The Sin Exchange?

[Baz]

I believe we have a choice to live in sin--and, to face the consequences. The more we sin, the further away our relationship with the Lord goes--just don't let it happen.

[Kansasdad]

It's called repentance.  And the Bible says in many places (such as Acts 3:19) that repentance is needed to be saved.  You think you're saved because you believe?    Even the demons believe.

Jesus paid the price for all sin/our sins on the cross..................He suffered and died in doing so.

[Kansasdad]

It all comes down to faith. Believing in something we can't see. Putting our trust in the unseen.

We all sin. We all fall. Stumbling is part of the walk. We must learn from our mistakes. Realizing our faults and trying to stay away from the things that trigger them.

Many people don't do this. They take it for granted that since Christ died for them, their sins are covered. It doesn't work that way.

The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. God knows we are weak. He knows the things we are confronted with day in and day out. He doesn't condemn us for the things we do, He condemns us for the things we think. He searches the heart. He knows if our falls are intentional or caused by something we know nothing about.

We commit countless sins on a daily basis without realizing it. We do and think things we are unaware of and God realizes that. That's where the blood of Christ comes in. We are foregiven of those sins automatically.

If we knowingly sin and do not take it to God, those sins are not forgiven. If we stumble and know we stumbled and take it to God, He will be true to His Word and forgive us of those sins. If we take our sins to God and our heart is not in it, He knows. He knows who's paying lip service and who isn't. He can't be fooled.

He knows our level of faith and what weakens us and will guide us around those obstacles if we let Him.

God searches the heart. He knows who is true to Him and who isn't.

It's all about faith.

My opinion

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I like your apinion

God Bless

Kansas Dad

[Kansasdad]

THE GOD OF SECOND CHANCES

4/18/2005 

But go, tell His disciples------and Peter------that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.

-- MARK 16:7

Does God give second chances to those who have failed Him? He certainly did so for Peter. Peter had proudly announced that he was Jesus' most reliable disciple (Matt. 26:33). Yet Peter not only fled with the other disciples in the moment of crisis, but also blatantly denied he even knew Jesus (Matt. 26:69-75). Peter failed so miserably that he went out into the night and wept bitterly (Luke 22:62). How compassionate the risen Christ was to Peter! The angel gave the women at the tomb special instructions to let Peter know that He was risen. Jesus took Peter aside to allow him the opportunity to reaffirm his love and commitment (John 21:15-17). The risen Lord also chose Peter as His primary spokesman on the day of Pentecost, when three thousand people were added to the church. God's desire is to take you from where you are and bring you to where He wants you to be. When He found His defeated followers hiding together in an upper room, Jesus' first word was "peace" (John 20:19). Jesus' first words to you after you fail may also be "peace." Jesus will find you in despair and bring you peace. Then, He will reorient you to Himself so that you can believe Him and follow Him. Don't give up if you have failed your Lord. Remember what happened to Peter. God has not yet finished developing you as a disciple.

In His Love,

Suzanne

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I really like this one!

God bless,

Kansas Dad

[JohnS]

THE DIVINE HUMILITY, THAT COPES WITH HUMAN SIN.

"He riseth from supper, and layeth aside his garments; and He took a towel and girded Himself." This is what the Apostle calls taking upon Himself the form of a servant. The charm of the scene is its absolute simplicity. You cannot imagine Christ posturing to the ages. There was no aiming at effect, no thought of the beauty or humility of the act, as there is when the Pope yearly washes the feet of twelve beggars, from a golden basin, wiping them with a towel of rarest fabric Christ did not act thus for show or pretence, but with an absolutely single purpose of fulfilling a needed office. And in this He set forth the spirit of our redemption.

This is the key to the Incarnation.--With slight alteration the words will read truly of that supreme act. He rose from the Throne; laid aside the garments of light which He had worn as his vesture; took up the poor towel of humanity, and wrapped it about his glorious Person; poured his own blood into the basin of the cross; and set Himself to wash away the foul stains of human depravity and guilt.

As pride was the source of human sin, Christ must needs provide an antidote in his absolute humility--a humility which could not grow beneath these skies, but must be brought from the world where the lowliest are the greatest, and the most childlike reign as kings.

This is the key to every act of daily cleansing.--We have been washed--once, definitely and irrevocably, we have been bathed in the crimson tide that flows from Calvary; but we need a daily cleansing. Our feet become soiled with the dust of life's highways; our hands grimy, as our linen beneath the rain of filth in a great city; our lips --as the white doorstep of the house--are fouled by the incessant throng of idle, unseemly and fretful words; our hearts cannot keep unsoiled the stainless robes with which we pass from the closet at morning prime. Constantly we need to repair to the Laver to be washed. But do we always realise how much each act of confession on our part involves from Christ on his? Whatever important work He may at that moment have on hand; whatever directions He may be giving to the loftiest angels for the fulfilment of his purposes; however pressing the concerns of the Church or the universe upon his broad shoulders--He must needs turn from all these to do a work He will not delegate. Again He stoops from the Throne, and girds Himself with a towel; and, in all lowliness, endeavours to remove from thee and me the stain which his love dare not pass over. He never loses the print of the nails; He never forgets Calvary and the blood; He never spends one hour without stooping to do the most menial work of cleansing filthy souls. And it is because of this humility He sits on the Throne and wields the sceptre over hearts and worlds.

This is the key to our ministry to each other.--I have often thought that we do not often enough wash one another's feet. We are conscious of the imperfections which mar the characters of those around us. We are content to note, criticise, and learn them. We dare not attempt to remove them. This failure arises partly because we do not love with a love like Christ's--a love which will brave resentment, annoyance, rebuke, in its quest,--and partly because we are not willing to stoop low enough.

None can remove the mote of another, so long as the beam is left in the eye, and the sin unjudged in the life. None can cleanse the stain, who is not willing to take the form of a servant, and go down with bare knees upon the floor. None is able to restore those that are overtaken in a fault, who does not count himself the chief of sinners and the least of saints.

We need more of this lowly, loving spirit: not so sensitive to wrong and evil as they affect us, as anxious for the stain they leave on the offender. It is of comparatively small consequence how much we suffer; it is of much importance that none of Christ's disciples should be allowed to go on for a moment longer, with unconfessed and unjudged wrongs clouding his peace, and hindering the testimony which he might give. Let us therefore watch for each other's souls: let us consider one another to provoke to love and good works; let us in all sincerity do as Christ has done, washing each other's feet in all humility and tender love. But this spirit is impossible save through fellowship with the Lamb of God, and the reception of his holy, humble nature into the inmost heart, by the Holy Ghost.

[IslandRose]

Such a beautiful post! So much truth.

Lord, may I be "willing to take the form of a servant, and go down with bare knees upon the floor." May I seek always to restore those who are overtaken in fault, rather than to be guilty of looking down on them with distain and pride. Thank you that you were willing to pour out yourself to cleanse me from sin, and that daily, you continue to cleanse me when I am willing to bare my sinful self to you in complete surrender, realizing that I am completely helpless to cleanse myself.

[ruah brit]

Jesus paid the price for all sin/our sins on the cross..................He suffered and died in doing so.

But, what if, we are not willing to give them up? If we are not willing to give over what He willingly chose to take, was the agreement there? Did we really believe in the validity and power of His sacrifice? Or did we deny Him. If we said I do, and then did not.........did we really believe? Let Him take them and deliver you from your burden.

His Power is sufficient to defeat sin, He overcame that death on the cross, so we could believe and know that He is able!

In His Love,

Suzanne

If you say I will and you do not you are like the rebellious son.

Mt 7

21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

Matthew 21

28 "But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go, work today in my vineyard.'

29 He answered and said, 'I will not,' but afterward he regretted it and went.

30 Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, 'I go, sir,' but he did not go.

31 Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said to Him, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you.

32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.

Denise

[ruah brit]

Mt 12

31 "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.

Mt 18

22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

Lu 17

4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."

Why would our Lord teach such a thing? Because He taught what our father in heaven does. Some will never get it and will die in their sin. So while there is still life in you Repent fore the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. Ask the Lord to forgive you and strengthen you against sin and its temptation. Ask Him for His Spirit. Then when you have received the good gift from heaven all of the desires for this world will leave you and you will learn of the true riches that await you.

Denise

[Guest Jetro]

I am so thankful for God's Forgiveness. Without it I would be totally lost. I have fallen down more times than I care to remember, all because I was not willing to let go of the sins I held so dear. I finally came to the end of my rope though, and finally, truly repented of my sin. And He forgave me. I was like the prodigal son, gone my own way because I wanted to do what I wanted to do. But thank God He forgave me and welcomed me back into the family. I have learned about struggling with sin and I found that sin is a choice. We either do it or we don't, our choice. And even though we may struggle with certain sins, all it takes is the choice not to sin. This makes it easier not to sin the next time we are tempted with sins from our old life. Thank God that Jesus died not only for my past sins, but for my future sins as well.

Jetro

[walhei]

Jesus paid the price for all sin/our sins on the cross..................He suffered and died in doing so.

But, what if, we are not willing to give them up? If we are not willing to give over what He willingly chose to take, was the agreement there? Did we really believe in the validity and power of His sacrifice? Or did we deny Him. If we said I do, and then did not.........did we really believe? Let Him take them and deliver you from your burden.

His Power is sufficient to defeat sin, He overcame that death on the cross, so we could believe and know that He is able!

In His Love,

Suzanne

I think it really depends on our attitude toward sin. As humans we can become addicted to some kinds of behavior. Is that what Paul was talking about with, "The thorn in his side?"

We may not like it but it may be hard to overcome. God grace is sufficient. But in time if the perosn really, really, wants to please God, he or she can overcome. Prayer, study, maybe fasting, fellowshipping with other believers.