Key Bible Verse: Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do (Proverbs 4:23). Bonus Reading:Mark 7:14–23

Kenny, the temptation was too irresistible," Cameron said.

"What do you mean?" I inquired.

"I mean when I was alone with Mandy, it was like something else just took over. It was like I was helpless."

"Okay, Cam, let me ask you one question. Before that moment that was so powerful and tempting, how long did you have these thoughts about Mandy and the possibility of doing what you did?"

In a barely audible voice, Cameron whispered, "Six months."

Bingo!

There's no such thing as an irresistible temptation. The reality is that most men who fail do so because they construct scenarios in their minds long before actually acting on one of them. The temptation itself isn't intrinsically irresistible. The dazzling number of mental machinations ahead of time, however, weakens our wills to the point of total vulnerability.

Because God knows how powerful He designed our minds to be, He commands us to take great care in what we allow our minds to dwell upon. It is a force, God tells us, that will determine our personal destinies.

My Response: Have I allowed my mind to edge into off-limits territory? How can I corral it?

Thought to Apply: Temptation usually comes in through a door that has deliberately been left open.