WALKING IN DARKNESS? OR, STANDING IN THE LIGHT?

   I believe there is an epidemic spreading around American christian's today. We have been duped into conformity with the worlds views, actions, pleasures. This isn't something new, unfortunately this conformity has gone on in the church as a whole since the early christian's.  Lets take a look at the church of Corinth, and the warnings Paul gave them.

1 Corinthians 6:1-11

New International Version (NIV)

6 If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? ² Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? ³ Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! ⁴ Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? ⁵ I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? ⁶ But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!

⁷ The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? ⁸ Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. ⁹ Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived:Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men ¹⁰ nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹ And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

   I read this, and the old saying "why can't we all just get along" comes to mind. I look at verse 1-6, and see similarities with the church today. We are quick to spew our venom on anyone who is willing to listen. We sin the same sins of the world, and don't see a problem with it. The world on the outside looking in, don't see a difference between the way we live our live's, and the way the unsaved live. This is dangerous territory, since we are supposed to be the light in this dark world. Why would the unsaved want what you have as a saved person, when they already have it. The bible calls us to be "set apart", we are happy to blend. The devil would like to tear the church apart from the inside-out, and far to few of us are willing to take back what Satan has stole from us. We are not keeping are dirty laundry between our brothers. Instead, we let it "air dry" for all to see. I firmly believe that we do all of this because we don't realize what we have in Christ. The number one reason for conformity, in my books, is not realizing the victory we have in Christ. Look at verse 11 . . .It says we are WASHED (spiritually cleansed by God) that we are SANCTIFIED (set apart as Gods people) and JUSTIFIED (declared righteous by God because of Christ's work on the cross)  We need a change! All of us desire to be what God wants us to be, but we don't let Him give us the power to do it.God has already made your victory possible. In Galatians 5:1, it states--It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery to sin. Here is more about the victory we have in Christ:
Romans 5:12-21
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man(Adam), and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—
13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law(ten commandments) was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.
15 But the gift(eternal life) is not like the trespass(sin). For if the many died by the trespass of the one man(Adam), how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man(Adam), death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man(Adam) the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man(Jesus Christ) the many will be made righteous.
20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
   Do you understand what you have in Christ? Where does YOUR power come from? Are you relying on Christ to be your strength to overcome sin, or are you self sufficient? In the book of Hosea, it says that "we reject the wisdom that God gave us". What a travesty to throw away a free gift from God, because of stubbornness. Through God, and God alone you have the victory over sin.
Romans 6:1-18

6 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

   Why do we hang on to who we used to be, when we ARE NOT who we used to be any longer? We have to BE righteous(right standing with Christ), before we can live righteous lives. Stop trying to just live for God, and . . . LIVE FOR GOD!  Claim your victory, and quit living defeated.  If we belong to God(slaves of righteousness) why do we have to try to control things all the time? Jesus Christ demands and deserves change, not conformity. When you realize the righteousness that you have through Christ and start living it out in your daily lives, don't get the big head . . . you haven't arrived- God has. In your weakness to sin you will find God's strength to withstand the trickery of the devil.  We continue to sin, because we don't realize we our dead to sin. Take hold of the promises you have from Christ, and live for Him in a way you never imagined possible. Your faith is the ingredient to your spiritual healing.  As you begin to walk a closer walk with Christ, you will understand that the things of this world aren't as important as they once were to you. Dig into His word today.  Find strength through his scriptures.  Meditate on His promises for your life. As these things become second nature, your faith in Christ will increase, and your desire to sin will constantly decrease.

Get out of the darkness, and stand in the light! 

REGRETS ANYONE?

1 John 1:9

⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Mark 11:24

²⁴ Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Regrets always produce one thing . . . depression. In my experience, regret is a product of creative thinking and excessive guilt, rather than a Godly remorse. As long as we live we will have set backs, missed opportunities, and major screw-ups. If the only way you see things is through a negative set of eyes, then you will always have regrets.

Do you regret the past?

......But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.    Philippians 3:13

If you look back at the past year, or life, and have regrets on the path you took. Stop thinking that way the moment you catch yourself doing that! Its not fair to judge your past mistakes based on the information you have now. When you see missed opportunities,(it's a good thing) it means you have matured. Therefore, when that problem comes along again, you will have the insight to avoid the same mistake. So the next time you have missed opportunities that you had failed to see in the past, you should be excited because it means you are growing. While you are regretting the past, present opportunities are passing you by.

Do you regret your sins?

¹⁰ Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 2 Corinthians 

You don't have to regret the sins you have asked forgiveness for. It is a trick of the devil to have you focus on past mistakes. The devil would like to trick me into thinking that I missed out on God's blessing, because of my sins. The fact of the matter is, we serve a redemptive, gracious God. The bible says when you ask for forgiveness, God cast our sins as far as the east is from the west. Do not fall for the enemies tricks..........focus on what God has for you now, not what the enemy stole from you yesterday. This is your year to live in God's grace and forgiveness, instead of your past faults and sins.