Appropriations Today's Three-minute Bible Study Print, Study and Apply Title: Appropriations -------------------------------------- Date: 11/18/2000 Keywords:    "debt" "impulsive" "moral" "payment" Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. Passage: Colossians 1:21-23* 21. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation-- 23. if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. Questions 1. Have you ever made a foolish purchase with a credit card?   2. If someone offered to clear your account, what would you do?   Practical help Credit card debt can be a striking analogy to moral debt when you struggle with a pornography habit. Actually, they can be more intertwined than most want to admit. Often a credit card can be used to get something right now that you can't afford. You impulsively decide you have to have something, go into debt for it, and quickly realize you don't want it anymore. Now what? Now the bill's due with interest! A monthly reminder of how stupid you were. Our previous study had some great news. (Click here, to see it.) God offers you a 'Get out of debt free' card to pay your moral debt. It's an opportunity to pay the bill incurred for all those impulsive clicks to porn central. The key here, though, is God's not treating you like a puppet. You have free will to get into debt, and you have free will to accept his gift of getting out. That's one of the Apostle Paul's points in verse 23 above. The debt has been paid but you have to appropriate the payment. Once you do that, faith will keep you established and firm. You'll have a hope that cannot be moved. eXXit homepage Index of three-minute studies Copyright 2000 by eXXit *Scriptures are from The Holy Bible: New International Version © Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. All rights reserved.