What a blessing to be a follower of Jesus! To know the truth. To be a recipient of God’s promises. To be a part of the church – the bride of Christ. To be His servant. To have the assurance of eternal life in Heaven!
As a child of Jehovah God, saved by the blood of Jesus Christ, I am called and equipped to:
Love, Obey and Trust Him
- Mark 12:29-30 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. 30 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.
- John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.
- Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Humble Myself, Love Others and Share the Truth About Jesus
- Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
- Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
- Matthew 28:19-20 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Redefine Success by Yielding to His Ways and His Will
- Isaiah 55:8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
- Matthew 6:10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
Yet, the closer I get to God, the more I realize that something is not right. My very nature as a human being invades every part of my relationship with God. In the weaknesses of my flesh, I distort my relationship with God by focusing on rules, rituals and religion. I respond to the love of Christ with laziness, lies and legalism.
- Romans 7:18-19 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.
At the core of my humanity, in the depths of my depravity, I am prone to:
Trust Me Above All Else
Elevate Me Above Everyone Else
Fear the Embarrassment and Inconveniences of My Failures
I try to justify my sins and shortcomings by blaming Satan and the fallen world around me. But the truth is, in Christ Jesus, they have no power over me.
- Romans 6:5-6 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
The diagnosis,
My Human Nature is
The Cancer in My Christianity!
Human depravity causes me to sin. This is my sickness.
- Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?
- Mark 7:21-23 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”
But don’t misunderstand – This is a survivor’s story!
Although I will be battling this cancer for the rest of my life here on earth, one day, when I am in Heaven and see Jesus face to face, I will be free of this sickness! This is true for every follower of Jesus!
- Revelation 21:4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
- Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
- 1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
To sin is to fall short of God’s standards, expectations and requirements. Our sins put us in debt to God. Our sin must be paid for. There are only two ways your sin debt to God can be paid:
1. Spend eternity separated from God suffering torment in a real place called Hell.
- Matthew 25:46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
- 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
2. Accept the payment Jesus made for your sin by surrendering to Him as Lord and Savior.
- Isaiah 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
- John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
- Romans 10:9-10 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Christ is the Cure
For the Cancer of
Depraved Human Nature!
Prayer
Holy Father, please spread the truth of Your Word to those who need to hear it. Break chains, free hearts, shine light in the darkness! Please do what only You can do, save the lost, sanctify Your saints, and bring all things into reconciliation! I love You Lord and thank You for Your grace, mercy, love, patience and justice. I pray these things in the name above every name, Jesus. Amen.
