temptation

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Worse Than Covid-19

Before you read any further, stop and take note of the time.

Write it down if you have to in order to remember. It is important because the next week is going to change the lives of millions.

1,209,600

This is the approximate number of people who will die from something worse than Covid-19. The coronavirus has nothing on this disease. There is no human cure or government intervention that can change what is going to happen. Not one single medical mega-corporation will ever find a cure to this deadly disease.

In fact, the number above is a close representation of the number of people who died since this exact time last week and the week before.

The Spanish Flu took the lives of approximately 50 million people in the three years between January 1918 and December 1920.

This disease I speak of is even worse.

The Black Plague or Bubonic Plague that ravaged the world from 1347-1351 took the estimated lives of 25-200 million.

But the disease I speak of is even worse.

If you had paid close attention to the news, you would still have missed the reality that in the last eight weeks, almost 10 MILLION people have died around the world. This is more than the population of New York City, New York. It is more than the population of Mexico City, Mexico. Actually, the approximate number of people who have died from this disease is the same as the population of Seoul, South Korea.

From March 17, 2020 until March 17, 2021, approximately 63 MILLION people will die from this ancient disease.

That is the combined population of: Tokyo, Japan; Jakarta, Indonesia; Beijing, China; New York City, New York; and Sao Paulo, Brazil!

Here is the worst news anybody in the world could ever read. Forget all of the statistics. This disease has a 100% mortality rate to anybody who contracts it. The news channels, magazines, government organizations, and not even the United Nations wants to talk about this because it is so scary.

Tragically, the news DOES get worse.

Everybody in the world has the disease and there is NOTHING that can be done about it from a human perspective. My friend, you have the disease in your body and you may not even know it. However, it is not a respecter of persons. I have it on perfect authority that you and I WILL die from this disease, although we do not know when death will visit us.

The symptoms are horrible and at the heart of each symptom is the brutal reality that the underlying issues are too blatant, gross, and vulgar to even print. The symptoms of this disease grow worse with each passing day, but are so subtle at times that the overwhelming majority of the world will never stop to think about what is happening in their body.

The disease I am speaking of is SIN.

Sin is a curse that has come upon all of mankind through the disobedience of Adam and Eve. Regardless of what modern psychology, humanistic philosophies, or even government mandates may try to dictate, they cannot stop the 100% mortality rate from taking place.

The effects of sin are evident all around for those with eyes to see. What seems like tragedies, illnesses, terrorist activities, natural disasters, and rampant disease are all the result of sin entering the world.

Further, because the disease of sin has entered the world, there is an even greater problem. Man has been separated from a holy God. God cannot bear to look upon sin and yet, man thinks he can become like God. This is the lie that has been the longest in existence and it comes from Satan.

Satan blinds the eyes of men, women, and children around the world. He does not want them to see the wonder of who God is. He does not want them to hear the good news that there is but one escape from this dreadful disease that has killed more people than all the wars and plagues to ever befall mankind.

Satan wants people to think that they can believe what they want, do what they want, live how they want, and then eventually die with no fear of eternity.

The Bible is clear though that there is a time that is appointed for ALL to die, and after death will come the judgment.

YOU CANNOT ESCAPE! The ravages of this death stare at you every day in your bathroom mirror, but you are ignoring them. Yet, they will not go away. Your flesh will decay until your body becomes dust in the grave.

But, there is a beacon of hope. It does not require hoarding toilet paper or food supplies. It does not require that you self-quarantine yourself in your home and hope for a better day.

The ONLY beacon of hope that you can escape is found in Jesus Christ ALONE. The Bible says ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Further, it proclaims that the wages of your sin is death.

Tired of the bad news, then hearken to the words of the apostle Paul in Romans 5:8, “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Do you realize what this means?

For those who place their faith in Christ alone and plead to God for mercy, He will not reject them. He will grant forgiveness to those who ask for their sins to be forgiven. His love will and does extend to all who realize that Christ is the only escape.

John 3:16, 17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

The ravages and effects of your sin will still end your life one day. It may not be this month, this year, or even this decade. But death is still coming and it comes to all.

However, for those who become true believers in Jesus Christ have the promise that there is NOTHING to fear when death comes. We will pass from this life into eternity where we will forever be with the Lord.

If your name has been written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, then rejoice in this truth.

Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Today is the day of salvation though. Tomorrow may be too late. Over the next week, another 1,209,600 people will pass from this life into eternity and you may be one of that number. The results for those without Christ will be far worse than Covid-19, the black plague, or anything found in a chemical warfare lab.

Come to Christ while there is still time. Do not worry about the effects of Covid-19 if you have a right relationship with God.

If you are a true believer in Jesus Christ, then rejoice and lift up your eyes for our redemption draws near. Our Lord is, has been, and always will be sovereign and in control of this world. If we get sick, or grow old, or die in an accident, death has been swallowed up in victory because Jesus Christ died, was buried, and rose again so that we too can have the eternal hope that we will be raised to newness of life when this life is over.

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Winning the Battle Against Sin – Part 1

Every true believer fights against what remains of the human nature. Just because we have been given a new heart by God does not mean that we can be sinless as some teach. Until we are glorified and forever with the Lord, we will battle daily against the things that plague us.

John MacArthur’s new series should prove to be a great encouragement to us. It is our intention to post the next parts over the weeks to come.

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What Is Shaping Your Worldview?

Last night, I was thinking about how easy it is to have one’s worldview shaped by society. As Christians, we may not go as far as some but we can still lose sight of right and wrong. The views we once held on abortion or adultery may become softened due to what we watch on TV, people we work with, etc. We may feel like we are living a Godly life because the life we live is better than our neighbor’s; however, we should only have one standard, and that is God’s Word.

Our society might be tolerant but God is not. He tells us very clearly how we are to live. First Corinthians 6:9-10, for example, gives a list of people who will not enter the Kingdom of God. We may not like this list but Paul was very clear in what he said.

I know that it is not always easy to live a Christian life. Temptation lurks on almost every television channel, every news stand, almost every corner (even at church sometimes) and, yet, in 1 Corinthians 10:13, Paul tells us that, with every temptation, God will make a way to escape. You just have to want it.

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Instead of letting the world shape your thinking, begin to study God’s Word to determine what is really right or wrong. It doesn’t matter if it makes sense to you or if you agree with it. This is the only standard acceptable for a child of God. If you are not walking according to its principles, you cannot be one of His children. It’s that simple. You cannot serve God and Satan.

I am currently going through a Bible study called The Walk of Repentance. I went through it years ago but it was time for a refresher course. I’m striving to get my thinking back in line with God’s Word. I truly want His Word hidden in my heart that I do not sin against Him. I want a heart that desires to follow Him, not get away with whatever pleasure I think I can get away with.

I would encourage you today to examine your heart. Are you still on fire for the Lord, wholeheartedly serving and obeying Him? Or have you become lukewarm in recent times, beginning to lose focus of truth vs. false, right vs. wrong? Is Jesus your Lord or just a sidebar to your life? Only you can answer these questions, and I pray you answer them honestly. If you have begun to allow society to shape your worldview, I hope you will turn today and begin again to follow the God who desires you to live a victorious life with Him.

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Faithfulness is a Choice

faithfulnessIf there is one thing I desire, it is to be faithful. I pray daily for God’s help in that area but often I’m reminded that I need to choose the path of faithfulness. Temptations abound, even for the Christian. If I do not desire faithfulness with all my heart, to the point that I am willing to make right choices, it is like asking God to help me lose weight while I eat every dessert and carbohydrate in sight. It’s not going to happen. First Corinthians 10:13 tells us that God will provide a way of escape from temptation but I will add that He won’t make us walk through that door.

This is a lesson I am still learning. I like quick fixes. I would prefer to be so close to God that I don’t desire to sin but there are still areas where I must choose on a daily basis to take the right path. Sometimes I win; sometimes I fail. Thankfully, I serve a merciful God who will allow me to get back up and try again. The more I choose the path of “right,” the easier it becomes the next time.

Years ago, a friend told me that it was easier for her to not eat any sugar than to eat a small bite. If she allowed herself any, she would end up eating more than she should. It is that way with sin. If we allow ourselves a slight indulgence, we will not be able to stop with that. It is much better to weigh everything we do in light of God’s Word. If He says to do it, do it with all your heart. If He says don’t, stay as far away from it as you can. If there are things that are not clearly stated in Scripture, see if there are principles in the Bible that would speak to the situation. If you have the Spirit of God, He will show you right from wrong. When He does, you have a responsibility to walk in that. Anyone who knows to do right and does it not, to him or her especially, it is sin.

I hope you will choose to be faithful today. Study the fruit of the Spirit and examine yourself to see how those line up in your life. What about the two great commandments: loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and loving your neighbor as yourself? That is the standard–not whether we are living better than our friends and neighbors, but if we are pleasing God in everything we do.

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Was Christ “tempted”–or “tested”?

Here is an article I posted at my own blog a while back. With the back-and-forth still going on here concerning Mark Driscoll’s assertions that Jesus wanted to have sexual relations with a woman, I decided it was high time to post it here, for easier reference. Here is Mark Driscoll’s comment that Jesus had desires to “know” a woman:

“If you’re tempted to these sorts of things — including sexual sin — some of you say, ‘Now Mark, Jesus wasn’t sexually tempted.’ Well, of course he was — 30 something year old single man who had women who adored him. You don’t think he ever wanted the comfort of a woman? You don’t think he ever got tired of going to bed by himself? You don’t think that he didn’t once want to have intimate relations with a woman? He was tempted.”
(Mark Driscoll – “How Human was Jesus?”, October 15th 2006, emphases mine.)

I have formulated a biblical defense of not only the sinlessness of Christ, but the fact that He did not have even the desire to sin. The Scriptures we will focus on are:

Hebrews 2:18—For in that He Himself has suffered (lit., experienced) being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.
Hebrews 4:15—For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
James 1:13-15—Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
Galatians 1:17—For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
Genesis 3:15—“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

Some other verses we will look at later: Luke 22:31; 1st Corinthians 5:5; 1st Timothy 1:20; Job 2:6.

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