Don't Let Sin Take Root

My Utmost For His Highest

 

‘[…] walk in the knowledge of the holiness He has given you. Tolerating a wrong attitude toward another person causes you to follow the spirit of the devil, no matter how saintly you are. One carnal judgment of another person only serves the purposes of hell in you. Bring it immediately into the light and confess, “Oh, Lord, I have been guilty there.” If you don’t, your heart will become hardened through and through. One of the penalties of sin is our acceptance of it. […] No struggling or praying will enable you to stop doing certain things, and the penalty of sin is that you gradually get used to it, until you finally come to the place where you no longer even realize that it is sin. No power, except the power that comes from being filled with the Holy Spirit, can change or prevent the inherent consequences of sin.’  CHAMBERS

 

We must be so very careful.  Our flesh can deceive us. People do or say bad and hurtful things to others .. maybe to you …  and it seems reasonable that they should be criticized or treated in a like manner .. punished even. So we hold on to that attitude towards them and before you know it, it has taken root in us.  We justify it in our minds and perhaps to others, not realizing that it has significantly affected our spiritual condition … and the way we relate to other people.  Our heart becomes hard … The Word of God is clear about how we, as Christians, are to respond to people .. irrespective of how they respond to us … love your enemies .. pray for those who despitefully use you  (Matthew 5:44) … if someone strikes you on one cheek .. turn the other (Luke 6:29) … these verses – actually commands - are about attitudes toward people that are not nice … When we don’t do what the Word says … sin takes root in our hearts … and over time we come to the place where we accept it or think .. that is just the way we are … If that is you, read 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 to refresh your thinking.

 

A word of caution … we cannot do anything that the Lord commands in our own strength .. but only by the power of the Spirit in us.  So please don’t think .. ok, I must try harder. Trying harder will not work … it will only result in failure … How you treat others is reflection of the level of love you have in your heart for God.  If you have an obedience problem, it’s because you have a love problem.  The first step to having the right attitudes is to start with the Lord …

 

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)