27/11/2012 - THIS IS HOW MANY CHRISTIANS LIVE

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He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly; and He does not let their cattle decrease.  When they are diminished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.

Psalm 107:38-39

The saga of the Israelites must be carefully studied because it represents what happens to most of God’s people nowadays. There are people who almost on a daily basis and several times a day kneel at the feet of the Lord to beg for mercy and forgiveness. That’s because they always yield to temptations instead of giving due value to the freedom that Christ gives to those who accept Him as their Savior. However, those who decide to put their trust in the Almighty respect His Word.

Failure to heed what the Scriptures declare is one of the mistakes most frequently made by the children of God. Some sins seem harmless, but after having been committed they demonstrate the traps the enemy uses to hold them in his hands. Thus, the only way to get rid of such ties is to confess and abandon the sins, returning to the Father.

The return to God’s arms is always beneficial. Whenever the Israelites found themselves in trouble they sought forgiveness and turned to God, who was always with His arms open. However, even after they had gone through bad times they did not learn their lesson and soon afterwards they would get carried away by other temptations by repeatedly falling in transgression.

This has been the conduct of many. Although on certain days some people feel disgusted over their evil deeds and promise with faith and repentance that they won’t sin anymore, in other days no sooner does a temptation arise than they give in again! If this has happened to you, make the decision to be serious in your spiritual life. Due to the fact that they lived before the sacrifice of the Calvary, the children of Israel could not get rid of sin. We, however, live in the days after the sacrifice on the cross.

Detachment from God always causes problems, which can give way to evil oppression. Therefore, it is best to seek forgiveness from the Almighty and avoid sinking even further into sin. The Lord tells the weak to say he’s strong (Joel 3:10) instead of saying all the time that there is no solution. So come to your senses and escape the temptations; the devil can only dominate those who submit to him but God is the only one we should be submissive to.

It is possible to notice whether an individual lives in the presence of God: in spite of his endeavors, his countenance is always disheartened. This happens because the evil one is relentless and unstoppable in his eagerness to afflict those who are under his sway. At first, the evil works may seem harmless, but later Satan always reveals his wickedness. So, be wise and make sure you have nothing to do with sin.

People who are deceived by the lies of the devil will never be able to please God. So do not make the same mistake for the Lord can only help those who truly strive. Besides, He delights in those who acknowledge they can’t do anything without Him but rise up with faith and resolve to always be victorious. For the Lord, these are the real men of valor.

In Christ with love,

R. R. Soares