Who is like unto Thee O! Lord! Who is like unto Thee, O! Lord! Among the gods Who is like Thee You are glorious in holiness fearful in Praising doing wonders alleluia! // How Excellent is Thy Name O! Lord! How Excellent is Thy Name O! Lord! How Excellent is Thy Name! How Excellent is Thy Name! How Excellent is Thy Name O! Lord! Mighty Jehovah! How Excellent is Thy Name, How Excellent is Thy Name! How Excellent is Thy Name O Lord!
Our Father, we thank You for another beautiful week You have made us to be part of, Thank You for the glorious time in Your Presence. You are God; You are not man, Thank You Father for Your Faithfulness, be Thou exalted forever and ever in Jesus Name. Help us again today to know You better, deeper and higher in Jesus Name.
Beloveth, thank God is Friday- our day of Practical Christian Living. A platform that gives us more insight to practice what we are learning from God’s Word. The Word of God says that we should likewise be “Doers of the Word not hearers only (Jas 1:22). Praise the Lord.
This session of the ministration is meant to showcase those who have gone ahead of us living out Christ-like life, their encounters- challenges and victory. It is to guide us how to live and handle our difficulties as we journey through as pilgrims here on earth.
Today by God’s grace we will be gaining another insight on “Sin.” Beloveth “Sin – is Simple Instruction Neglected. The Word of God calls it evil in God’s sight. All acts of wickedness are sin before God. Is evil and abomination before our Father Who art in heaven.
He commanded us not to practice it nor indulge in it and ours is to obey! (Jer 33:20) Praise the Lord.
One of God’s commandments is holiness. God expects us to live holy because He is Holy. But what do we have today? People are living in sin (including pastors and workers in church), indulging in sinful acts and sexual immoralities (pre-marital and extra marital sex, pornography, incest, homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality-sexual relationship between human and animal) (Lev 18: 23, 20: Exo 22:19).
How did God describe sexual immorality as – Wickedness- Lev 18:17, Abomination- Lev 18:20, 26-27. Perversion – Lev18:23. So we must see this sin the way God sees it and every other sinful act are not exempted please note
People indulges in these sinful habit in private not realizing that God see them. This was shared by a president of a seminary school whose students view these sites not realizing that what they viewed was traceable. Little wonder we have evil filled up everywhere with bitter fruit borne in the lives of these pastors, some of whom have multiple academic degrees, some of whom lead mega churches, some of whom may speak in tongues or exhibit other manifestations of the Spirit, and some of whom are gifted orators, yet secretly struggle with sexual immorality or addition, for the gifts and calling of God is without repentance (Rom 11:29).
What has happened to purity within the lives of those who call themselves by God’s Name? Is the lack of purity an indication that Holy Spirit is withdrawing Himself? Because make no mistake about it, the Holy Spirit is indeed pure. He is Holy.
I believe the church today is in desperate need of revival. Not a tent meeting or a series of services to save the loss, but a spiritual awakening that will compel God’s people to repent of our sin, return to the cross, recommit ourselves to living lives that reflect His purity.
One of the responsibilities of the Holy Spirit is to make us Holy as He is Holy. Our responsibility is to cooperate with Him if we truly want to experience and reflect His purity. Choice by choice, when He says something needs to go, get rid of it. Now. When He says a relationship need to be severed, sever it. When He says we need to offer forgiveness to that person, offer forgiveness to that person. When He says to ask someone else forgiveness, ask that person for forgiveness. If He says break that habit, break that habit. Now. Don’t procrastinate. Don’t rationalize. Don’t excuse or defend yourself. Do what He says, when He says it. (1 Tim 4:12).
When I receive Jesus as my Saviour, my assumption has been that the Holy Spirit was “assigned” to me. I thought He has come into my life because He had no option. I was now His “Job”- His responsibility.
Then one day the word of God in Eph 4:30 gripped me ( And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption). While I understand that scripture is warning us not to intentionally, willfully sin, the word grieve caught and held my attention. I reflected on grief in my own life and knew I had experienced that emotion only when I loved someone deeply.
This realization turned the light on in my thinking as I realized that if I can grieve the Holy Spirit, it is because He loves me. The Holy Spirit loves me! He is not just a professional partner. He is not just assigned to me. He doesn’t live within me because He has to – He lives within me because He wants to live within me. He deeply cares about what I do and who I become. Not only is He spiritually and practically involved in my life: He is also emotionally caught up in who I am and who I am to become.
What a difference that simple truth has made in my perspective. I can be myself with the Holy Spirit. I don’t have to be “on”. I can relax and be transparent with Him. I can trust Him completely because He truly loves me!
And the Holy Spirit loves you too! It doesn’t matter how small or how large your concern is. He cares. He understands. He wants what is best for you. He desires for you to fulfill your God-given potential. He wants to ease your burden, solve your problem, comfort your broken heart, bind up your wounds, bring you through the valley of the shadow, shower you with blessings upon blessings. And yes, He wants to make you Holy- because He loves you. Stop trying to impress Him, stop working so hard to earn his love. Live with the confidence that you are deeply, unconditionally, permanently loved by Him.
Jesus in you with the workings of the Holy Spirit is what you keep you away from sin. Are you ready to cooperate with the Holy Spirit?
Come along for more:
“Ye that love the Lord hate evil.” Psalm 97:10
Thou hast good reason to “hate evil,” for only consider what harm it has already wrought thee. Oh, what a world of mischief sin has brought into thy heart! Sin blinded thee so that thou couldst not see the beauty of the Saviour; it made thee deaf so that thou couldst not hear the Redeemer’s tender invitations.
Sin turned thy feet into the way of death, and poured poison into the very fountain of thy being; it tainted thy heart, and made it “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” Oh, what a creature thou wast when evil had done its utmost with thee, before divine grace interposed!
Thou wast an heir of wrath even as others; thou didst “run with the multitude to do evil.” Such were all of us; but Paul reminds us, “but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”
We have good reason, indeed, for hating evil when we look back and trace its deadly workings. Such mischief did evil do us, that our souls would have been lost had not omnipotent love interfered to redeem us. Even now it is an active enemy, ever watching to do us hurt, and to drag us to perdition.
Therefore “hate evil,” O Christians, unless you desire trouble. If you would strew your path with thorns, and plant nettles in your death-pillow, then neglect to “hate evil”; but if you would live a happy life, and die a peaceful death, then walk in all the ways of holiness, hating evil, even unto the end.
If you truly love your Saviour, and would honour Him, then “hate evil.” We know of no cure for the love of evil in a Christian like abundant intercourse with the Lord Jesus. Dwell much with Him, and it is impossible for you to be at peace with sin.
“Order my footsteps by Thy Word,
And make my heart sincere;
Let sin have no dominion, Lord,
But keep my conscience clear.”
How do keep abundant intercourse with the Lord Jesus? Go before God and ask Him to help you to know Him better, deeper and higher. You gonna experience the touch of God and the Holy Spirit will surely order your footsteps in God’s Word Amen!!!
Read Rom 7 and 8. Have a blissful weekend, meditating in all that we have discussed above and surely you will testify of God’s Spirit resting on you. Amen!!! See you on Monday by God’s grace.
Remain blessed in the Lord.
