Instant Replay

Over and over in my life, I have always reverted back to the same sins.  I know that Satan knows our weaknesses, and for some time I allowed Satan to control my mind in to thinking that he was able to tempt me to the point of sinning again! And every time I committed that sin, I would ask for forgiveness and God would forgive me, but I always felt more shame each time I did it! I would excuse it by saying, "Satan has a grip on me, and he knows my weaknesses!"

I see so many people like this today in our society.  I had a conversation with a friend this past week that prompted me to write this blog.  The overwhelming passion in my heart can not be contained any longer!
Why do we keep doing the very thing we apologize for?  Why is it that we say we are sorry for something, and yet we keep doing it?  Does that show that we are truly sorry?  Would it be easy for you to forgive someone for seriously hurting you? Maybe once, maybe twice, maybe- as the Bible tells us ' A70 times 7- maybe.  But if we are real and honest with ourselves, would it build any love and trust between those two people?

This is my question to us all- If we believe that being saved from the wrath of God is reliant upon a "personal relationship" with Jesus Christ, which at least all protestants do- then why do we continue to repeat the same sins? I know you're going to answer, "because that's our sinful nature in us and that is Satan tempting us.." Is that really it, or has it grown to something deeper?  Could it be that we are excusing the very fact that we are more willing to ask forgiveness than we are to say I love my God enough to NOT do this?

Those of us who are saved could very easily say, "God has forgiven all my sins, the past AND the future sins."  Well, not only does that line up with the Catholic religion, but it also shows more about our "personal relationship" with God than it does about our religion!  Who of you would like to be cheated on?  Hopefully none!  How many of you after being cheated on would forgive your mate?  Hopefully all!  Would you continue to feel loved and cherished and wanted after the 20th time of that same person cheating?  Of course not!  So if our "relationship" with God is reflected as a "marriage", then what makes us think that committing the same sin over and over and asking for forgiveness is any different to God?

Do we really love God and want to please Him in our daily lives, or do we WANT to serve a God who LOVES US?  I'm afraid the majority of this country desires the latter!  Our country is full of churches and yet we have more missionaries coming here from other countries than this country has sending out!  Whats the problem with that?  The problem is that alot of our churches are tickling our ears to hear what we want to hear!  They are challenging the "church", the people of this nation to turn their backs on the TRUTH and focus only on the "good" things this world has to offer!  The bad thing about this is that this World was destined for death! Are the people left standing after Jesus returns going to be able to look around to one another and say, "Well, lets think about the good that is coming tommorrow'? NO- that will be the day of REALITY for such people! 

I wish there were more churches and more everyday-life Christians that would get out of this "I believe in a God who loves me, you should too" mentality and get into a "I serve a God who loves me enough to die the most painful death on a cross to save me from my own sin, you should too because He did it for you too.  No it isn't easy always going against the flow- and no I am not perfect, but when I fail, I ask for forgiveness and I repent! There are going to be sins evident in my life, and when there are- I love my God enough to STOP!" mentality!!!!!

Where have the sermons gone that sex before marriage is wrong, addiction is idolatry, drunkeness is wrong, cheating and adultery is wrong...?  Where have the convicting sermons gone?  I am part of my church because sometimes I am offended, but guess what- the TRUTH is offensive!  Offend me all day if it shows me the TRUTH!  In the end, we will ALL know and our knees will bow and our tongues confess that Jesus Christ is Lord- I am choosing to avoid the rush- are you?