Tag: defeating sin

What to Do When I Fail With All My Heart?

What to Do When I Fail With All My Heart?

Often I have heard sermons on Peter’s denial.  I have listened intently as pastors explained the different analogies concerning why Peter failed this test. I have heard it explained that Peter failed because  he followed Jesus at a distance or that he became too concerned for his own life. Others commentaries say that he stood with the wrong crowd as he warmed himself by the fire. We wish we could find a reason for his failure. Then we would find the formula that prevents us from stumbling as well. My heart so longs to love God better!! I want to be a testimony for Him. I want to always present Him well.  I wish I could find the truth as to why despite my desire to please Him, to love Him and to follow Him; sometimes, I make a mess of it all. When that happens, then, like Peter—all I can do is to fall before God’s throne of Grace to weep a little while.

broken/contrite heart by Ronald Barba

 

Peter truly loved the Master. He had left everything to follow Him. At times, Peter was a bit tempestuous like the sea he had fished in. Yet, his heart longed to please the Master. This had been a long night as Jesus told them that He must go away so that the Comforter would come. Jesus tried to prepare them; but, Peter didn’t really want to hear this. He didn’t know how He would survive without Jesus being present to guide Him. Was it fear that caused Peter to deny Jesus? I don’t think so. Peter had pulled out his sword in front of a cohort of soldiers; but, Jesus told him to put it away. Peter had followed while others had scattered. He didn’t know what the plan was next. He needed Jesus to tell him the plan. “Where do I go now? What do I do now? If I am not to fight for you, then what?” Haven’t you been there? I have. In those moments of waiting when you feel so lost and alone, uncertain as to what the next step is. Those moments when you are praying with all your heart and soul not to fail God; then, you find yourself flat on your face in the mud anyway.

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How to Destroy the Cancer of Sin in Your Life

How to Destroy the Cancer of Sin in Your Life

When they said that dreaded word, “Cancer”, my head began to twirl. It was hard to hear the rest of the words. The plans for surgery and chemotherapy were like a distant whisper. I was in the middle of my Master’s Program in Nursing. It was late October. The semester would end in early December. The plan was to have surgery in December. That month throughout November, I could envision this evil force eating away at the good cells. The thought of these destructive cells multiplying, growing and taking over filled my mind with disgust. These cells had been there growing for many years in silence without my being aware of their presence while all along they had been consuming all that was good within their reach.

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Sin is like that. It is a poison, a sickness deep within our hearts that grows steadily throughout our lives until our heart, spirit and soul is consumed; unless, we come to recognize it and seek the cure. We can try to ignore it, hide it, and place bandages on it; but, it continues to grow unless we come to the place where we “cut it out at its core.” For that we need the surgeon. Jesus is that surgeon to cut out the source; destroying its power. He did that at the cross when He took our punishment upon Him. He willingly obeyed the Father’s command. Righteousness and Justice demanded that sin’s penalty be paid. If God could just ignore man’s rebellious heart, Satan would have won. Evil would have won and righteousness would be consumed by the cancerous cells of evil. Righteousness could only win if evil were destroyed.

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