We Have the Power

"Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." 1st Corinthians 10:12-13

I was reading this a couple days ago and thought, "This verse is one of the best promises in the Bible." You know how you read something, or watch something, or hear someone say something and you just want to jump up and shout, or dance, or sing? I read this passage and want to do those things all at the same time. It resonates in my heart, it uplifts my soul, it causes my mind to be captivated by the extremity of God's love for me. Not only do I serve a faithful God who keeps my heart from being so tempted that I just HAVE to say yes to a particular sin, but He will always provide a way of escape from said sin.

How awesome is that? What struggles do you face, what sin comes crouching at the door to spring on you the minute you open up and you seem to always give in? Is it a requirement for you to say yes to this sin? Is the temptation so strong that there is no way you can walk away from it? My friends, if you are a Christian, you have all the power you need to say no to sin!

One sin that I have struggled with repeatedly over the years is temptation to bitterness. It seemed that every time a certain situation arose, or I perceived I was being treated a certain way, my heart would automatically go into "bitter" mode. It looked something like this. Someone would, to my perspective, leave me out of something they were doing. I would look and say, "They are doing that on purpose. Why do they treat me this way? How hard would it be to invite me to go along with them?" And on and on it would go, so that these resentful thoughts would churn in my heart until the seeds of bitterness dug deep. So, whenever I thought someone was leaving me out, I already had those seeds of bitterness in my heart, making it easier and easier for my mind to automatically think the worst of whoever was leaving me out. So out of this, not only did resentment and bitterness spring, but also anger, self-righteousness, and judgmentalism.

It was so easy to be bitter! It seemed like I couldn't say no. Yet because God is faithful, this lie that says "Every time you are left out you will be bitter, so just get used to it" can be vanquished by one simple thing. Saying no in the power of the Holy Spirit! It hasn't been easy, and it requires training my mind to recite what the Gospel is. The Gospel says that no matter what perceived offense there is against me, my offense against God is far worse. And because of that, Christ Himself had to bear my bitterness on the Cross so that God's wrath won't consume me. Not only that, but now that I have Christ's righteousness, I can say no when that temptation arises. He offers me a way of escape; not only that, He provided the way of escape by the sacrifice of His Son and the indwelling of His Spirit in my heart.

Let's be a generation that says "no" to sin, even what seem to be "little" sins or "respectable" sins. Or maybe your temptations arise in the form of "big" sins, like internet pornography or masturbation (as if those things required more of Christ's blood than my bitterness does!) The truth remains the same either way. You can say "no" because God gives you a way of escape, and He won't allow you to be tempted to such a degree that it is impossible for you to say "no." And one day, we won't even be tempted at all! As Paul writes later in 1st Corinthians 15:51-58:

"Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

"Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?"

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."


--Janelle

Our Call and Motivation

This is going to be short. Today I get to write about whatever I want to write about, and I've found that over the past week or so all I really want to write or talk about is the Gospel. This might sound cliche, but it's true.

What else is there to write about? What else is there to talk about? As John Newton said, I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior. These two truths will remain unchanged. I will always be sinning, yet there stands Christ, continually saving.

The next step, so to speak, is to tell others about this great Savior. Are you afraid to evangelize? I am. But you know what? Christ saves, I don't. This alone should wipe away our fear, and give us a holy boldness to obey Christ's call to tell others about what a great Savior He is. The fact that I am not the one responsible for saving their souls is a huge relief, because I know that I can't. What I can do is point others to the One who can.

Are you lacking in boldness? I am. But you know what? The Holy Spirit is the one who acts through us. All we have to do is open our mouths, and out comes His words. If you have been saved by grace through faith, you know the Gospel. The Holy Spirit dwells within you and prompts you when it seems that you have no idea what to say.

Do you not know who to evangelize to? Are all your friends and family saved? You can evangelize to your neighbor, mechanic, grocer, barista, the cop at the corner, the kid behind the Blockbuster counter, the person who walks their dog by your house, the person who works at 7-11...you get my drift. If you are looking for something intense, you can come with me every Friday night either downtown or to Winter Park Village. Or, you can come with me on Tuesdays to the abortion clinic. Look all around you; there is a lost and dying world, drowning in sin and shame. We have the life raft, which was once thrown to us. What should we do? Keep it to ourselves?

Remember our call, remember our motivation: Jesus has called us, and Jesus motivates us. He is indeed a great Savior.

--Janelle