Tag: sin

Remain Steadfast Against Temptation

On By BrianIn PASSION ReflectionsLeave a comment

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.  Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
(James 1:14-15, ESV)

Our own desires lead to sin which leads to death.  How can we overcome?  James gives us a number of strategies in the first 18 verses of his book: 

We must recognize our responsibility.  It is our own desires that lead to sin (13-14).  We are not victims.  There is no one to blame but us.  So we must stand up and fight.

We must recognize the terrible result.  Sin may look fun and enjoyable, but it is the path to death (v15). 

We must receive a new heart.  This is where it starts.  We need to trust in Jesus and be made new with new desires (v18).

We must remember whose we are.  We are God’s servants (v1), so we must reject any desire that opposes Him.

We must rejoice in the goal.  God is using even temptations to make us mature in Christ (v2-4), so don’t despair.

We must request help from God.  We need to pray (v5-8), turning from our sinful desires to the One who can help us overcome.

We must reset our desires.  We need to turn from what the world chases after (v9-11) and set our desires on God and what He desires.

We must remember our hope.  The crown of life is coming (v12).  Sin and temptations will one day be over forever, so press on!

We must remain steadfast against temptation.  Don’t slack off.  Use the strategies given and keep fighting temptation.

Sermon Songs: Hebrews 12:4-17

On By BrianIn Hebrews Hymns

Resist and lay aside ev’ry sin
Struggle and fight, grow in righteousness
Submit yourself to God’s discipline
That you might share in His holiness

Chorus
Fast, Fast, Hold fast
Hold fast to Jesus the Better One
Near, Near, Draw Near
Draw near to God through His only Son

God disciplines His daughters and sons
For our own good, with wisdom and love
Training is hard, but when it’s all done
We shall be changed, and see Him above
(Repeat Chorus)

So strive for peace and real holiness
Watch over each other lest we stray
Beware of the root of bitterness
Your birthright don’t lightly toss away
(Repeat Chorus)

© 2023 Brian J. Mikul

(Sing to tune of “Grace Greater Than Our Sin”)

Sermon Songs: Hebrews 10:1-18

On By BrianIn Hebrews Hymns

Behold Jesus came to do God’s will
Offered Himself to pay for our sins
A single sacrifice once for all
Our sin forgotten and forgiven

Chorus
Fast, Fast, Hold fast
Hold fast to Jesus the Better One
Near, Near, Draw Near
Draw near to God through His only Son

Old sacrifices could not make clean
Could not perfect though offered each day
Only His sacrifice makes us clean
Holy and perfect, sin washed away
(Repeat Chorus)

In His finished work now find your rest
Clean in His sight, come draw near to God
His new work in you now manifest
Follow Jesus – do the will of God
(Repeat Chorus)

© 2023 Brian J. Mikul

(Sing to tune of “Grace Greater Than Our Sin”)

Sermon Songs: Hebrews 9:15-28

On By BrianIn Hebrews Hymns

Celebrate our joyful circumstance
Forever we have full forgiveness
Promised eternal inheritance
With God now, forever, through Jesus

Chorus
Fast, Fast, Hold fast
Hold fast to Jesus the Better One
Near, Near, Draw Near
Draw near to God through His only Son

Dying for our sins He did appear
In heaven now appears – so draw near!
Of death and judgment we need not fear
For with salvation He will appear
(Repeat Chorus)

Come with your sin and guilt, heed the call
Turn and believe before it’s too late
His promises, now enjoy them all
For His return, eagerly now wait
(Repeat Chorus)

© 2023 Brian J. Mikul

(Sing to tune of “Grace Greater Than Our Sin”)

Sermon Songs: Hebrews 9:1-14

On By BrianIn Hebrews Hymns

Our God is holy, holy, holy
We are sinners in need of cleansing
We could not find inner purity
From the Old Covenant offerings

Chorus
Fast, Fast, Hold fast
Hold fast to Jesus the Better One
Near, Near, Draw Near
Draw near to God through His only Son

Offering Himself, Jesus shed His blood
All of our sins and guilt washed away
Now we can draw near and serve our God
Once for all Jesus opened the way
(Repeat Chorus)

© 2023 Brian J. Mikul

(Sing to tune of “Grace Greater Than Our Sin”)

Saturday Strands

On By BrianIn Saturday Strands

Loose strands for our growth:

The Awakening We Need: Why the Reformed Pray for Revival – Ray Ortlund (DG)
“Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” May Psalm 85:6 grab our hearts and never let us go!

Is the ‘Silent Treatment’ a Godly Approach to Conflict? – Joe Carter (TGC)
Passive-aggressive tactics are ungodly because they promote division over unity, reflect anger rather than understanding, and withhold forgiveness and love in an effort to gain control.

How (and How Not) to Fight Sin – J. Garrett Kell (Crossway)
Fighting sin is spiritual warfare, and warfare requires a battle plan. If left to our own devices, we would have little success against our unseen enemy. Thankfully, God’s word supplies wisdom to assist us in eluding the evil one’s snares.

Rome Is Not Our Home: Live Counterculturally During Election Season – Pete Nicholas (TGC)
Charity is an underemphasized Christian virtue today, and to be charitable requires eschewing suspicion, cynicism, and laziness. It means good conversation and prayerful reflection to inhabit another’s point of view.

Flashback: The Spirit’s Fruit
And the gentle Spirit works in our lives to make us a gentle people in the image of our Triune God. The gentle Spirit works in our lives to make us gentle in situations where we otherwise couldn’t on our own. The Spirit works to replace our tendency towards harshness, loudness, and quarrelsomeness with a Spirit-led gentleness.

Our Prevailing Purpose

On By BrianIn PASSION Reflections

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. 
– I John 2:1a (ESV)

John is the patriarch of the church, the last remaining apostle.  He writes to the church with the affection of a father for his little children, and he has a purpose in his writing – that we may not sin.

Is that your purpose?  To not sin? 

Is that your goal?  Your desire?  Your ambition?  To not sin?  To stop sinning?

Our world, of course, has other goals: to be comfortable, to be healthy, to be happy.  And comfort, health, and happiness are wonderful blessings.  I like those things too, but they are not our purpose, our goal.

Our purpose here is that we would not sin.

Is that your purpose? 

When you are uncomfortable, is your prevailing purpose to pursue comfort, or to not sin in your discomfort?

When you are unhealthy, is your prevailing purpose to get healthy, or to not sin in your unhealthiness?

When you are unhappy, is your prevailing purpose to get happy, or to not sin in your unhappiness?

Our trials and struggles are not an excuse for sin, but rather opportunities to overcome temptation and not sin.

Is that your goal in whatever you face today? 

Is that your prevailing purpose? 

Abundantly

On By BrianIn PASSION Quotes

This is profound consolation for us as we find ourselves time and again wandering away from the Father, looking for soul calm anywhere but in his embrace and instruction. Returning to God in fresh contrition, however ashamed and disgusted with ourselves, he will not tepidly pardon. He will abundantly pardon. He does not merely accept us. He sweeps us up in his arms again.

– Dane Ortlund in Gentle and Lowly