. [14] Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. [15] These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

Notice it’s our desires that lead to sin, not the other way around.

Returning to today’s crime scene, Adam ate the fruit because he wanted to. And rather than fess-up to his desire Adam blamed the helper, that God provided, for his mess-up.

Until we recognize sin is a heart’s desire problem, we will keep trying to treat the symptoms rather than accept the cure.

That’s why the Psalmist said in Psalms 139:23-24 (NLT)…
[23] Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. [24] Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

And also why the Apostle in Ephesians 4:21-24 (NLT) wrote…
[21] Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, [22] throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. [23] Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. [24] Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

Rather than blaming God’s help around you here on earth, confess your desires and let His Helper from above help you win over sin.

Galatians 5:16 (NLT) says it this way…
[16] So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.

As I read this verse, that I routinely cite, it occurs to me for the first time, the sinful desire doesn’t go away, the Holy Spirit just leads us away from indulging.

This reminds me of a time when I made up my mind to sin, but my car’s gas tank was on empty, and there was a ton of road construction with amber flashing warning road blocks, and there was no parking near my sinful destination. Clearly the Holy Spirit gave me multiple ways of escape. I share this confession to illustrate how the Holy Spirit tries to lead us away from the sin we desire.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT) encourages us…
[13] The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

Here’s the deal, like with Adam and me, God will show us the way out of temptation but it’s up to us to follow His directions.

Going back to Paul’s Ephesians 4 exhortation, let’s see what he tells believers to do after letting the Spirit guide them. Ephesians 4:25-32 (NLT) says…
[25] So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. [26] And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, [27] for anger gives a foothold to the devil. [28] If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. [29] Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. [30] And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. [31] Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. [32] Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Here’s the good news, following the Spirit’s leading isn’t impossible. Hebrews 4:15-16 (NLT) testifies that Jesus…
[15] This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. [16] So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

This means when overwhelming desires to sin come in, God says we can come to Him for help.

So today, when temptation comes, confess your desires to the Lord and then let Him lead you away from the sin that comes from them.

In fact to be on the safe side just let the chorus of today’s song play on a loop in your mind…

Lead me, guide me along the way;
For if You lead me, I cannot stray;
Lord, let me walk each day with Thee.
Lead me, O Lord, lead me.

Today’s song is…
Lead Me, Guide Me

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)