How To Overcome Excuses. Part [14] 03/27/2026 (Morning thought)

James 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

[The Great Controversy pp 489] If those who hide and excuse their faults could see how Satan exults over them, how he taunts Christ and holy angels with their course, they would make haste to confess their sins and to put them away. Through defects in the character, Satan works to gain control of the whole mind, and he knows that if these defects are cherished, he will succeed.

Therefore, he is constantly seeking to deceive the followers of Christ with his fatal sophistry that it is impossible for them to overcome. Let none, then, regard their defects as incurable. God will give faith and grace to overcome them…. [The Desire of Ages pp 125] While Satan can solicit, he cannot compel to sin. Unless Christ should consent to temptation, He could not be overcome. Not all the power of earth or hell could force Him in the slightest degree to depart from the will of His Father.

The tempter can never compel us to do evil. He cannot control minds unless they are yielded to his control. The will must consent, faith must let go its hold upon Christ, before Satan can exercise his power upon us….. In preparation for the great final conflict, the habit of making excuses for our failures should become a thing of the past for as was stated before, persons who will be living at that time, and those who would stand like the brave, with their face to the foe, must have Christ fully formed within, to survive without blemish.

James 3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!

How To Overcome Excuses. Part [13] 03/27/2026 (Evening thought)

James 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

After reading all of this, where Jesus didn’t have any sleep since the evening before, let’s now stack it up against the following scenario. A Christian has only gotten five hours of sleep, and then, the following day at work, he is shouted down by a fellow worker who uses the N word and racial epithets to demean him in the eyes of his fellow workers. He immediately blows a fuse and vows revenge, as he shakes with rage, because the hurtful words have touched a raw nerve.

Later on, when asked by his boss why he behaved in this manner, he excuses his behavior by saying he did not get enough sleep the night before, and as a result, his nerves were frayed. There are some excerpts and some passages which we will have to read at this moment, because, even though a lack of sleep, hunger and thirst and volatile situations can all add up quickly, the Christian must beware of using these as excuses for blowing a fuse.

James 3:7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind. 8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

James 3:14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15 This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

May God add His blessing to the study of His word. “Good night” and God bless!