sin sucks!!!!!
Didnt know any better way to put it!!!! Sin just totally reeks!!!! it is waaaayyyyyyyyyyyy more than just doing a bad thing or thinking bad thoughts. it is so all-pervasive and infiltrates us atthe very core of our being. We don't just *commit* sins we *ARE* sinners. Sin gets such little attention in the world today, and so many act as if there is no God, no spiritual reality, no eternity. Amazing in what is supposed to be the most advanced society and culture ever we are so in the stone ages still spiritually so much of the time it seems. I wonder about Pauls statement in Romans where he says *the good i want to do i dont and the bad i dont want to do i do* He leaves it so very ambiguous!!!! I mean come on Paul, were you fornicating, being a glutton,stealing,committing adultery what???? He already had been a murderer while he was Saul persecuting christians. I think he left it vague for a reason. Don't we all struggle with certain sins??? Some are just either able to be hidden or socaillyacceptable. How do you allow the Holy Spirit to impact you even when struggling with sin??? How do you turn off the megaphone that screams *hypocrite fake liar fAilure grace abuser * and countless other rotten accusations and overcome the desire to sin and the lure it seems to have??
So odd that alot of us are prone to be tempted by different things. Some and o please thank God you are free of this temptation if you are are NOT even slightly tempted by sexual things!!!! Some have no temptation for food or anger or fear or perfectionism. o a whole litany of sins out there. How do you ignore the enemies noise and tune in to Gods call even right after having sinned??? God does not change His attitude toward us no matter what sin we have done well unless its the unpardonable sin, and He wants to restore us to fellowship with Him ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is not He who has the problem, our own shame,guilt,pride, selfish desire all get in the way of humbly coming to Him, confessing and truly repenting and seeking renewed relationship. A verse says somewhere i think its in 1 Peter, *he who has suffered in the flesh is done with sin* or close to it. I need to examine that verse more closely. I have times where temptation comes and i realize God has given me the escape and i use it. Other times it happens and i grit my teeth and say oh man God you know this is tough just need to do it a weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee lil bitttttttttttttttttt sheesh sound familiar to anyone?????
I am sensing God really working in and on me to help me turn over an addiction to HIm and leave it with Him. As well as His power to really lead me to be free from the paralyzation fear has had on me!!!!! I KNOW so many prayers are aiding in this!!!!!!! I thank any and all who pray for me and i am so thankful to be able to pray for many of you!!!!!! LET US NEVER UNDERESTIMATE POWER OF PRAYER!!!!!!!!!!
posted by Robert @ 10:17 PM
3 Comments:
CS Lewis talks about the U-Turn.....you're probably coming up on one...lean into it...PRAYING for you ...becky
Dang, Roberto - this is a killer post! So right on, so right where I am, so bold. Yep, I can relate and I am praying for you as I know you are for me.
We can overcome sin if we allow HIM to give us the way out when tempted. It's just so hard to make that choice, it ultimately does come down to us.
We don't just *commit* sins we *ARE* sinners.
I dont know, Robert. Thats a popular refrain of tulip people, but I think the scriptures say that when we are born again that we become a new creation, the old has passed away, behold, all things are made new. Peter says we are given everything pertaining to life and godliness. Jesus, Paul, Peter... they all challenge us to a life of victory and loving obedience to the ways of God. In his letter to Titus, Paul said that,
"Tit 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.
Tit 3:3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."
The true grace of God doesnt just change our position before God. It changes our hearts and empowers us to to walk in victory over sin. Sinless perfection? No. Consistent and growing victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil? Yes.
I apologize for seeming to be argumentative here in your blog. I just get weary of our calvinized American version of Christianity that seems more focused on our "total depravity" than His total victory. He came to set us free from our sin, not just the guilt of our sin. The Spirit of the living God lives inside us. We forget that Romans 7 is immediately followed by Romans 8. I dont want to get into a debate. I just encourage you to focus on His strength in you rather than your weakness in your flesh.
How do you see yourself? Are you a sinner who struggles to love God? Or are you a lover of God who struggles with sin? Those are hugely different perspectives. I believe that God wants us to walk in the latter. As I read back over your blog entry, I think you walk in this. I just want to encourage you to let the Holy Spirit fill your heart with the knowledge of His desire and power to lead you into all that He has for you.
I havent achieved this by any stretch of the imagination, but with Paul, "I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own... I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
Obviously, from the title of your blog, you are reaching for the same.
Blessings.
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