"I said, 'Lord, be merciful to me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.'" (Psalm 41:4)
This prayer was not uttered by an unbeliever. This was someone who, "had God's heart," someone who was called, "the sweet psalmist of Israel," the one who "wrote" and sang this song. Now most religious people can handle the promise that, "as far as the east is from the west," and, "the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses us from all sin." But what about that sin which probably manifested some time already today?
You have heard the idea that goes something like, "God loves us just the way we are. But God loves us too much to leave us the way we are." There is sound Biblical Theology in this. Jesus did not die only for our forgiveness. Jesus shed His Most Precious Blood, died and rose from the grave so that He "breaks the power of canceled sin." It almost could seem contradictory. If it's "canceled," how can it have "power?" Well, just because you and I surrendered our lives to Jesus, just because we are, "born again," does not mean the Enemy gave up on trying to destroy us. His end prophesied in Revelation has not yet come upon him. He still, "prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (NIV).
The sin which destroys humanity is the sin which Jesus destroyed, "in His cross." It is not only the sin which separates us from our God that David is talking about in our text. It is the sin which keeps cropping up, sins which were with and in us before we surrendered our lives to Jesus Christ, and are still ever present, robbing us of the victory, joy and peace promised in Jesus. It is the, "sin which so easily besets us," the sin which destroys relationships with others. And our text tells us that this sin is a disease of the soul, not of the body. What our bodies manifest, that which we call sin, is just the outplaying of the soul's disease. Maybe it would be good if Christendom would begin to claim, "Who heals all our diseases," for the soul as well as our bodies. I regret that over the last 50+ years as a pastor/missionary I have not encouraged people, nor myself, enough in this: "For sin shall not have the dominion over you."
One of the great keys to historic revival is the overwhelming conviction of sin in the Church, not the Church just pointing out the sins of the world. When God's People pray, " Search me, O God," then the kindling needed for "revival fires" is ready to ignite. I ask you to join me today in praying, "Father, in Jesus' Name, You said that, 'sin shall not have dominion over you.' Too many sins do, 'have the dominion over [me].' Holy Spirit keep before me for the rest of my days that Your purpose in the Shed Blood of Jesus, in His Cross, His death and resurrection was the forgiveness of sin, and that, 'sin shall not have the dominion over you.' Help me to not resist Your work in me, the great promise, 'For whom He knew beforehand, He also foreordained to be conformed to the image of His Son....' I ask nothing less, Father." Amen.
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This prayer was not uttered by an unbeliever. This was someone who, "had God's heart," someone who was called, "the sweet psalmist of Israel," the one who "wrote" and sang this song. Now most religious people can handle the promise that, "as far as the east is from the west," and, "the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses us from all sin." But what about that sin which probably manifested some time already today?
You have heard the idea that goes something like, "God loves us just the way we are. But God loves us too much to leave us the way we are." There is sound Biblical Theology in this. Jesus did not die only for our forgiveness. Jesus shed His Most Precious Blood, died and rose from the grave so that He "breaks the power of canceled sin." It almost could seem contradictory. If it's "canceled," how can it have "power?" Well, just because you and I surrendered our lives to Jesus, just because we are, "born again," does not mean the Enemy gave up on trying to destroy us. His end prophesied in Revelation has not yet come upon him. He still, "prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (NIV).
The sin which destroys humanity is the sin which Jesus destroyed, "in His cross." It is not only the sin which separates us from our God that David is talking about in our text. It is the sin which keeps cropping up, sins which were with and in us before we surrendered our lives to Jesus Christ, and are still ever present, robbing us of the victory, joy and peace promised in Jesus. It is the, "sin which so easily besets us," the sin which destroys relationships with others. And our text tells us that this sin is a disease of the soul, not of the body. What our bodies manifest, that which we call sin, is just the outplaying of the soul's disease. Maybe it would be good if Christendom would begin to claim, "Who heals all our diseases," for the soul as well as our bodies. I regret that over the last 50+ years as a pastor/missionary I have not encouraged people, nor myself, enough in this: "For sin shall not have the dominion over you."
One of the great keys to historic revival is the overwhelming conviction of sin in the Church, not the Church just pointing out the sins of the world. When God's People pray, " Search me, O God," then the kindling needed for "revival fires" is ready to ignite. I ask you to join me today in praying, "Father, in Jesus' Name, You said that, 'sin shall not have dominion over you.' Too many sins do, 'have the dominion over [me].' Holy Spirit keep before me for the rest of my days that Your purpose in the Shed Blood of Jesus, in His Cross, His death and resurrection was the forgiveness of sin, and that, 'sin shall not have the dominion over you.' Help me to not resist Your work in me, the great promise, 'For whom He knew beforehand, He also foreordained to be conformed to the image of His Son....' I ask nothing less, Father." Amen.
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When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
