sin

                                                                                    

                                         Sin

Sin is like a hole; we jump in and realize that it’s deeper than we thought. We wind up breaking something and we need help getting out. God gets us out and heals us so that we can continue walking, but we have a limp. If we keep walking we’ll make it, but we’ll never be the same and we have to live with some things in spite of being rescued and healed. We can avoid it though: stay away from sin ... it’s deeper than it looks!

WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!

                                                                        Wake Up

All throughout history in any war that has lasted for a long period of time, once the momentum has swung convincingly to one side, the rules of engagement are abandoned and horrible atrocities are committed. Once desperation has set in, we witness human nature at its worst, attempted genocide, rape, maiming, and murder of non combatants. We see the destruction of infrastructure, agriculture, wiping out of live stock, burning down homes, all for the sole purpose of destroying any chance of a future for “the winning side”. What does this have to do with you? Simple, whether you believe in air, gravity, or the spiritual realm they are very real! After the most recent event where an entire first grade class was taken from this world, maybe half of the class of 2020 and 2024 from one town will be missing, because of a horrible act by a broken man used by a desperate enemy. This was a clear sign of desperation; and the scariest thing is and the question that came to my mind is: is the devil more sensitive to what’s going on as far as God’s will than we are? So much so that we see a sense of urgency by the devil unmatched & unanswered by the Christian world. Is it possible that he’s becoming more & more desperate in the face of his impending doom and we are becoming more comfortable, complacent and disconnected? If he’s worried, shouldn’t we be paying closer attention as to why? Are we missing something? If we are, is it because we’ve fallen asleep at, or abandoned, our post completely? If this is true, how can the devil be more aware, or have a better sense of, what God is doing than God’s own people – praying, church-going people? Just because the battle is the Lord’s doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be paying attention. I was convicted & repented again for all the time I waste. I should wear glasses (even though I’ve claimed my healing … LOL seriously); I can  see the world better spiritually than I ever could physically. All I have to do is the hardest easiest thing I’ve ever tried to do, draw closer to the only hope of real safety, real security, real peace possible, Jesus Christ!

Romans 13:11-14 Amplified Bible (AMP) ¹¹ Besides this you know what [a critical] hour this is, how it is high time now for you to wake up out of your sleep (rouse to reality). For salvation (final deliverance) is nearer to us now than when we first believed (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Christ, the Messiah).¹² The night is far gone and the day is almost here. Let us then drop (fling away) the works and deeds of darkness and put on the [full] armor of light.¹³ Let us live and conduct ourselves honorably and becomingly as in the [open light of] day, not in reveling (carousing) and drunkenness, not in immorality and debauchery (sensuality and licentiousness), not in quarreling and jealousy.¹⁴ But clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah), and make no provision for [indulging] the flesh [put a stop to thinking about the evil cravings of your physical nature] to [gratify its] desires (lusts).

Adultery? One of the main things I’ve learned in reading and studying about Jesus is that He wanted us to go deeper, read between the lines, so to speak. With answers like Matt. 5:28, “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Verse 32, “But I tell you that any man who divorces his wife, except for the problem of sexual sin, is causing his wife to be guilty of adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman is guilty of adultery.” Verse 37, “Say only yes if you mean yes, and no if you mean no. If you say more than yes or no, it is from the Evil One.” These were not the answers the person asking was looking for. They thought He was just gonna recite the word verbatim, but Christ went below the surface with His answers. This wasn’t some preacher interpreting God’s word; this was God telling us what He meant. Verses like these encouraged, motivated & challenged me to look at life differently across the board. Then one day at work I found myself in a convo about relationships & the thought I’m about to share came to me. I encourage you to think about, pray about, search the word and if the shoe fits … take it off!

To all of us out there with BFs, wifies, girl friends, you got a “man” that you “love” and he or she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to you until the next thing that happens to you: Think about this, if God made one man for every one woman and you are in a relationship, monogamous or otherwise, you’re giving yourself physically & yes even spiritually, you invest time, resources, emotions, secrets, pictures, etc … then you break up & move on to the next one. Some might say that this cycle helps you learn what to do & what not to, or that the sexual experience will help you on your wedding night. But, one, the Bible never mentions dating, just courting (look for yourself); two, you’re really practicing divorce; & three, you may be committing adultery. “But we’re not married; it might be fornication but not adultery.” They’re both sin & sin is sin. Verily I say unto you, if you believe that God can see the past, present & future at the same time, isn’t that person somebody’s husband/wife? Just because you don’t know him/her yet, if you’re having sex with someone who is not your husband/wife, you’re having sex with someone else’s husband/wife. That is adultery! The point is that a lot of people live in this cycle & the hope is that they walk out of it & on to the road that leads to Heaven. But Heaven is the end of the road; on the way, is the man or woman God created for you, the kids, the ministries & the process that will see you become a man or woman after God’s own heart. Matthew 6:33 Easy-to-Read Version (ERV), “What you should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what He wants you to do. Then He will give you all these other things you need.” I applied this just in time, all thanks to God, just before I met my wife. I only suggest what works for me & God doesn’t love me more than He loves you. So, if He will do it for me, He will do it for you! By: Glen Jenkins