October 12, 1999
Last week, without warning, Rick’s boss terminated him. His wife Sharon is in a spin. She asks, “Why this? Why now?” Her security is threatened.
Sharon also says, “If I just knew what we could expect. Will Rick get a job in his line of work? Or will he have to start over in something else? Should he start his own business? What will happen with our mortgage?” As Rick tries to sort his options, she fears the unknown.
Who hasn’t? For years and no matter the location, my husband’s work had a shelf life. When one project was finished, we would be transferred to the next. Even though the move was certain, the location was often unknown, sometimes up until a month before we left.
Even for the most adventurous, the lure of a new experience can slide into fearfulness, even dread. We wondered, Will the new job be a reward or a challenge? Will we be able to find decent housing? Will the children fit into their new schools? Will the neighbors be friendly? We were anxious if not fearful of the unknown.
Another unknown faces Carol. Her husband died in August. Even though he had a heart problem, his death came suddenly. Carol had little warning. Now she gets up each morning alone and goes to bed with a sense of loss. As if those “knowns” were not difficult enough, she wonders about the years ahead. What other changes will they bring? Will she be able to cope?
As much as we want to know our futures, God forbids that we seek answers from astrology or anyone who gazes into a crystal ball. Instead, He offers us another solution: the fact that He knows the unknown and that He is sovereign over it.
As I consider Rick and Sharon and their fears, I recall Sharon saying, “I know that God knows the answers. I just wish He would tell me.”
God does know. But as Sharon struggles with His silence, Rick has a different take on it. He says, “God has taken care of us in the past. He will continue to do so in the future. In the right time, God will bring the right opportunity for us. In the meantime, I will do what I can do.”
In this situation, Rick is thinking about his known experiences with God’s faithfulness rather than the unknown. He realizes how fear of the unknown can pester us into impatience.
Years ago, someone told me how to manage the fears connected with moving by offering this truth from Acts 17:26. It says that God “determined the times set for them (all people) and the exact places where they should live.”
We didn’t know where we were going next, but God did. Since we were trusting Him to take care of us, it seemed logical to trust Him with the location as well.
I began thinking like a child who takes her father’s hand as they enter a midway. She has no idea what ride they will ride, but she knows that her dear father will not put her on anything that will harm her. Instead, he will take her to the one that offers the best experience for her.
Carol is also looking beyond the unknowns to her heavenly Father. She remembers Job’s words from the Old Testament: “He knows the way that I take” and God’s promise in Jeremiah 29: “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Because she and her husband had placed their trust in Christ, she knew God’s promise of eternal life. It was her hope and his too, so Carol knows that she will see her husband again. For her, the immediate future may remain unknown, but she knows who holds the future. As long as she holds on to Him, the unknown is not a problem.
Showing posts with label God is faithful. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God is faithful. Show all posts
Friday, October 20, 2017
Friday, January 27, 2017
Addicted to gambling? .......... Parables 542
January 28, 1997
The town of Rocky Mountain House has been making headlines. Some citizens are outraged that their community of less than 6000 population has deposited nearly $3 million a year into fewer than 40 video lottery terminals, VLTs for short. These machines are supposed to bring in funds that are returned to the community but in Rocky, the return is slightly more than $52,000. Many are upset over this imbalance and also what gambling is doing to their community.
Gambling can be a terrible addiction, particularly for people working in isolated places. My husband tells of men in a camp construction project that traveled home after they lost their entire pay cheque. What do a husband and father say to his wife and children when he has no money for groceries and rent?
Gambling supposedly offers risks and therefore thrills. Those who do it also hope for the “big one,” the windfall, instant cash, a spectacular prize. Sometimes it happens. However casinos, bingo halls and even VLTs make a profit for the people who run them, not the people who put in their dollars and take the risks.
Rocky Mountain House statistics are one example. If the above figures are correct and if everyone who lived there played the VLTs, each citizen would contribute nearly $500 per year to the machines in order to total the $3 million sent to the government. However, if $52,000 is divided by the same population figure, then the payback averages less than $9 per person.
Putting faith in a machine that promises so little seems illogical but for those who gamble, false hope overcomes logic. Thankfully, we can put our faith in something more sure and have a sure hope, one that will not disappoint us.
If people play the VLT’s because of concern for physical necessities, Jesus said, “ . . . those who not know Me worry about such things but as for you, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
That is an absolute promise made by the Son of God. He invites those who worry about their needs to trust Him, act accordingly and He will make sure they have enough. The Bible says, “God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”
If people hope for a windfall so they will at last “be somebody,” God promises significance to those refuse to gamble and instead hope in Him. He said to His people, “Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground; they will lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed.”
If gambling is merely a thrill, an exciting thing to do, faithfully following the Lord offers that too. The Apostle Paul wrote of his experiences, which to me are not appealing but to risk-takers, his life sounds like an adventure. Among them he mentions being shipwrecked, spending time in the open sea, being constantly on the move, in danger from rivers, bandits, false teachers, his own countrymen and Gentiles. In all that he experienced, he also knew the presence of God and experienced His power and faithfulness. To those who share that relationship, closely following God is far more thrilling than gambling, even winning at gambling.
If gambling is for that big surprise, an unexpected windfall, then consider the payoff from following Christ. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, no one who has left home or family (or gambling or anything else) for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.”
It may sound risky, but the payoff is guaranteed — because whatever God promises, He delivers!
The town of Rocky Mountain House has been making headlines. Some citizens are outraged that their community of less than 6000 population has deposited nearly $3 million a year into fewer than 40 video lottery terminals, VLTs for short. These machines are supposed to bring in funds that are returned to the community but in Rocky, the return is slightly more than $52,000. Many are upset over this imbalance and also what gambling is doing to their community.
Gambling can be a terrible addiction, particularly for people working in isolated places. My husband tells of men in a camp construction project that traveled home after they lost their entire pay cheque. What do a husband and father say to his wife and children when he has no money for groceries and rent?
Gambling supposedly offers risks and therefore thrills. Those who do it also hope for the “big one,” the windfall, instant cash, a spectacular prize. Sometimes it happens. However casinos, bingo halls and even VLTs make a profit for the people who run them, not the people who put in their dollars and take the risks.
Rocky Mountain House statistics are one example. If the above figures are correct and if everyone who lived there played the VLTs, each citizen would contribute nearly $500 per year to the machines in order to total the $3 million sent to the government. However, if $52,000 is divided by the same population figure, then the payback averages less than $9 per person.
Putting faith in a machine that promises so little seems illogical but for those who gamble, false hope overcomes logic. Thankfully, we can put our faith in something more sure and have a sure hope, one that will not disappoint us.
If people play the VLT’s because of concern for physical necessities, Jesus said, “ . . . those who not know Me worry about such things but as for you, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
That is an absolute promise made by the Son of God. He invites those who worry about their needs to trust Him, act accordingly and He will make sure they have enough. The Bible says, “God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”
If people hope for a windfall so they will at last “be somebody,” God promises significance to those refuse to gamble and instead hope in Him. He said to His people, “Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground; they will lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed.”
If gambling is merely a thrill, an exciting thing to do, faithfully following the Lord offers that too. The Apostle Paul wrote of his experiences, which to me are not appealing but to risk-takers, his life sounds like an adventure. Among them he mentions being shipwrecked, spending time in the open sea, being constantly on the move, in danger from rivers, bandits, false teachers, his own countrymen and Gentiles. In all that he experienced, he also knew the presence of God and experienced His power and faithfulness. To those who share that relationship, closely following God is far more thrilling than gambling, even winning at gambling.
If gambling is for that big surprise, an unexpected windfall, then consider the payoff from following Christ. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, no one who has left home or family (or gambling or anything else) for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.”
It may sound risky, but the payoff is guaranteed — because whatever God promises, He delivers!
Friday, January 20, 2017
God keeps His Promises .......... Parables 539
December 31, 1996
“But you promised . . . . “
What parent has not heard that accusation, particularly Christmas morning when their child did not receive an expected gift. Did he or she misinterpret “maybe” as a promise? Or did the child hear right and is rightly disappointed?
Thankfully parents and children alike have one Parent we can trust all the time. Our Heavenly Father always keeps His promises. Scripture abounds with examples. Here are three:
First, God promised a Savior, right after the first sin was committed. Then, throughout the Old Testament, He expanded and explained His promise. Jeremiah specifically uses the word: “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will fulfill the gracious promise I made to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land.”
Jesus, the perfectly right and just Son of God, was born of the lineage of David, 600 years later. After two thousand years, we still celebrate the fulfillment of this incredible Promise.
The next example is that God promises to forgive all who turn from sin and believe in His Son. Acts 2 says: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off — for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
Those who have responded to the call of God by repentance and faith in Jesus Christ know that this promise has also been fulfilled. We know the joy of His forgiveness and the reality of the Spirit’s indwelling.
The third example is God’s promise that Jesus will return to judge the earth and then renew it. Second Peter says: “The day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.”
Some laugh and say this will never happen but the Bible says, “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change his mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?”
In the Old Testament, God warned His people that if they did not believe and obey, He would destroy them. However, “they despised the pleasant land; they did not believe his promise” and they pushed God’s patience until He judged them and sent them into exile.
Biblical history shows how God hates sin and rebellion but also that He is patient and pleads with His people to return to Him. Peter clarifies His patience in response to those who scoff at the Second Coming of Christ. Instead of giving another threat, he gives this invitation: “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
Someone has catalogued several thousand promises. God has fulfilled all the others. As He promised, Jesus did come; He was born in a stable—to die on a Cross and He will come again.
This Christmas, consider God’s greatest gift, the promised Christ child. Consider also His promise of eternal life and His promise to come again. Then put your faith in Him because He who promised is faithful. He will do it.
“But you promised . . . . “
What parent has not heard that accusation, particularly Christmas morning when their child did not receive an expected gift. Did he or she misinterpret “maybe” as a promise? Or did the child hear right and is rightly disappointed?
Thankfully parents and children alike have one Parent we can trust all the time. Our Heavenly Father always keeps His promises. Scripture abounds with examples. Here are three:
First, God promised a Savior, right after the first sin was committed. Then, throughout the Old Testament, He expanded and explained His promise. Jeremiah specifically uses the word: “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will fulfill the gracious promise I made to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land.”
Jesus, the perfectly right and just Son of God, was born of the lineage of David, 600 years later. After two thousand years, we still celebrate the fulfillment of this incredible Promise.
The next example is that God promises to forgive all who turn from sin and believe in His Son. Acts 2 says: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off — for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
Those who have responded to the call of God by repentance and faith in Jesus Christ know that this promise has also been fulfilled. We know the joy of His forgiveness and the reality of the Spirit’s indwelling.
The third example is God’s promise that Jesus will return to judge the earth and then renew it. Second Peter says: “The day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.”
Some laugh and say this will never happen but the Bible says, “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change his mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?”
In the Old Testament, God warned His people that if they did not believe and obey, He would destroy them. However, “they despised the pleasant land; they did not believe his promise” and they pushed God’s patience until He judged them and sent them into exile.
Biblical history shows how God hates sin and rebellion but also that He is patient and pleads with His people to return to Him. Peter clarifies His patience in response to those who scoff at the Second Coming of Christ. Instead of giving another threat, he gives this invitation: “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
Someone has catalogued several thousand promises. God has fulfilled all the others. As He promised, Jesus did come; He was born in a stable—to die on a Cross and He will come again.
This Christmas, consider God’s greatest gift, the promised Christ child. Consider also His promise of eternal life and His promise to come again. Then put your faith in Him because He who promised is faithful. He will do it.
Monday, December 15, 2014
Just because I cannot see God . . . ................. Parables 209
(March 21, 1990)
At least fourteen cars didn’t make it. Some stopped. Others piled into them. Still others missed the space between the lines. That fog a couple of weekends ago was so unbelievably thick.
Even driving in town required a measure of faith. It looked as if there was nothing left to drive on; the streets all but disappeared. The white “soup” didn’t just cover them, it completely swallowed the pavement and buildings.
I felt the same way about God that Sunday morning. Tired from doing all the usual chores plus hospital visits, plus traveling 500 miles in two days, plus cleaning someone else’s house besides my own, there was no physical energy left for my Bible class. Not only that, God seemed far away. How could I teach about Him if He was not there?
However, on the way to church, I noticed only by going on would we know for sure if the next block still existed, if asphalt would still firmly rise up beneath our tires and if neighbors still lived alongside the boulevards. Each meter we traveled brought another meter into view, until finally we reached our destination. If we had relied only on the visible, surely we would have stayed home. Obviously, not everything we see is “real.” Fog can make streets “disappear” and create a false sense of reality. However, just because we can’t see two hundred yards in front of us didn’t mean there is nothing beyond.
That reminded me of Scripture that encourages Christians to “...walk by faith, not by sight.” We are to concentrate on eternal things that are invisible and let those govern our actions, rather than let temporary things confuse us, even though they are easier to see. (2 Cor.4:18).
That morning, my fatigue was making the reality of Christ in my life “disappear” and creating a tremendous sense of emptiness. But, as with the fog, God wanted me to go on in faith, not depend on sight or feelings but believe He is always with me -- because He said so, so I determined to move on in obedience. Yet even with God’s promise to be with me and my determination, walking into class was like walking into a fog. I still felt weak and inadequate.
The Lord met that need too. When the apostle Paul had some kind of infirmity that slowed him down, he asked God three times to remove it. God told Him, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Paul said he had learned to glory in his weaknesses because when he was weak, the power of God rested on him, whether he felt like it or not. That verse (2 Corinthians 12:9) was repeated three times in our study material.
After the study time was over, I was still exhausted and didn’t “feel” much different physically, yet each of us recognized the Lord had brought our spirits through the “fog” and into the Son light. His strength is sufficient. Faith can depend on Him.
Not every day with God is foggy. Often the course ahead is clear and His strength, tired or not, is fully felt. But when our vision of Him socks in, that doesn’t mean He’s gone. His promises are just as reliable when we can’t see the end from the beginning, as they are when the sun is shining. We can safely put one foot ahead of the other, trusting He will be there, clearing the pathway ahead of us.
At least fourteen cars didn’t make it. Some stopped. Others piled into them. Still others missed the space between the lines. That fog a couple of weekends ago was so unbelievably thick.
Even driving in town required a measure of faith. It looked as if there was nothing left to drive on; the streets all but disappeared. The white “soup” didn’t just cover them, it completely swallowed the pavement and buildings.
I felt the same way about God that Sunday morning. Tired from doing all the usual chores plus hospital visits, plus traveling 500 miles in two days, plus cleaning someone else’s house besides my own, there was no physical energy left for my Bible class. Not only that, God seemed far away. How could I teach about Him if He was not there?
However, on the way to church, I noticed only by going on would we know for sure if the next block still existed, if asphalt would still firmly rise up beneath our tires and if neighbors still lived alongside the boulevards. Each meter we traveled brought another meter into view, until finally we reached our destination. If we had relied only on the visible, surely we would have stayed home. Obviously, not everything we see is “real.” Fog can make streets “disappear” and create a false sense of reality. However, just because we can’t see two hundred yards in front of us didn’t mean there is nothing beyond.
That reminded me of Scripture that encourages Christians to “...walk by faith, not by sight.” We are to concentrate on eternal things that are invisible and let those govern our actions, rather than let temporary things confuse us, even though they are easier to see. (2 Cor.4:18).
That morning, my fatigue was making the reality of Christ in my life “disappear” and creating a tremendous sense of emptiness. But, as with the fog, God wanted me to go on in faith, not depend on sight or feelings but believe He is always with me -- because He said so, so I determined to move on in obedience. Yet even with God’s promise to be with me and my determination, walking into class was like walking into a fog. I still felt weak and inadequate.
The Lord met that need too. When the apostle Paul had some kind of infirmity that slowed him down, he asked God three times to remove it. God told Him, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Paul said he had learned to glory in his weaknesses because when he was weak, the power of God rested on him, whether he felt like it or not. That verse (2 Corinthians 12:9) was repeated three times in our study material.
After the study time was over, I was still exhausted and didn’t “feel” much different physically, yet each of us recognized the Lord had brought our spirits through the “fog” and into the Son light. His strength is sufficient. Faith can depend on Him.
Not every day with God is foggy. Often the course ahead is clear and His strength, tired or not, is fully felt. But when our vision of Him socks in, that doesn’t mean He’s gone. His promises are just as reliable when we can’t see the end from the beginning, as they are when the sun is shining. We can safely put one foot ahead of the other, trusting He will be there, clearing the pathway ahead of us.
Friday, March 7, 2014
Reasons for crashing ............................... Parables 089
How do you react when you hear of “Christian” leaders caught in activities that are against what most of them preach? Does it make you angry? Disgusted? Do you feel pain and compassion, saying “there but for the grace of God go I”? Or do you wonder if the power of Christ is sufficient to keep a person out of immorality?
Without any intention to pass judgement on any one individual, I’d like to offer some Biblical principles that focus on the issue of immorality discovered in leadership and how it can be responded to and dealt with.
First, we need to watch our own attitudes. God says, “There is not one who does good and sins not.” So everyone sins. But isn’t it easier to point fingers at those who are more obvious about it? We need to remember that man evaluates sin on a scale, but God says “...whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it” (James 2:10).
Therefore the sins of prominent people, sins that make the headlines, are no greater in the sight of God than those committed in secret by those of us who are never get mentioned in the news. And it is definitely not right to talk about those who have fallen so as to feed a pride in our own “spirituality.” God warns, “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” Our crash may not be as loud, but it will come, if we nurture pride.
Secondly, sometimes people gain prominence by the strength of their own personalities but are not genuine. They are “wolves in sheep’s clothing,” as the Bible says, but they cannot actually live godly lives. It will only be an “outward appearance”, without the power of God behind it. Eventually that sin of deception will be exposed, sometimes through a public discovery and the person removed from their position of prominence. “Be not deceived, God is not mocked: whatever a man sows, he also reaps” (Galatians 6:7).
Thirdly, it is possible for genuine Christians to be overcome, for a time, by ungodly behavior. Galatians 6:1 says if that happens, “... you who are spiritual restore such a person gently, but watch yourself or you also may be tempted.” Successfully rebuking and restoring anyone caught in sin is never easy, especially if the person is a leader. Most of us tend to think that leaders have “arrived”, that they are somehow beyond falling. Therefore it is too easy to neglect prayer for them and easier still to neglect holding them accountable, face to face, should they show signs of slipping.
Fourthly, God provides all anyone needs to battle sin. His provision includes:
a) The indwelling power of the Holy Spirit: Galatians 5:16 says, “Live by the spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”
b) The Word of God which is the Spirit’s weapon - We are to “hide His Word in our heart so we might not sin against Him” (Psalm 119:11)
c) Prayer - the link between our weakness and His power. We are “always to pray lest we enter into temptation.”
d) Spiritual oneness with other believers - Hebrews 10:25 warns us “not to give up meeting together . . . but to encourage one another . . .”
e) Protection - but we must “put on the whole armor of God” so as to resist the “flaming darts of the enemy” who would lead us into sin.
f) Co-crucifixion with Christ - yet we must “consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God.”
Any Christian who does not avail himself or herself of the provisions God gives to battle sin is certain to lose a few rounds.
The body of Christ is like the human body. Each member works interdependently with the others. When one fails, the rest suffer. The health and success of the body is based on the members functioning harmoniously -- by discerning false teaching, praying for each another, building up each other, accountability, and making full use of what God has done for us.
Without obeying those things, we cannot blame God that some come crashing down.
Without any intention to pass judgement on any one individual, I’d like to offer some Biblical principles that focus on the issue of immorality discovered in leadership and how it can be responded to and dealt with.
First, we need to watch our own attitudes. God says, “There is not one who does good and sins not.” So everyone sins. But isn’t it easier to point fingers at those who are more obvious about it? We need to remember that man evaluates sin on a scale, but God says “...whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it” (James 2:10).
Therefore the sins of prominent people, sins that make the headlines, are no greater in the sight of God than those committed in secret by those of us who are never get mentioned in the news. And it is definitely not right to talk about those who have fallen so as to feed a pride in our own “spirituality.” God warns, “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” Our crash may not be as loud, but it will come, if we nurture pride.
Secondly, sometimes people gain prominence by the strength of their own personalities but are not genuine. They are “wolves in sheep’s clothing,” as the Bible says, but they cannot actually live godly lives. It will only be an “outward appearance”, without the power of God behind it. Eventually that sin of deception will be exposed, sometimes through a public discovery and the person removed from their position of prominence. “Be not deceived, God is not mocked: whatever a man sows, he also reaps” (Galatians 6:7).
Thirdly, it is possible for genuine Christians to be overcome, for a time, by ungodly behavior. Galatians 6:1 says if that happens, “... you who are spiritual restore such a person gently, but watch yourself or you also may be tempted.” Successfully rebuking and restoring anyone caught in sin is never easy, especially if the person is a leader. Most of us tend to think that leaders have “arrived”, that they are somehow beyond falling. Therefore it is too easy to neglect prayer for them and easier still to neglect holding them accountable, face to face, should they show signs of slipping.
Fourthly, God provides all anyone needs to battle sin. His provision includes:
a) The indwelling power of the Holy Spirit: Galatians 5:16 says, “Live by the spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”
b) The Word of God which is the Spirit’s weapon - We are to “hide His Word in our heart so we might not sin against Him” (Psalm 119:11)
c) Prayer - the link between our weakness and His power. We are “always to pray lest we enter into temptation.”
d) Spiritual oneness with other believers - Hebrews 10:25 warns us “not to give up meeting together . . . but to encourage one another . . .”
e) Protection - but we must “put on the whole armor of God” so as to resist the “flaming darts of the enemy” who would lead us into sin.
f) Co-crucifixion with Christ - yet we must “consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God.”
Any Christian who does not avail himself or herself of the provisions God gives to battle sin is certain to lose a few rounds.
The body of Christ is like the human body. Each member works interdependently with the others. When one fails, the rest suffer. The health and success of the body is based on the members functioning harmoniously -- by discerning false teaching, praying for each another, building up each other, accountability, and making full use of what God has done for us.
Without obeying those things, we cannot blame God that some come crashing down.
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