Ezekiel 18: 4b "...The soul who sins is the one who will die." The bible is very clear on sin. The bible is very clear that we as Christians have to live a life "free of sin". That means that we must refrain from those things that cause us to sin. It's not ROCKET SCIENCE! Why do we make it harder to live a Christian life than it really is? The bible tells me to "give no place to the devil" so this should be a reminder that if I go to a place where there is going to be drinking, smoking, sexual inticements, etc... then I am giving place for the devil to put something into my spirit that causes me to sin. I don't think that we can go to night clubs, sports bars, creek parties, etc... with a S on our shirt and think that we are exempt from being tempted of the devil. The bible is clear that we must live a holy life before the Lord and in the process of living holy we have to make right choices on where we should go and what we do.
We as Christians can't expect God's blessings and gifts to be manifest in our lives if we are continualy giving place to the enemy and living with sin in our lives. We can't be blessed beyond measure with sin in our lives. We can't please God with sin in our lives! I have come to hate sin because it robs us from receiving what is rightfully ours, from receiving the promises of God!
The good news - we have an advocate with the Father!!!! We have a Heavenly Father that is forgiving and that loves us! I'm amazed at how God can forgive us our sins and pick us up and put us back on the right track. It is up to us to stay on the right track and not go back to our old ways. Sin kills - Jesus gives life!
I like your sermonette pastor,I too am amazed at how people can go out into the world and do as they please and think nothing of it and then go to church on Sunday or whenever they go and think that makes it all right.Sad to say many years ago I was taught that that was the way it was and it was acceptable and I trulely believed it or at least I wanted to,but in mt heart I knew it wasn't right.Then the SPIRIT of GOD opened my eyes to the truth of His word and I have never been the same since,now I'm not perfect,far from it but I strive to be as He wants me to be each and every day as we all should do who call ourselves christians,because we are wearing His name,CHRIST LIKE.Keep the WORD coming,GOD BLESS LUV YA'LL SIS.MAMA
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