"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." (Hebrews 2:9 KJV)
"For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity - the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time." (1 Timothy 2:5-6 NLT)
Something else, we must talk about, if anyone might be the least bit interested: the stupid stuff we do, that we pretend Jesus isn't watching us do! If you are looking for a way to make those things less important, then you must, with all your heart, place Jesus in the room! He is really already there, you just must, (and I say must with the earnest expression,) acknowledge His presence and allow Him to be Lord of every part of your life.
I love my son, but I did him no favors, when it came to being a strong example of a Christian man. They say that ministry needs to start in the home; and it is for a very important reason. I watched my son as he judged me for being an unfaithful husband, which really caused by soul to cry out for forgiveness. There was a season in my life when I was hooked on porn; so badly hooked, that I would actually look at it online, with my wife in the room, as if she didn't know what I was doing!
When my wife became disabled, there was a season when porn was not anymore of an interest, but once things leveled out and became routine, I was back at it again. My son was living in a little trailer at the house, and I was sitting out on the back porch with my laptop opened away from his line of sight; but I guess I forgot that there was a glass door behind me. My son stormed out of his trailer, went into the house, and pounded his fist onto the tile kitchen countertop.
Talk about a reality check! I flashed back to the days when my wife was healthy and had a routine of watering the front yard at night, while I sat in my office on my computer. The blinds were shut, but they still could be looked through, which meant that the computer screen could be seen. I thought about the stupidity of my actions, how I not only hurt her heart, but I also caused my son to think that my faith wasn't all that real.
But for the grace of God, I have slain that dragon, and I never want to be captivated by that sinful mess, ever again! When my son passed away, there was something I needed to get right; although I couldn't actually ask him for forgiveness, I could ask the Lord to let him know how sorry I was for being a terrible example of a godly man.
We might think that this kind of sin is not hurting anyone, and that it's just something we do to ourselves; but that kind of sin is poison which spreads into everyone in your family. It is just as bad as cheating on your mate and stealing hope from your children. That is why we must see Jesus! He needs to be with us at all times, making us realize that He is always guiding us, cleaning up our lives, and showing us what real love looks like...
"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus. This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" - and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst of sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:12-17 NLT)
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