Word for Today, Thu, 17 Feb 2005: A Struggling Saint

#1 · February 17, 2005, 4:33 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on February 17, 2005, 4:33 pm
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Word for Today, Thu, 17 Feb 2005: A Struggling Saint

Today's devotional message, as was the case yesterday, comes from
the daily writings of Neil Anderson. You can find out where to
subscribe to or read more of his material in the references at the
end of this message.

Today's message is about the struggle we have with sin in our
lives. Neil makes the analogy between a sliver in our finger
and sin in our lives. Neither the sliver or the sin is us, but
both affect us and get into us. The message goes on to say that
neither the sliver nor sin need to control our lives, but rather,
we have the responsibility not to allow sin to run and control
our lives. God gives us all of the tools necessary to combat
sin, and He also provides the remedy, forgiveness, for those
times in which we fail and fall into sin.

I encourage everyone to practice good habits that keep us away
from sin, and I also encourage everyone to regularly examine
themselves, locate any hidden, unconfessed sins and confess them
privately to God, then turn away from them. The Bible assures us
that when we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us our
sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9, my
paraphrase).

Yours in Christ,
Brian
______________________________________________________________________

NEIL ANDERSON'S DAILY IN CHRIST
from Freedom in Christ Ministries

February 17

A STRUGGLING SAINT

I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the
very thing I hate (Romans 7:15).

Perhaps the most vivid description of the contest with sin which
goes on in the life of the believer is found in Romans 7:15-25.
In verses 15 and 16, Paul describes the problem: "For that which
I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I
would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I
do the very thing I do not wish to do, I agree with the Law,
confessing that it is good."

Notice that there is only one player in these two verses--the
"I," mentioned nine times. Notice also that this person has a
good heart; he agrees with the law of God. But this good-hearted
Christian has a behavior problem. He knows what he should be
doing but, for some reason, he can't do it. He agrees with God
but ends up doing the very things he hates.

Verses 17-21 uncover the reason for this behavior problem: "So
now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which indwells me.
. . . If I am doing the very thing I do not wish, I am no longer
the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me." How many players
are involved now? Two: sin and me. But sin is clearly not me;
it's only dwelling in me. Sin is preventing me from doing what I
want to do.

Do these verses say that I am no good, that I am evil, or that I
am sin? Absolutely not. They say that I have something dwelling
in me which is no good, evil, and sinful, but it's not me. If I
have a sliver in my finger, I could say that I have something in
me which is no good. But it's not me who's no good. I'm not the
sliver. The sliver which is stuck in my finger is no good. I am
not sin and I am not a sinner. I am a saint struggling with sin
which causes me to do what I don't want to do.

Romans 6:12 informs us that it is our responsibility not to allow
sin to reign in our lives. Sin will reign if we use our bodies as
instruments of unrighteousness (Romans 6:13). We must renounce
every such use and submit our bodies to God as instruments of
righteousness.

Thank You, Lord, that I don't have to sin. You made it possible
for me to control sin's power over me. You delivered me from the
wages of sin and blessed me with the gift of eternal life in
Christ.

-----------
This daily devotional is published and distributed by
Crosswalk.com. It is written by Neil Anderson at
www.crosswalkmail.com/ybwvmq_msfiqi.html

Additional devotionals are available from Crosswalk.com:
www.crosswalkmail.com/fdrxgg_msfiqi.html
-----------

=====
--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/

__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Meet the all-new My Yahoo! - Try it today!
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Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Today's devotional message, as was the case yesterday, comes from
the daily writings of Neil Anderson. You can find out where to
subscribe to or read more of his material in the references at the
end of this message.

Today's message is about the struggle we have with sin in our
lives. Neil makes the analogy between a sliver in our finger
and sin in our lives. Neither the sliver or the sin is us, but
both affect us and get into us. The message goes on to say that
neither the sliver nor sin need to control our lives, but rather,
we have the responsibility not to allow sin to run and control
our lives. God gives us all of the tools necessary to combat
sin, and He also provides the remedy, forgiveness, for those
times in which we fail and fall into sin.

I encourage everyone to practice good habits that keep us away
from sin, and I also encourage everyone to regularly examine
themselves, locate any hidden, unconfessed sins and confess them
privately to God, then turn away from them. The Bible assures us
that when we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us our
sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9, my
paraphrase).

Yours in Christ,
Brian
______________________________________________________________________

NEIL ANDERSON'S DAILY IN CHRIST
from Freedom in Christ Ministries

February 17

A STRUGGLING SAINT

I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the
very thing I hate (Romans 7:15).

Perhaps the most vivid description of the contest with sin which
goes on in the life of the believer is found in Romans 7:15-25.
In verses 15 and 16, Paul describes the problem: "For that which
I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I
would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I
do the very thing I do not wish to do, I agree with the Law,
confessing that it is good."

Notice that there is only one player in these two verses--the
"I," mentioned nine times. Notice also that this person has a
good heart; he agrees with the law of God. But this good-hearted
Christian has a behavior problem. He knows what he should be
doing but, for some reason, he can't do it. He agrees with God
but ends up doing the very things he hates.

Verses 17-21 uncover the reason for this behavior problem: "So
now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which indwells me.
. . . If I am doing the very thing I do not wish, I am no longer
the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me." How many players
are involved now? Two: sin and me. But sin is clearly not me;
it's only dwelling in me. Sin is preventing me from doing what I
want to do.

Do these verses say that I am no good, that I am evil, or that I
am sin? Absolutely not. They say that I have something dwelling
in me which is no good, evil, and sinful, but it's not me. If I
have a sliver in my finger, I could say that I have something in
me which is no good. But it's not me who's no good. I'm not the
sliver. The sliver which is stuck in my finger is no good. I am
not sin and I am not a sinner. I am a saint struggling with sin
which causes me to do what I don't want to do.

Romans 6:12 informs us that it is our responsibility not to allow
sin to reign in our lives. Sin will reign if we use our bodies as
instruments of unrighteousness (Romans 6:13). We must renounce
every such use and submit our bodies to God as instruments of
righteousness.

Thank You, Lord, that I don't have to sin. You made it possible
for me to control sin's power over me. You delivered me from the
wages of sin and blessed me with the gift of eternal life in
Christ.

-----------
This daily devotional is published and distributed by
Crosswalk.com. It is written by Neil Anderson at
http://www.crosswalkmail.com/ybwvmq_msfiqi.html

Additional devotionals are available from Crosswalk.com:
http://www.crosswalkmail.com/fdrxgg_msfiqi.html
-----------

=====
--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: http://www.geocities.com/masinick/

__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Meet the all-new My Yahoo! - Try it today!
my.yahoo.com