December 05, 2020
Dealing With Immorality
How can you live a moral life in an immoral society? When the appeal of the world’s standards is strong, you may feel powerless to resist, but that’s not what Scripture teaches. Through Christ, you have everything you need to live righteously. However, if you repeatedly follow your own desires, then in a moment of temptation, you won’t want to obey God.
The time to stop sin is not at the moment of the act but in the desire for it. Scripture says our old self has been crucified with Christ and we’re to consider ourselves dead to evil desires (Rom. 6:6; Col. 3:5). Sin once held dominion over us, but Jesus has broken its power and set us free. Now we have a new self created in His image (Col. 3:9-10).
Instead of giving in to sinful desires, we should respond to temptations on the basis of who we are in Christ. Sin no longer fits us, because we are new creations with divine power at our disposal. That means we can now resist evil lusts and instead make God-honoring choices.
Begin today to reflect on the power of Christ within you, and trust Him to guard you against future sins.
Bible in One Year: Galatians 1-3
My post from earlier this week…….
Will America ever be the America I once knew? Can we come together?
Last night I had trouble sleeping. I was kinda upset. I have never seen our Country in such bad shape, we are so very divided and get so mad at each other. People want to pick fights on Facebook with me, I’m sure you have then same thing happen to you if you are speaking out for JESUS! I do not know if we will ever come together again as a Country. I have warned for years America was making politics a god.
The election process for President has turned into chaos, the pandemic is getting worse. More folks are dying and getting sick and the hospitals are filled to capacity and the Doctors and nurses are so very tired, some are quitting. My angel wife Sharon and angel daughter Gretchen are on the front lines. People fight over wearing a mask. Many have become so very selfish and only care about themselves. Families cannot be with their loved one when they pass away. I am doing another funeral on Saturday. It breaks my heart that the family cannot be together, only 5 are allowed in the chapel, but thankfully the funeral home will broadcast it live so they can watch the service, but as you know this is not the same at all. People are hurting so badly….. it breaks my heart…they cannot not grieve like we normally do. This is of great concern of mine, the grieving process is now way different.
Folks in nursing homes cannot see their loved ones and cannot leave their rooms. We have a friend who will be 100 in April, she is lock downed in her room. Her son-in-law tells me It is hard to talk to her on the phone because she cannot hear that good.
The pandemic is taking an enormous toll on people losing their businesses and jobs.
Many people who are living alone in their homes alone have severe bad anxiety.
Education is a mess, I do not know how students do this without one on one contact with their teachers, the same with the teachers…it must be so very stressful.
People panic and raid the grocery stores.
What makes my head spin is that during this whole time pro football and baseball owners sign players to multi-million dollar contracts while people loose their jobs and go hungry. That is messed up.
Will America ever be the America I once knew?
We all need to seek the face of Jesus. Jesus needs to be at the center, He is not at this time in America, politics is, selfishness is, ego’s are running at an all-time high. The Church has lost much of its influence in América. That is a bitter pill to swallow.
“We Must All Hang Together, or Most Assuredly, We Will All Hang Separately” Benjamin Franklin made this statement at the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. He was of course referring to the need for the signers, and the states they represented, to stick together against a common enemy, Great Britain.
The Pledge of Allegiance:
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America
and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
What will we do?
My heart is broken…..
Many do not know JESUS is the only answer.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another:
just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
By this all people will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another.
–John 13:34-35
Responding to hate with love that shapes our souls
Is there anything that can counter the fear and dread that life is bringing?Dec 5, 2020 |
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 From the writings of the Rev. Billy GrahamQ: There was a time when the daily news reported upheaval in nations around the world, but not in America. We are a nation in trouble. Is there anything that can counter the fear and dread that life is bringing? — T.T.
A: In many ways the world has gotten worse, and our nation has survived many of its own atrocities. But we are a world in pain — a world that suffers collectively from the violence of nature and man, and a world that suffers individually from personal heartache. Because we have instant communication today, our planet has shrunk to the size of a screen small enough to fit in the palm of the hand. Families have trouble communicating, yet society can communicate what they want the population to know. With the tap of a button, a comfortable room can be turned into a foreign battlefield or a street riot. “This is a generation destined to live in the midst of crisis, danger, fear, and death. We sense that something is about to happen. We know things cannot go on as they are. History has reached an impasse. Something is about to give.” These words were written some time ago, and look where we have come since then. We are told by historians that peace has never been achieved at any time in history. But the Bible predicts this and God’s Word is true. Outside of the Bible, there is no hope for mankind. Faith in Him alone is the answer. “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). Fear can banish faith, but faith can also banish fear. There is no need to live in fear. Look to the Lord Jesus Christ who brings hope and peace to each soul that will turn to Him by faith. ======== (This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.) ©2020 Billy Graham Literary Trust. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (c)2020 BILLY GRAHAM DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC. |
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