1 Corinthians 6:9-10:
Do you not know that the unrighteous and the wrongdoers will not inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived (misled): neither the impure and immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who participate in homosexuality, 10Nor cheats (swindlers and thieves), nor greedy graspers, nor drunkards, nor foulmouthed revilers and slanderers, nor extortioners and robbers will inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God.
Remember that thing that you did that made you feel bad, icky, dirty, shameful, gross? (Just in case you can’t remember here is one for you: have you ever told a lie? Even just once? Then by doing so we are unrighteous (because Jesus said not to lie)) so we can all agree that we (at one time or another) have been unrighteous and done wrong. We have all done “bad” things. We fail. We are human. It happens.
Now let’s go on:
11And such some of you were [once]. But you were washed clean (purified by a complete atonement for sin and made free from the guilt of sin), and you were consecrated (set apart, hallowed), and you were justified [pronounced righteous, by trusting] in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the [Holy] Spirit of our God.
I have great news! You and I have been purified!! We have been made clean! (from everything you have ever done wrong!) No matter how “big” or “small” it was. Sin is Sin. All the guilt and shame has been taken away. We no longer are who we were. We no longer do what we did. Because of Jesus we are blameless in his sight! *Big smile*
2 Peter 1:3-4:
3For His divine power has bestowed upon us all things that [are requisite and suited] to life and godliness, through the [[a]full, personal] knowledge of Him Who called us by and to His own glory and excellence (virtue). 4By means of these He has bestowed on us His precious and exceedingly great promises, so that through them you may escape [by flight] from the moral decay (rottenness and corruption) that is in the world because of covetousness (lust and greed), and become sharers (partakers) of the divine nature.
I have more great news! Not only are we not who we use to be, but Jesus has given us everything that we need to escape ever having to go and be back there again! *Big smile*
Ok so lets be real for a second: (I know what you are thinking.) “I am not perfect, and I will mess up from time to time. So how can I really be pure and holy if the only one that was sinless was Jesus?” Good point. Here is what I have to say to that:
Psalm 37:23-24:
23The steps of a [good] man are directed and established by the Lord when He delights in his way [and He busies Himself with his every step]. 24Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord grasps his hand in support and upholds him.
Or as another translation puts it:
23 If the LORD delights in a man’s way,
he makes his steps firm;
24 though he stumbles, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
So what am I saying? Are we going to be perfect all the time? Nope. (Sorry hate to break it to you. *Big smile*) but that doesn’t mean that we have to be like we were. (Jesus will delight in your way if you are spending time with him ( I will talk more about this in a bit) and doing what he says (trying and striving to be pure and holy like he is) Turn from evil and do good! (Psalm 37:27))
Think about this for a second: Let’s pretend that you are walking down the steps. What is the difference between falling down the steps and stumbling down a step or two?
When you fall down the steps, you lose your balance (for whatever reason, you stepped wrong, you missed a step, you only got part of the step etc) and you fall quickly (and painfully) all the way down the steps. When you stumble down a step or two you start to fall (you lose your balance) but the difference is that you only fall down one or two steps. You don’t fall as far down. Also a natural reflex is to grab the handrail to help you not totally fall and to help re-gain your balance. So you grab the handrail, stop, re-gain your balance, and continue walking down the steps like nothing happened. This is exactly what we should do in our walk with Jesus! When we are walking with Jesus we will stumble (start to fall down the steps, and sometimes fall a step or two) but we don’t have to fall completely down the steps (to where we use to be (to the old us)). So when you start to fall quickly grab the handrail (that is Jesus) and stop, re-gain your balance, and continue to walk down the path Jesus is leading you. (Just like nothing happened!)
Here’s a thought: It only takes one time of falling all the way down the steps to learn your lesson. The next time you go down the steps you are more careful, you grab the handrail, you take it slow (one step at a time) until you gain confidence that you have learned to go down the steps without falling. Then you take them like normal and you don’t even think about it. This is how we should be when getting out of addictions and when facing temptations. We will face different temptations, and it only takes one time of really falling (and that looks different to everyone, and depends on the issue that you are talking about.) to know that you don’t want to do that again. So the next time the temptation comes (and believe me, it will come again) be more careful, grab on to Jesus, take it slow (one step at a time) and you won’t fall. Little by little it will get easier until you have gained confidence in yourself (and Jesus) that you can face this temptation without falling. (Before you know it you will be walking down the steps without a problem) Then you will breeze right by it next time it tries to trip you up.
- (Remember that you don’t have to do this alone, once you grab on to Jesus, he is always with you and will never leave you. (Deuteronomy 31:8) If you are faithful to him, he will be faithful to you! He will protect you forever! (Psalm 37:28) Just keep asking for help and he will help you! Together you and him can do anything!))
Think about this: The average person spends eight hours asleep every night. In a twenty-four hour day, that is one-third of the day sleeping. That is a long time.
What about this: What do you do in the shower? (Don’t think about this to much) You get clean. Now what good would it do you if you got in the shower, and turned around and got right back out? Not much. Why is that? Because to really get clean, you have to spend time in shower getting clean. (It’s a process)
The same thing applies in our spiritual live with Jesus! The more time we spend with Jesus (in worship, prayer, reading our Bible, and just hanging out with Jesus (learning all we can from him and applying it to our lives)) the cleaner we are! (The less we fall, and the more we become like Jesus!)
I don’t know about you, but I want to live a Righteous and Holy life with Jesus (being Pure and Holy as HE is) so I am going to Sleep in the Shower!! I hope you will also!! *Big smile*
All for Jesus!
Nessa
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