A call to persevere Week 35, 2016

Occasionally some Christian may find herself in the mud of sin, dirty repeated sin. Sometimes a brother may face the fact he has been sexually defiling himself. It may have reached the point of your sins being known abroad. And something says to you “Why continue, why keep trying to be holy? You will only fall only fail. This righteousness thing is not working for you. Just give up.” Listen: But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me. I will bear the indignation of the LORD because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my cause and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light; I shall look upon his vindication. Then my enemy will see, and shame will cover her who said to me, "Where is the LORD your God?" My eyes will look upon her; now she will be trampled down like the mire of the streets Mic 7:7-10(ESV) 

Is there anyone here who is suffering the effects of a past sin? Maybe you conclude the things happening to you are as a result of your sins, and the thoughts “curse God and die” pass through your mind. Feelings of frustration from cycles of repeated falling and rising come again and again. Look! Do not give up on God. Do not give up your faith in Jesus. I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, 'Seek me in vain.' I the LORD speak the truth; I declare what is right Is 45:19(ESV). Do not slack in your desire for manifesting righteousness. Have you forgotten the promise He Himself made (yea makes even now) to those who hunger and thirst for righteousness? "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied Mat 5:6(ESV). The unchanging God, the Holy One still watches over all His word to perform it. Your hunger and thirst for right living is His working in you. He has begun a good work in you and He will complete it.

"Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.  After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.  Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth." Hos 6:1-3(ESV).  Press on for holy living for it is both possible and achievable. Jesus saves from the guttermost to the utter most. Heard that before? Hear this now: to him that hath no might He increaseth strength. It’s not like you have some strength. You actually have none and He comes to you saying “My strength is made perfect in weakness; even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save” Is 46:4(ESV).