Who We Really Are

We must never lose sight of who we really are. We are all desperately evil sinners, and if not for the Holy Spirit who restrains us and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who has provided a path to salvation, we can't even begin to imagine the evil that we might perpetrate on this world and those around us. Scripture says that man's heart is evil above all else. The selfishness, the depravity, the senseless violence and sheer wickedness would be limitless. We think that our world has spiraled out of control and evil is everywhere, and so it is. But without the restraining power of our God there would be evil beyond anything we could even imagine. But as I said our Lord and Savior has provided a path forward if we will submit ourselves to Him. We must daily take up our cross and follow Him. This world is full to the brim with heart ache, trouble and tribulations. Christ Himself said that in this world we would have trials and troubles. We must set our sights on the things of God and not the things of this world because they are passing away, here one day and gone the next. Paul tells us in 2 Cor. 4:16-18, " Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are unseen are eternal. " Scripture also says that we should be holy and perfect because He is holy and perfect. I am sure that there are those of you who would say that it's impossible, and you would be right, but what is not possible for man is possible for God. Through Christ we can be daily sanctified and purifed. Only through Him can we be made holy. If any of us had the notion that when we came to Christ we weren't going to sin anymore, I would have to tell you, not here not now! That's why we must always remember who we really are, we are sinners. There's no escaping that. It's only through the sacrifice made by our Savior on the cross at Calvary that we have a hope. 1 Cor. 5:6-8 says, " So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. So let's always remember who we are as sinners but even more so let's always remember who we are in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! " The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace. "