Overcome Sin In Your Life

“Take FULL responsibility and confess it to God. He promises to forgive sin that we confess (1 John 1: 9)

“STOP doing it Proverbs 28:13 tells us that we find mercy when we CONFESS and also forsake our sin.

“Ask for forgiveness from anyone who has been hurt because of your bad choice.

“Put some protection or limits in your life that will help you not to start again. Get guidance from spiritual people for help, solutions, and accountability.

“Start spending time each day in prayer, reading the Bible, and listening or reading spiritual and biblically sound teachings. “

Rick Warren

If we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior we are in Christ; we are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). God forgives us and He purifies us.

From there, God begins a work of sanctification in us — that is, He sets us apart for Himself. It is a lifelong process. And yes, we are always tempted, but the power to obey the Word of God and resist the devil is there.

Often the Holy Spirit shows us things in our life that are not pleasing to God. So we try to change, but it seems like nothing changes. The more we try on our own, the more we fail. In the end we are like the man described in the Bible who tried to please God on his own but was unsuccessful.

” For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing…For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? … “(Romans 7:19, 22-24, ESV)

The solution to this problem? “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. (Romans 7:25)

But, how “by Jesus”?

When we repent of our sins and give ourselves totally to Jesus, believing that He is the Son of God, that He died for our sins, and that He rose again, God is making a change in our life. The potential for change is there. The power to change is there, but we must make take possession of what God offers us.

” You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

“12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.. (Romans 8: 9-14)

In short, in your own strength you are not able to overcome sin, but if you truly give yourself to the Lord Jesus by faith, the strength is there to overcome all kinds the sin. He will help you. He has given you a new spiritual heart.

And if you fall, do not be afraid to repent by asking forgiveness from God. How many times will He forgive you. The number of times needed. (1 John 1: 9–2: 1) “Lord, I pray for my friend. I pray that he will repent of his sin and turn to You with all his heart. The sin in his life is overcome in Jesus’ Name. Our Lord has already conquered sin at the Cross of Calvary. The devil is the father of lies but You, Lord Jesus, You are the way, THE TRUTH, and the life. Thank you Jesus for what You are doing in my friend’s life right now. »

Here are some“ down to earth ”things you can do:

* Pick a time and read the Bible and pray every day. Even if you don’t have much time, do it.

Confess your sin to someone spiritual, your pastor, or a mature man or woman in Christ. Not everyone is mature enough for this. Ask the Lord who you can talk to.  “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” (James 5:16, ESV)

* Ask a friend in Christ to pray with you and become responsable to him. He can ask you every week, “How are you doing in this area?” You phone him when you’re tempted.

* Be diligent in attending meetings of your church. And if you do fall … this is especially when you need the assembly.

* If there is a place or people or activities that make you fall, avoid them.

* If you fall, repent, accept the Lord’s forgiveness, and get up and go again. Do this even if you have to do it multiple times. (1 John 2: 1)

* Be serious looking to the Lord for deliverance and not yourself. “As we look at God, we don’t see each other – a blessed riddance. The man who has struggled to purify himself and has had only repeated failures will experience real relief when he stops tinkering with his soul and looks away to the perfect. As he looks at Christ, the very things that he has been trying to do for so long will be done in him. It will be God working in him to want and do. » A. W. Tozer

Trust in the Lord Jesus. He’s on your side. He loves you so much and He is for you. You are not alone in the fight. The strength is in Christ.

“9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 1: 9-2: 1)

Two things are necessary: God’s call on our life and the will to move forward in that call by faith and in obedience.

When we’re young we often figure we need to get a bit older before we do God’s will. When we’re old we figure it’s too late. We’ve done our part. Let the young people do it. 

Someone forgot to tell God about the ‘truth’ of those statements.

Lois Prater felt God’s call to missions when she was 15 years old. She went to Bible college to prepare and was already preaching but then she met this fellow and well, you know the story. He didn’t have the same commitment to the Lord as she did. But, she was going to change him. Yeah.

So, for most of her life she was a stay-at-home mom, still loving the Lord. But missions…? 

Then in 1988, her husband died. And those old missionary stirrings began to rumble in her heart. Now, well into her seventies, she went on a short organized missions trip to China, then on two other trips to the Philippines. This last journey lasted a year as she preached in the churches and served where she could.

One day a desperate man came to her and offered to sell his baby for the equivalent of $40. Lois’s heart reacted. She gave the man some money to help feed his family and helped him find a job. But she knew she had to do more.

“Lord, I’m too old to go now,” she thought. 

Still, in the Spring of 1991, she went home to Washington state in the U.S. and sold her house, car, and furniture with the idea of building an orphanage in the Philippines. It wasn’t easy. “I struggled, but I knew that what I was trying to do was something much more important than hanging onto [my] faded couch,” Prater said.

By 1994 land had been purchased and a building erected. At the age of 80, she became mama to what was eventually hundreds of Filipino children. She tackled all kinds of administrative problems, cultural problems, and some major health problems before finally turning the now well-established ministry over to another director when she was nearly 90.

Though she returned to the U.S. to live with her daughter she still made periodic visits to the orphanage.

Too old? Well …

Let someone younger do it? No one younger stepped up.

“I didn’t know anything about business, about building an orphanage,” Prater observed. “All along, I’ve just trusted in God, and He’s answered my prayers. I did what I could do, and God did the rest.”

Too Young?

But, how about those who are too young?

Well, David was probably a teenager when he cut Goliath down to size. Jeremiah surely wasn’t ready to speak to the nation at his age. At least, he didn’t think so. God thought so, though.

“Before I shaped you in the womb,
I knew all about you.
Before you saw the light of day,
I had holy plans for you:
A prophet to the nations—
that’s what I had in mind for you.”

But I said, “Hold it, Master God! Look at me.
I don’t know anything. I’m only a boy!”

God told me, “Don’t say, ‘I’m only a boy.’
I’ll tell you where to go and you’ll go there.
I’ll tell you what to say and you’ll say it.
Don’t be afraid of a soul.
I’ll be right there, looking after you.”
God’s Decree.

God reached out, touched my mouth, and said,
“Look! I’ve just put my words in your mouth—hand-delivered!
See what I’ve done? I’ve given you a job to do.”
(Jeremiah 1:5-10, Message version)

Old? Young? We serve a God who dwells outside of time. He’s not nearly as concerned about how many candles you will blow out this year as you are.

Two things are necessary: God’s call on our life and the will to move forward in that call by faith. In obedience. In obedience!

Too old? Too young? No education? 

Eighty-year-old Moses heard God’s call to deliver His people. You may feel like Him. “Oh, Master, please! Send somebody else!” (Exodus 4:13, the Message). His buddy Caleb wasn’t so hesitant 45 years later, “Here I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day…” (Joshua 14:10-12, NKJV)

When God speaks, He’s not asking your age or your qualifications. He just wants to hear, “Yes, Lord.” He’ll take care of the rest as you go in faith.

Consulted: Herald.net Everett, Washington; Charisma magazine; Christian Science Monitor
Photo by Cristian Newman on Unsplash

________________________

Hmmm…

Someone said that at the age of 20 we have the face that nature gave us. At 50 we have the face we deserve. 

Would you permit me to launch into a flight of imagination?

What’s that noise? Hunting dogs? Oh, no!

My heart pounds double time as I race through the forest, the sound of the hounds drawing nearer all the time. Branches slap my face and briars rip my skin but fear propels me forward.

They’re baying right at my heels. I’ll never outrun them so I turn to face my pursuers—two enormous hounds bearing down on me. I brace myself, eyes squeezed shut, waiting for the impact of their attack and the pain on their knife-like teeth.

Then …

Well, they stop, raise up on their hind legs, and put their paws on my shoulders. Then they start licking me! Big, sloppy, drooly licks. I look at them and see fondness in their eyes. Wiping off slobbers, I reach to read the nametags hanging on their necks.

The one on the left is called “Goodness” and the “one on the right has a long name: “Mercy and Unfailing Love.”

Hmmm, that’s not what I expected.

You’re Being Pursued

If you love the Lord, did you know that something is chasing you? “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.” (Psalms 23:6 NKJV)

The Message version says, “ “Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life.” Here’s another rendering, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” (NLT)

The word translated “follow” is râdaph in Hebrew, the original language of the psalm. According to Strong’s lexicon, some of its various usages are: to run after (usually with hostile intent; figuratively (of time) gone by): – chase, put to flight, follow (after, on), hunt, (be under) persecute (-ion, -or), pursue (-r).

Might we translate it, goodness and mercy hunt me all day?

I spent a lot of my life ducking and hoping God wouldn’t thump me if I got out of line. Look at the rest of Psalm 23. Does this sound like a God who is looking for a chance to whack you?

I’d say He’s sent his “twins”—goodness and mercy—to slurp you with His kindness. Look what He does for you: “No lack, rest, restoration, righteous life, no fear, God’s presence, God’s power for you, provision even when enemies are there, Spirit anointing (the Living Bible sees this head anointed with oil as the way people welcomed guests in that day, “You have welcomed me as your guest; blessings overflow!), more than enough, goodness and mercy, eternal life with the Lord.”

“Sluuuurp, sluuurp!”

Wow! Bring out the towels! His blessings are dripping all over us.

Here’s a song that’s been pursuing me lately:

*Goodness of God

I love You, Lord

For Your mercy never failed me

All my days, I’ve been held in Your hands

From the moment that I wake up

Until I lay my head

Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

And all my life You have been faithful

And all my life You have been so, so good

With every breath that I am able

Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

…

‘Cause Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me

Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me

With my life laid down, I’m surrendered now

I give You everything

…

Some of us are running from God’s blessings. Those blessings are revitalization “vehicles,” to renew and refill us. Sometimes it is a messenger with God’s purpose for our life we’re running from (Jonah) Often it’s just God wanting to love on us (our kids attract our hugs).

If you’re running from God maybe you ought to stop, turn and look. You might find that God’s goodness, mercy and love, have been trailing you, wanting a chance to show you how much He loves you.

Listen to the song: “The Goodness of God”

Hmmm …

“Lord, I don’t ever want to presume upon Your goodness and not ask for Your blessings.” Stormy Ormatin, Praying the Bible into your life

*Source: MusixmatchSongwriters: Ed Cash; Ben Fielding; Jason Ingram; Brian Johnson; Jenn Johnson Bethel Music

Image by Roman Michael Gottfried from Pixabay __

Sometimes hilarious things happen during water baptismal services.

I had a friend who pastored a small church that didn’t have a baptismal tank. They needed to baptize some new believers so they borrowed the baptistery of a nearby church. The service was scheduled at the borrowed church.

That baptistery hadn’t been used in a long time so my friend went the day before and cleaned it. That proved to be wise because it had been a while since the pool had been used and it was dirty.

Did I mentioned that they killed a scorpion while cleaning? 

Baptism day arrived and it proved unforgettable. A little lady entered the baptistery with him. He plunged her into the water and as he was bringing her out he noticed something big and hairy next to his foot.

Shock rippled through him. His cleaning experience from the day before caused him to see a giant tarantula or some other malevolent creature. He wanted to jump out of the water but with Spartan discipline he held steady like a good soldier of the Lord.

Then he glanced at the lady he had just baptized and realized something was different. He looked at the harry ball in the water again. That was no spider next to his foot. The lady had left her wig in bowels of the baptistry.

Strange things happen when you baptize people.

Baptism Represents Change

Lots of things happened when we were baptized into Christ. When we were plunged into the water, it symbolized our death to ourselves. That’s what repentance is all about. We confess our sin and God forgives us.

When we came up out of the water that symbolized Jesus‘s resurrection. It symbolized ours, too. Baptism reminds us that we have a brand-new life in Jesus and the potential to defeat sin is there.

When Jesus came into our heart we moved into a new world and became a new person. (2 Corinthians 5) Jesus is, “…able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25, NKJV)

Forgiven. Washed clean. Full of the life of Christ. Declared righteous before God because of Jesus. God’s children. Full access to the throne of God’s grace. The spirit of God dwelling within us.

New creatures.

And this life principle continues to work in us each day of our life.

We choose daily to die to what doesn’t please God in our life, to hurting other people. And His Spirit dwelling within us gives us power to live for the Lord to serve and add value to other people’s life. 

We choose to live in Christ. We talk about the crucified life, and that is good. It just doesn’t go far enough. We need to live the resurrected life. You’d be useless if you had stayed in the bottom of the baptistery. Dead even.

The Resurrected Life

We are new creatures in Jesus. We live to do his will. Yes, we fight against the dead man. Yes we fight against temptation to sin and selfishness. But we have the power of the Spirit of God in us, enabling us to live like a new man or woman. God’s man and God’s woman.

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

“It stands to reason, doesn’t it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he’ll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ’s!

So don’t you see that we don’t owe this old do-it-yourself life one red cent. There’s nothing in it for us, nothing at all. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life. God’s Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go!

15-17 This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. (Rom. 8:11-16, The Message)

Hmmm …

“But there’s one nagging reason that keeps many of us from moving ahead in life. It’s our thoughts: those seemingly insignificant sentences that pass through the mind, greatly influencing everything we say and do. From our thoughts, we hear messages that can propel us toward great accomplishments and positive change . . . or drag us into a negative spiral.” H. Norman Wright

Image: Image by alexramos10 from Pixabay

This is going to sound weird but when we first went to language school in Albertville, France many years ago, I was confused. I couldn’t figure out which direction God was when I prayed.

I never really thought of it before but when I prayed back in the good old USA, I just had the sense that God was there. I couldn’t have pointed to the direction but my heart knew where He was.

In those majestic mountains of France, I couldn’t get oriente, though. That might have been because we lived on the side of a mountain.

My experience seemed out of whack because when you leave all to follow Christ you’re supposed to have a joyful sense of God’s presence 24/24. A free pass into His presence.

Right? Well, I didn’t.

Change Can Disorient Us

I know now that a lot of it had to do with changes that were going on in my life. Tough challenges faced Phyllis and me and our three small children. Spiritual changes, physical changes, psychological changes, ‘positional’ changes.

They taught us about culture shock in missions school but mine was more of a “positional shock.” My superstructure had been dismantled. Family left behind. Hobbies. Church. Au revoir.

From an important leader in the church I pastored, I had sunk to trying to formulate sentences in French that a kindergartener could say. “Où sont les toilettes?” for example.

So, when I prayed, this strange question haunted me: “Where is God?”

I am glad to report that I found him, or maybe he found me. But you know what? Sometimes I still feel like God is lost. Or more likely I am lost. Where can I find him at times like this because I sure need Him?

Others Lost, Too

Can you believe it? I’m not the only one who has ever had this problem.

“Their taunts pierce me like a fatal wound; again and again they scoff, “Where is that God of yours?” (Psalm 42:10, Living Bible) And the man after God’s own heart cries out, “O God, my God! How I search for you! How I thirst for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. How I long to find you!” (Psalms 63:1, LB)

Today some of you may feel like you don’t know where God is. I’ve got good news for you. He’s there with you. You may not sense His presence. You may not see him. But he’s not leaving you. He loves you too much. He is working for you. He is your Father, and you’re his incredibly loved child.

You say, “David, I’ve screwed up. I’ve sinned.” Repent then. God will hear your prayer (1 John 1:9). Often sin isn’t the problem, though. Life is.

We all have times when our emotions either don’t work or they betray us and join our enemies.

What God Has To Say About It

Is God still there? Before you consult your feelings, consult something much more reliable—God’s Word.

–He promised to be with us in the Covid-19 epidemic, even when we can’t get to the hairdresser. “I will be your God through all your lifetime, yes, even when your hair is white …” (Isa. 46:4 LB) (Sorry, I’ll get serious again).

–“For God has said, ‘I will never, never fail you nor forsake you.’ That is why we can say without any doubt or fear, “’The Lord is my Helper, and I am not afraid of anything that mere man can do to me.’” (Heb. 13:5, 6 NIV)

–God revealed Himself to Ezekiel and His people by the name, “Jehovah Shammah,” the Lord is there. (Ezekiel 48:35) He’s not the “way off God.” He’s the God who never leaves the side of His people.

–“Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matt. 28:20, NLT)

When we hang onto to the truth of Jesus’ presence in tough times we get reoriented. We know “where” to pray. If you feel like you’re spinning round and round inside, give it a try. Cry out to Him, expecting Him to hear you.

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Hmmm …

“In short, God will either give us what we ask or give us what we would have asked if we knew everything he knew.” Tim Keller

Smile

Life is short … pray hard!