Tag: avoiding sin

The Consequences of Sin

~ servantone1 ~ Leave a comment

JESUS SPEAKING

Then they asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, “Take up your bed and walk’?” But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.” (John 5: 12 – 15)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

In their effort to destroy Jesus, the religious leaders sought to discover who had healed a paralyzed man. When questioned, the man remained uncertain. Afterwards, Jesus found him in the temple and warned him to stop engaging in sinful activities. According to Jesus, continuing in sin will eventually lead to even worse suffering. Simply put, the consequences of sin are devastating.

There once lived a famous gangster named Al Capone. He ran an organized crime empire that promoted gambling, prostitution, and bootlegging. He committed atrocious acts of violence, theft, bribery and extortion. One day he was arrested and convicted of his crimes. While in prison he was diagnosed with two sexually transmitted diseases. syphilis and gonorrhoea. Over time the syphilis morphed into neurosyphilis, which damaged and degenerated his brain. Eventually, his mind was completely destroyed. Al Capone suffered greatly because he continued in sin without restraint. He engaged in promiscuous encounters with numerous partners who were themselves promiscuous. Obviously sex outside of marriage is sinful and has consequences. Following a life of purity would have prevented Al Capone from enduring a great deal of suffering.

All those who are called to be Christians must avoid godless activities. As a result, the consequences of sin won’t create any devastation in their lives. If we have faith and place our trust in the Lord, He will give us the strength to avoid the mistakes that so many others have stumbled into. May God keep our hearts pure, our minds clean, and may we avoid worldly sins and embrace everlasting life.

“Lord Heavenly Father, we yearn to be Holy, even as You are holy. May we commit ourselves to living in accordance with Your will. May we abandon sin and death, and instead follow you with enthusiasm and devotion. Without You Lord we can do nothing; but with You, we can accomplish impossible things. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you!

A Stony Heart

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

        “But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles” (Mathew 30: 20 – 21.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

        The gospel is a powerful force; like a raging torrent, it demands reverence and respect. Just as rivers gouge out valleys and tear apart mountains, the gospel transforms lives. Many eagerly receive God’s Holy Spirit but lack foresight; they do not understand the magnitude of changes God intends to perform in their lives. True faith is costly; the price of salvation is death; death to our old lives. One must willingly be destroyed in order to be remade in the image of Christ. Those whose hearts are stony initially experience a very shallow relationship with God. They desperately cling to old familiar habits and abandon their faith when it requires real change. They turn from the light and live in darkness; choosing comfort above growth and sin over righteousness.
        When a famous gangster named Mickey Cohen was released from prison in the 1950’s, a Pastor by the name of Bill Jones made it his personal mission to convert him to Christianity. When Jones presented Mickey with the gospel, he said a prayer and accepted Jesus into his heart. Soon, word of his conversion spread, and many were amazed to hear that this once villainous mobster had turned to Christ. Although Mickey enjoyed being called a ‘Christian,’ he refused to live like one. He soon lost touch with Pastor Jones and began hanging around with his old buddies from the criminal underworld. The disheartened Jones confronted Cohen to tell him that as a Christian, he needed to put distance between himself and his old [criminal associates]. Puzzled, Cohen responded, “Jones, you never told me that I had to give up my career. You never told me that I had to give up my friends. There are Christian movie stars, Christian athletes, and Christian businessmen. So, what’s the matter with being a Christian gangster? If I have to give up all that – if that’s Christianity – then count me out.”
        Sadly, Mickey’s story is not uncommon; out of the four different types of soil Christ describes, the stony heart can be the deadliest; for within it, there exists the greatest propensity for self-deception. Believing a verbal profession of faith without actions to be sufficient for salvation, many remain unchanged. With their lips they affirm Christ, but with their lives they deny him. Continuing in behaviors such as, pornography, fornication, drunkenness, idolatry, and dishonesty (to name a few), contradicts the rebirth that all Christians must endure. If you can identify with this type of soil, then you have two choices; continue forward toward in delusion or get honest with yourself and begin a new life with Jesus; a life of repentance; a life free from darkness and unrighteousness; a life lived as a disciple of Christ; a life fully committed to purity, church fellowship, prayer, evangelism, and bible reading. May the Lord give you the courage, strength, and conviction to make the right choice.
        “Lord Heavenly Father transform us in to the image of Your Son. May we lay down our old lives to take up our new ones. May our relationships with You be deep and meaningful. May our lives always confirm our verbal professions of faith. If we have not fully committed our lives to You, reveal to us the areas where we have refused to change; and by the power of Your Holy Spirit, help us to overcome and to conquer. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you.