LEARNING DAILY

 

Romans 7:24-25, O wretched man that I am!  Who will deliver me from this body of death?  I thank God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!  So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

 

There it is the “agony of defeat and the thrill of victory” (for those who remember the Wide World of Sports).  All of us have known the agony of defeat by sin that continues to show up in our lives.  We agonize over words spoken or actions done after giving our lives to Christ because we know that is sin.  Go back and read Paul’s description of doing what he knows he is not to do in Romans 7.

 

I wrote earlier that knowing the need to extend GRACE to others brings me face to face with the sin in my life.  It makes me remember all the GRACE God has extended to me through Jesus Christ; that is the thrill of victory that Paul wrote of in the verses above.  It is important to know where all those feeling that come when we sin is from Satan, the father of lies.  He will tell you that no Christian will say those things. No Christian will think that way or do those things.  He wants you to be embarrassed and feel guilty about your struggles and doing some of your old habits.  He will tell you that God is tired of your struggles and continual asking for forgiveness. 

 

Please let me remind you of what the Lord Jesus Christ provision for you as He died for you on the Cross of Calvary.  He took your place, dying for every sin you have ever made, your present sinfulness and every sin you will commit in the future.   The Bible is clear that He knew you and is willing to call you His –even knowing each and every mistake that you will ever make.  That is GRACE!

 

Paul is writing in Romans 7 about the present time in his life; he was not writing about something he had done in his past.  He was under attack from Satan just like you and I are every day.  Do not give in to the accusation of Satan.  You are a child of God!  Do not question what the Bible tells you about how to act; do not question the authority of it over your life. God is not really concerned about our comfort or what is convenient for you.  He knows better than you what is best for you and each of you must place our faith and trust in Him each day. 

 

What He directs us to do in His Word is for our protection.  When struggles come, place your trust in Him knowing He knows what is best.  I often think I know what is best for me to do and as a result the ugly, selfish, and sinful side of me is revealed.  Can anyone relate?  I relate to Paul when He said, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”  Max Lucado wrote, “We are helpless to battle sin alone.”  You and I can rejoice with him when he answered the question this way, “I thank God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!” The One who was there to forgive us when we first reached out to Him is still there to forgive when we ask.  Lucado is encouraging when he wrote, “There is never a point you are less saved than you were the first moment He saved you.  Your name doesn’t disappear and reappear in the book of life according to your mouth and actions.  Such is the message of GRACE.  ‘There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.’”

 

The takeaway from this as to it relates to The Revelation is this.  The devil’s time is short.  He is going to do everything he can to deceive Christians that they are failures, to get them to stop living for the Lord, to leave their faith.  He is a liar!  Your salvation comes from your belief in Jesus Christ’s redemptive work at the cross.  It is not due to your work(s).  When you sin – confess it to the One who forgives.  Let your faith rest in 1 John 1:9, “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  The Bible tell me this.  I believe it. That settles it.  I am ready for the rapture when it takes place because I am a child of God!  Take some time today to be honest with Him.

 

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