One Day at a Time or ...

One Concession at a Time
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Christians always speak of “One Day at a Time”. Cristy Lane's version of the song was the most popular. The first part of the chorus goes like this:
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“One day at a time sweet Jesus
That's all I'm asking from you.
Just give me the strength
To do everyday what I have to do.
Yesterday's gone sweet Jesus
And tomorrow may never be mine.
Lord help me today, show me the way
One day at a time. “
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You're a Christian now! You have made it and you can go on with your life. Satan has been put behind you, so you think.
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Matthew (KJV) 6:23 “But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offense unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. 24Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
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Scenario: Peter had just confessed Christ as the Son of God. Jesus then blessed Peter because what Peter had just said was from God in Heaven. Peter was just given the “keys of Heaven” by Jesus, then what happened?
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Jesus described his persecution, death and resurrection! Peter said “this shall not be”. Peter was finding fault with God's conduct. How dare him to know better than God. As you can see from 6:23 above, Jesus said “Get thee behind me, Satan” or more correctly “get thee behind me, adversary” or “opponent”. Peter was a Christian and cannot be of “Satan” because his belief made him righteous. However, his salvation doesn't mean that he can't be wrong! Peter was dead wrong.
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You see, when you become a Christian, you don't automatically become “all-knowing” and “all-wise”. You are are what's called a “babe in Christ”.
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1 Corinthians (KJV) 3:1 “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.”
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As an immature Christian you haven't grown in the Spirit. You haven't studied God's Word enough to have grown in your relationship to Christ. That takes time and work. You still have that “carnal” or worldly nature. Satan is the ruler of this world. Jesus rules a Christian, but he doesn't do that for the unsaved. You are just a newborn in your path with Christ, and with that you need to follow the advice of God with the aid of those who're mature Christians. You grow in your walk “one day at a time”! Satan will throw boulders in your path all the time. He threw one at Peter and Jesus was displeased!
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I've seen many new Christians get saved. That's a good thing! However, they fail to take that “one day at a time” with Jesus and seek growth. They hang onto old lifestyles and old beliefs. They spout in defense of the world in their ignorance. Many new Christians do the same things and believe the same things they always believed. They're not unsaved, but are like Peter. They're confused about God's will. God wants a Christian to become a new man or woman and start questioning old beliefs.
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Satan doesn't attack your life before you're born again. You're already his and he rewards you for it. Life can be quite fun and pleasurable. Satan starts his attack right after you're saved and he chips away at you “one concession at a time”. If you sin in one area, the next step is to increase the depth of your sin. Yes, Christians still sin. It's your job to obey and minimize that sin. You're to be Christlike!
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The best example for me was my smoking when I was a young Christian. While “smoking Christians” are still Christians, Satan can use that to attack you and take you one concession closer to him. I thought many times “Well, I smoke and I may as well do this (deeper sin) too, since I've already failed!' Then I would turn around and do something more seriously wrong in God's eyes. Satan loves for us to fail! It diminishes Jesus in your life.
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I had a friend who rationalized the music to which he was listening. He loved “Rock and Roll”. He went spastic when I told him that there can't be “Rock and Roll” in heaven. Why? “Rock and Roll” means “backseat sex”. Rock and Roll is of the world. It belongs to Satan. The unclean cannot be in Heaven because that's God's world and nothing foul can be there.
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Get used to it! Your old beliefs are likely wrong. If you're wrong in your beliefs you're an opponent of God. Test everything by God's Word. You can become Satan's “one concession at a time” until Jesus has no part in your life. Live for Jesus. Listen to Him and obey. “Take up your cross” and grow with Him “One Day at a Time”.