Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.
When I was in high school, there was one summer that I learned how to water ski. One of the neighbors had a boat and would come over and pull some of us kids around the lake. When I first began learning, I would momentarily stand up on my skis, but then quickly fall over. The next time, I would get all of the way out of the water, but then lose one of my skis and tumble end over end. It was like being a child who is learning how to ride a bike for the very first time. The people in the boat were very patient with my failures, and continued to encourage me until I finally succeeded. Although I fell down many times, the most important thing of all, was that I got back up to try it again.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
A just man might make a mistake along the way, but it is his desire to overcome sin that causes him to rise back up and try it again.
“For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.” Proverbs 24:16
That summer, I really wanted to learn how to ski, and it didn’t matter how many times that it took me. I had good intentions, and great hope that I would be able to ski like the rest of my brothers. To overcome sin, we must have the same attitude. No matter what happens, we keep at it until sin is defeated. There is a huge difference between wanting to succeed, and not caring if you do. There is a huge difference between wanting to overcome sin, and refusing to repent. One shows God that we are trying, and our heart is in the right place. The other shows God that you don’t really care about him at all. It takes kids many times to learn how to ride a bike, and sometimes it takes us many times to learn how to walk, but a righteous man will rise back up and try it again until he finally succeeds.
Peter was chosen by the Lord Jesus to be an Apostle, and was preaching and teaching God’s Word. But even though he felt like he was ready to give his life for the Lord Jesus, he eventually denied Him. Through this, we learn that even an Apostle can make a mistake, but the thing is that Peter had a great desire to succeed at serving Christ. He repented, got back up and went on unto perfection. So we see how a just man might make a mistake, but then rise back up and try it again until he eventually succeeds. The goal of the Christian life is to overcome sin. Whether you can do it on the first try or on the 10th try, what matters most of all is that you finally overcame it.
A just person is a humble person, because without humility, you will refuse to recognize the error of your way. Humility will accept your own faults and mistakes, while making the attempt to do what’s right with your life. On the other hand, the wicked are filled with pride, which is the main attribute of the devil. Pride will not admit fault. Pride will not confess sin. Pride will not apologize to others. Pride will not accept rebuke from scripture. Pride will rebel against God. Pride will not receive instruction. Pride will not accept the wrongs that they have committed. Pride will not submit themselves to the will of God. Pride will not feel sorrow. Pride refuses to obey God’s purpose. When pride fills a person’s heart they will never seek change in their life. They will never seek reconciliation with others. They will never seek to do the will of God from their heart. Pride is a wall that blocks off one’s relationship with God.
“Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.” Proverbs 16:5
“He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.” Proverbs 28:25
So once again, a just man is a humble man, and if he falls down during his walk with God, he will quickly recognize his own faults, and admit his sin. Somebody who is filled with pride refuses to confess fault, because if they did, it would mean that they were wrong and that they have to change certain things in their life. Even though he had sinned, the humble publican was a just person.
Luke 18 ⁹ And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: ¹⁰ Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. ¹² I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. ¹³ And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
A just man will seek the forgiveness of God and others. It is because they recognize their own failings and shortcomings, something that the wicked refuse to do. Like I said already, a wicked person doesn’t care about repentance, confession of sin, or reconciliation with God and others that they have wronged. If they were to do these things, it would require going on unto perfection and walking in the will of God. That is the difference between a humble and a proud person. It Is possessing the attitude in your life that you want to succeed and overcome sin, something that is last on the agenda of a wicked person. People might make all kinds of mistakes in their walk with God, but if they are attempting to do what is right, then their behavior must be encouraged. This is because in their heart, they truly want to please God and defeat sin.
I’ve worked with many students throughout the years. Sadly, some of them were unreachable because they really didn’t desire change at all. On the other hand, some of the roughest ones were the ones who wanted to change the most. God can do a lot of things with somebody who has the right attitude.
God wants us to go and sin no more. God wants us to become blameless in his sight. Sin is terrible. A just man will understand this, and even though he might fall down, he has the common sense and humility to recognize his own shortcomings and get back up and try it again. Only through humble perseverance can success finally be achieved in any aspect of life, whether it’s learning to walk, whether it’s learning to ride a bike, or whether it’s…..
…..Learning to Ski
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.❤️
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