The evidences of the love of God are all around me, because I live within a sizeable garden, with natural bush land above my property, with uncut native trees on roadside and nearby properties. But even there the evidence of death, which came with sin, is also all around me in this same natural setting. For all people who live, there are also the marks of sin evident that causes changes to the bloom of maturity progressing with age, eventually leading to physical death. Just as deadly, but not on view to the eye of another person, are sinful thoughts and attitudes, some cherished, some coming unbidden into our mind; many not expressed, and some that are, which then makes those sins evident to others. Many times we are not aware of our own sin and wrong doing, but the Holy Spirit prompts our conscience, and when we listen and repent, our conscience remains tender. When the speaking of the Holy Spirit and previously held morals of our conscience are continually ignored, we become hardened to promptings from the Holy Spirit, and can wind up doing wrongs; we had never imagined we could do. Praises to God, for He does not give up on us, and whilst we have breath we can always repent, and be forgiven because of the boundless love and grace of God Almighty. The boundless love and grace of God, does not mean that those who have been convicted and have accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour are free to continue in repeated premeditated sin!
Romans 6: 1, 2 “What shall we say then? Shall we continue to sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? When converted and filled with the love of Jesus, I have died to premeditated sin, but unfortunately still live in a body that has sinful tendencies that cause unplanned sinful thoughts and actions at times. I am thankful, that as I allow Jesus to change me, over time I will be increasingly sanctified and reflect my Saviour more truly. V 4 “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” 1 Peter 4: 1 , 2 “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he should no longer live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.”
Somehow for me it is heartening to know that these mighty apostles of the New Testament battled with sin and counseled the early church about the same issues that we contend with: out sinful tendencies in various guises! Romans 6: 13 – 15 “Do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace? 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! The consequences of the law cannot touch anyone who has accepted Jesus, repented of every known sin and been freely forgiven. For there will be left no record of them; because they have all been forgiven by the grace of God extended to us, through the sacrificial death on the cross of His precious son, Jesus Christ.
As always as a sincere follower of God, we have everything to be thankful for, we are provided with everything physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally that we could ever need whilst on earth, with the expectation of a pure life in heaven. 1 Corinthians 2 : 9 – 11 “But as written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’ 10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God accept the Spirit of God.”
Jesus when on earth talked on many things, but on many occasions spoke about the Kingdom of God. Lest people should worry and lose hope beforehand or about ever being in heaven, He gave encouragement about the sureness of heaven and that His faithful followers would be there one day. I am thankful for the following well known words, and take comfort in them. John 14: 1 – 3 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 ‘In My Father’s house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you. I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”