Send to Kindle

by Jim Hughes

Eccl. 3: 18 Then I realized that God allows people to continue in their sinful ways so he can test them. That way, they can see for themselves that they are no better than animals.

If God wanted to, He could make us do what is right in His eyes. He could force His ways upon us. He could take care of sin without any problem at all. But, He has not chosen to do it. In a lot of ways, I think it would make living a much easier process. At least then, we wouldn’t be constantly struggling to not sin. But then, we would be merely robots in God’s hands and not able to have a love relationship with Him. We would not be able to know Him in a deep and personal way, as one who helps us in our times of need and struggles.

God knows that the real test of one’s faith is how we handle sin. He knows what we should know, that if we are His children we will not continue to sin against Him. God is holy and there is no sin found in Him. If He lives in us and controls us, then we should not sin against Him. It’s as simple and plain as that. There is no wiggle room when it comes to sin. It is detestable to God and will be judged by Him.

No one has to tell you that sin is a problem for you. We all know that we are not as godly as we would like to be or as others perceive us to be. Sin is common to all people. The more sin we see in us, the more we realize that we need the Lord. We must have the Lord’s help if we are going to have victory over sin, because it is too powerful for us to overcome on our own.

When we don’t let the Lord help us, we will do as the animals do; we will follow our sinful instincts. We can’t change our ways on our own. We are born sinners and will die sinners without the Lord. Denying that it is so does not change it. God makes it very clear in His Word.

You will never know the peace of God while dabbling in sin. You will know how strong your faith really is by how well you resist sinning. Your love for God is seen in how you handle sin. If you find yourself yielding to sin more than you do resisting it, you are not living in fellowship with God.

Dear friend. Only Jesus can help you with your sin problem. No one can stop you from sinning, but Christ can help you overcome your desire to sin. Let Jesus be your Lord and you will discover that you will no longer be a victim to sin; instead, you will be a victor over it.

About the Author:

Spending his formative years in Ft. Wayne, IN, Jim followed the love of his life to southeast Iowa where they married and have spent the majority of their lives. Jim has pastored several churches throughout his life and has worked many years in local factories to help support his family. The father of two married adult children and one son still at home, Jim is a first-time author.

C Through Marriage came into being through many years of pastoral and life experiences. The book first took on a life of its own over 20 years ago when I sought to address the much publicized moral failures of prominent leaders in the church. In the chapter on Chasity, I include the guideliness that I developed then to protect one’s self from such failures.

I am a firm believer in order to make sense out of life you have to use much common sense. We need to get back to the basics of what has worked for many, many generations. If is isn’t broke, why try to fix it? I strive to return to the basics of what really works in all my writings.

This site contains Third Party Advertising, using online behavioral tracking technology. Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, we only recommend products or services we believe will add value to our readers.

Send to Kindle

by Jim Hughes

Eccl. 2:10-11 Anything I wanted, I took. I did not restrain myself from any joy. I even found great pleasure in hard work, an additional reward for all my labors. But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless. It was like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere.

What are you living for? What gives your life meaning? We spend our entire lives trying to give our lives meaning. Most will try to do good things. Many try to carve their niche out in the world. Many will seek fame, fortune or a following. Many put all their energy in their families. Many will rally around a cause they are passionate about. Many are working hard for the day in which they can retire and coast the rest of the days of their lives.

No matter what you are working for to give your life meaning, it is all meaningless if what you are living for is rooted in the world. There is nothing on earth that really give life meaning. We live and then die. Whatever we live for dies with us. We can’t take anything on earth with us when we die. It is all so meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

It is only when we find our meaning in relationship with Christ that we find something worth living for. Nothing on earth can promise us eternal life. Nothing can do us any good as far as keeping us out of hell. Our only hope of eternal life is to live life in Christ. Only Christ can assure us that what we are doing makes any difference at all.

Dear friend, take a careful and honest look at your life. What are you relying on to give your life meaning? If it is not a relationship with Christ, you are living in vain. You may be enjoying the fruit of your labors now, but it won’t last. Your purpose for life will die with you if you do not have Christ. If you know Christ, live like it. Put your heart into it. Make the Lord your number one priority in your life. It is only in Christ that you will find a hope that will not die.

If you don’t know that Christ is your Savior, today is the day you must get right with God. You don’t know if you will see the end of your day. Your life will take on a whole new meaning if you will let Him into your heart. You will find that there is indeed something worth living for. Christ will forgive you of your sins if you turn to Him, confess them, repent, and ask Him for forgiveness. What are you waiting for? Do it now. You will be glad you did.

About the Author:

Spending his formative years in Ft. Wayne, IN, Jim followed the love of his life to southeast Iowa where they married and have spent the majority of their lives. Jim has pastored several churches throughout his life and has worked many years in local factories to help support his family. The father of two married adult children and one son still at home, Jim is a first-time author.

C Through Marriage came into being through many years of pastoral and life experiences. The book first took on a life of its own over 20 years ago when I sought to address the much publicized moral failures of prominent leaders in the church. In the chapter on Chasity, I include the guideliness that I developed then to protect one’s self from such failures.

I am a firm believer in order to make sense out of life you have to use much common sense. We need to get back to the basics of what has worked for many, many generations. If is isn’t broke, why try to fix it? I strive to return to the basics of what really works in all my writings.

This site contains Third Party Advertising, using online behavioral tracking technology. Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, we only recommend products or services we believe will add value to our readers.

Send to Kindle

by Jim Hughes

Eccl. 1:9-11 History merely repeats itself; it has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. What can you point to that is new? How do you know it didn’t already exist long ago? We don’t remember what happened in those former times. And in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now.

Things never change. The details may vary, but the things that are happening today are merely a repeat of what has happened before. Man’s nature is today what it was the day Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ushered in sin into the world. It has reared its ugly head in unimaginable ways, and it always will. Without Christ changing it, the heart remains desperately wicked.

You cannot read history without being exposed to the ugliness and destructive nature of sin. It is the cause of all the inhumane treatment that has plagued humanity. It is the cause of all the hatred amongst men. It is the cause of all the self-serving throughout history. We don’t have to live in the past to know that it is true. Secular and Biblical history are all the proof we need. As much as we would like to convince ourselves, there never has been an age of innocence since the time of the fall of man.

All the atrocities that have plagued man throughout history are not recorded. Because of the advent of modern technology we have been exposed to some of the worst of what man can do to man, but we cannot say that it hasn’t been done before. The sin encrusted soul is capable of any form of evil that you could ever imagine. It will continue to be the way it us for as long as man is on the earth. As bad as things are and has been, we know that the worst is yet to come.

God has warned us of what to expect on earth after Jesus comes and takes the church out of it. Unimaginable horror will plague the earth. When God removes His hand of protection over the earth, evil will rule unbridled. It will be a time in which not only will man suffer from one another, but God will unleash the horrors of nature upon man as a result of his sins.

The future may be bleak, but you don’t have to be a victim of it. God gives us a way of escape, and it is Christ Jesus our Lord. God promises us a bright and glorious future if we put our trust and confidence in Him. We have nothing to fear when Jesus is our Savior and Lord. We can boldly face the future with our lives rooted and established in Christ. Is Jesus your Savior today?

About the Author:

Spending his formative years in Ft. Wayne, IN, Jim followed the love of his life to southeast Iowa where they married and have spent the majority of their lives. Jim has pastored several churches throughout his life and has worked many years in local factories to help support his family. The father of two married adult children and one son still at home, Jim is a first-time author.

C Through Marriage came into being through many years of pastoral and life experiences. The book first took on a life of its own over 20 years ago when I sought to address the much publicized moral failures of prominent leaders in the church. In the chapter on Chasity, I include the guideliness that I developed then to protect one’s self from such failures.

I am a firm believer in order to make sense out of life you have to use much common sense. We need to get back to the basics of what has worked for many, many generations. If is isn’t broke, why try to fix it? I strive to return to the basics of what really works in all my writings.

This site contains Third Party Advertising, using online behavioral tracking technology. Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, we only recommend products or services we believe will add value to our readers.