God's grace...

Romans 7:14 onwards (the Message)

I can anticipate the response that is coming: "I know that all God's commands are spiritual, but I'm not. Isn't this also your experience?" Yes. I'm full of myself--after all, I've spent a long time in sin's prison. What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can't be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God's command is necessary.

But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway.

My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.

It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question?

The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.

many of us struggle to overcome all the sin that still exists in us. we think because we have the LORD in us we can overcome our sin...but the truth is if we could overcome our sin we would not need our Saviour who died for us.

so we know we're not perfect but we get trapped in Satan's secret weapon - GUILT. Because we still desire things we shouldn't, we still lust after a life we know is wrong...sin tempts us and we give in without much of a fight sometimes. Then Satan steps in and OVERWHELMS US WITH GUILT - if God is so strong then why doesn't he help you...if you believe then why are you such a walk over???

We think we are a suprise to him, so when we do bad things we ignore the LORD. Then when we remember the LORD we feel so guilty and go to him saying sorry again and again. But the LORD already knows this, he's with us when we are sinning. He knows we are going to sin before we even do it. He knows we are weak in the flesh.

So why doesn't he give up on us? It's because he knows who you are in the flesh is NOT WHO YOU ARE IN THE SPIRIT. Your spirit already knows all the LORD's promises , your spirit is set free from death because of Jesus, our Saviour. Your spirit soars just at the mention of his name, recognises his love, and is completely saved.

Satan tries to fool us in to believing we haven't changed. What's the point of being saved we're still living the same old life. But this is A LIE. You have changed. Sometimes now you think before you speak. Sometimes now you pray before you act. Sometimes now you submit to authority. Sometimes now you say NO to sin.

I am speaking from personal experience. The LORD is all about change - but in his timing. He knows you're not ready to change yet...so why waste your time upsetting yourself about how bad you are. The LORD wants to deal with how bad you are, but he wants you to keep your eyes on him....not on your messed up life...draw near to him.

The more you draw near to the LORD, the more you worship him in spirit and in truth, the more set free you will be.

The LORD's desire is to set you completely free from all that binds you in your life. But he doesn't want you focusing on this, just focus on him. Keep you eyes on him and all these other things he will add unto you.

So the good news is YES, you are saved. But it's through our Lord, Jesus. And YES you will change, but not by your own efforts but by the Holy Spirit. The LORD is changing you inside out...so he feeds your spirit, renews your mind, you build a relationship with him, and then before you realise it you are doing good without even trying. What was hard to do before will be so easy you wonder what the fuss was!

I decided to accept who I was and leave the changing to the LORD, my job was to believe and do the things I already knew how to do - praise him, pray and read his word. Some things the LORD just took away without any struggling. But there are some sins that I still do, but I know one day, they will go too.

I stuff up every single day...but I've known the LORD personally for 20 years and for some years there was little progress and then lot's of growth and then slow and then lots...now I have gotten to a stage where it always feels like lots of progress....the trials and testings are greater too. But I can handle these better than when I was young Christian.

Just remember the LORD isn't finished with you yet, and you HAVE ALREADY come a long way. God knows who you are better than you do. He knew all your sins when Jesus died on that cross so why beat yourself up about these things when God has already forgiven you.

Next time you do something really bad, don't condemn yourself because Jesus didn't. Just say: oh well, today I am weak, today I don't have what it takes but one day by the LORD's spirit I will overcome. You died on that cross for this sin and I thank you LORD for your grace which saves me every single day.

So if you never give up and keep doing what you know to do, you will find eventually you know how to do more....and one day you will wake up and realise that you changed without you even knowing. But maybe today is not that day for you. Accept who you are today and enjoy the LORD's grace.