Just Say No!

Sin is insidious and destructive. We always think of the “bad” sins – stealing, murder, adultery, etc., but we sometimes lose sight of the “small” sins – little white lies, lust, envy, etc. There are too many to count. And it doesn’t matter if it’s a little sin or a big one (Jam 2:10), all sin separates us from God (Isa 59:2). It also brings shame (Prov 18:3). But we can ask for forgiveness, and God will. Then the cycle continues. 

What happens to us if we continue to indulge in the sin? We become complacent and ignore the Holy Spirit’s chastening us (Prov 3:12). If we consider ourselves Christ's followers and we are not being corrected by the Holy Spirit when we sin, it is something of which to be concerned. Are we in a real relationship with Jesus as we proclaim or is it a relationship with the idea of Jesus? 

Today Pastor Groeschel taught about giving up pornography. He pulled no punches and then he provided a direct strategy to counter the temptation. He also said sin grows in the dark (John 3:19). As I listened to him, I realized we should treat whatever sin is dominating our lives similarly. We should confess the sin and seek forgiveness (Psa 32:5; 1 John 1:9), decide what we will do next time we are tempted, and seek the Lord for wisdom and strength to see and take the way out that He provides us (1 Cor 10:13). We have to remember that God is faithful to forgive our sins when we ask with a sincere heart.  

We can say “no” to sin in our lives. We who are in Christ are new creatures (2 Cor 5:16) – we are not the same people who gloried in sin before we were saved. While we still sin occasionally, we can’t stay there. And when temptation comes we can say “no” because God never leaves us with no escape. With God’s help, we can just say “no.”

If you’re interested in the message from Pastor Groeschel today, you can find it here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP1LWv2syeE. 

Be blessed!