"...and let us have the courage to master our sins." That was said in a prayer the other night. Funny enough, the prayer was said by someone who didn't even hear Uncle Jamie's sermon Sunday on mastering sin...
In Uncle Jamie's sermon he talked about a story we've all heard lots of times; the story of Cain and Able. BUT he pointed out a verse that I had apparently never paid quite enough attention to! In Gen. 4:7 God says to Cain "...sin is crouching at the door, and its desire is for you, but you must master it."
God said that! "Sin is crouching at the door and its desire is for you" but instead of saying "run!" Or "quick! Get help!" Or "stay inside forever!" He said "but you must master it".
Three parts to that: YOU. MUST. MASTER it.
You. Its your sin. Its my sin. When my kiddos at school have a self control issue I tell them "I will help you - I'll give you clues and reminders ...but I can't do it for you. YOU have to control you." ... And that's the same way it is with our sin. People can help us, remind us, be there for us -- but bottom line is I have to conquer my own sin.
Must. Seriously folks, this is not an optional thing. Not when Heaven is at stake.
Master it. "Avoidance" only works so long. Eventually we have to face a temptation - and remember that we CAN control it. And then we need to control it. And that takes courage. Extreme courage. And a whole lot of help from God and out Christian friends. But it can be done. And we must do it. Good news is, God doesn't give directions we are incapable of following - so when He says "master it" we can be assured (and comforted by the fact) that we are fully capable of doing so (so no excuses allowed).
Sin is at the door, and its desire is for you, but you must master it.
...and you can find Jamie's sermon here: http://www.oakgrovecofc.org/Recordings/2013_04_14_AM_jrinehart_MasteringSin.mp3
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