Saying No Means Saying Yes

 

But as for you,

the LORD your God

has not allowed you

            to do this.

      Deuteronomy 18. 14

(Don't go there.

When God says no,

   He means exactly that.

There are profound

      and intensely personal

      reasons for it.

God knows what enslaves us.

God knows what trips us up

       and rips us apart.

But as for you.....

         Not for me.

Choosing to be faithful to God,

  by saying no to something,

means having the opportunity,

    awareness, strength and heart

                       to say yes

  to something eternally better.

We can justify just about anything

   or choose to follow God in this.

And what we opt to do

  directly influences generations

  after us.

 Faithfulness sticks.)

O LORD,

Grant us the strength and courage

to turn away from anything

that pulls us away from You.

Help us not to play with fire,

  wade into the rip-tide,

  or gaze at the greenness

     on the other side of the fence.

But empower us to be energized

   by faithfulness to You.

And be greatly aware and amazed

   by what You urge us to pursue.