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The Fight Part II

Fight the good fight of the faith. (I Tim 6:12) Lord, grant me a greater faith to hold onto your precious promises. We have been talking about the fact that the Christian life is a fight for holiness. In the last blog I discussed two principles that help us in this fight: 1) Understand that apart from Christ we are sinful and weak. 2) Rest in the work of Christ in us. Today I will focus on a principle that helps us do number 2. Walk by faith, not by sight (II Cor 5:7). The Christian life is a life…

The Fight

I have fought the good fight . . . (II Tim 3:7) May I fight, O Lord, your fight — the fight for holiness. Last week I discussed the fact that Christians are holy but mentioned as well that we still sin. Such talk may raise an eyebrow or two, for how exactly can holy people sin? Doesn’t holiness mean we don’t sin? To address this question, I want you to think of a bride at a wedding.   When she says, “I do,” she becomes a wife, and her identity changes for the rest of her life. At the wedding, she…

The Consequence of a New Identity

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (I Cor 6:9-11)  Lord, you have made me new. Praise to your name. Now, by your grace, may I live new….

From Hyena to Human

Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.  The venom of asps is under their lips.  Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.  Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.  There is no fear of God before their eyes.  (Rm 3:14-18) Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.  He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.  (Rev 21:3) Lord, we praise you for the…

Freeing the Slaves

Truly, truly I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (Jn 8:34-6) We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. (Rm 6:6) You have freed me, O Lord! Hallelujah! I am free! Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves, and in doing so, he changed the course of…