In
life our surroundings either bring us pleasure or pain.
We
live in varying degrees of pleasure or pain. Over time we learn what brings us
pleasure and pain.
Pleasure – a feeling of
enjoyment or satisfaction, something that gives enjoyment. One’s choice,
wish, or preference.
Pain – physical or
mental suffering or distress especially unpleasant sensation arising from
injury or disease. Effort or trouble. A nuisance or pest.
Pain killer – something
especially a drug that alleviates pain.
Alleviate – to make less
severe. I would also use the words pacify, curb, satisfy to describe a pain
killer.
Food
is a pain killer.
It
temporarily pacifies curbs or satisfies a particular pain that we are
experiencing.
The
problem is that for most if not all of us, we have been conditioned from birth
to mindlessly intake food into our bodies regardless of our hunger condition or
our body’s actual physical need.
Jesus said he
was the bread of life.
John 6:35 – He who comes to me will never go hungry and he who believes in me will
never go thirsty,
Hunger – a strong need
or desire for food, a strong craving.
Crave – to desire
intensely, long for. To ask for earnestly, beg.
Thirst – a dry feeling
in the mouth related to a wish for a drink. A fervent wish or craving.
Did Jesus say
replace him for food and drink? Not literally. You see Heavenly Father
knew our bodies require food and drink to live. What he is saying is feast on
the word of Jesus, when you do your spirits will never go hungry or thirst. Our
bodies require food, our spirit does not. When we are living with the spirit of
Jesus we are seeking spiritual nourishment, spiritual bread, and spiritual
water.
When
we are walking in darkness we seek after man made nourishment which is food and
drink.
When
we are walking in the spirit of Jesus we hunger and thirst for his word, to
love him, to serve him, to please him. Our spirits become full when we feast on
the word of the Lord.
When
we live in darkness our bodies and our mind controls our impulses or cravings.
When
we are living and walking in the spirit of Jesus we seek to please him, he
brings us pleasure and there is an absence of pain because in all things the
Lord brings us joy, not pain and suffering.
When
we are walking in darkness we seek to please our self-first and other men.
Pain
and suffering is a result of self-gratification and are attempts to please
other men.
Pleasure
= living in the light and life of our Lord Jesus Christ. Pain = living to
please our self and mankind.
When
we are living in darkness, food and I could substitute any other addiction for
food, is a source of pleasure. Our taste buds act upon the taste of a
particular food item send signals to the brain that say, I like this or I love
this, this tastes good, it is satisfying me this very moment. I am experiencing
for a brief moment in time an absence of pain and therefore I am experiencing
joy or happiness. The pleasure of food masks any pain we are feeling.
Can
you experience pain and suffering and pleasure at the same time, the same exact
time.
The
answer is no.
If
we break down our day second by second or to even a fraction of a second, we
are either experiencing pain or pleasure. We are forever seeking after pleasure
and running from or avoiding situations that cause us pain. It is basic human
nature to want to gravitate towards pleasure (light and life of Christ) and
avoid at all cost, even death pain and suffering (darkness).
There
is not a single person on this earth that wouldn’t rather be experiencing joy,
peace and happiness (pleasure) than to be experiencing misery, suffering and
anguish (pain).
One
leads to light or lightness, the other leads to dark or darkness, the problem
is that most of us have no clue what brings them pleasure and what brings the
pain.
I
believe all of us have an idea and I believe each of us could tell you things
that bring them both pleasure and pain. Food for example brings us pleasure,
but it can also bring us pain when we eat too much of the wrong combination of
foods. When we are ingesting food, it brings is momentary pleasure and thus for
the moment alleviates our pain. Even when we eat food our mind could be telling
us that this is not good for us, I shouldn’t be eating this, I am trying to
lose 10 pounds and this won’t help me achieve my desired goal. However our
bodies or taste buds are saying, yes but, I guess it is another part of our
brain saying, yes but right this very second I need to experience some pleasure
so eat that piece of cake. Then as we eat it and the other side of our brain
says, we shouldn’t be doing that, a battle between pleasure and pain or good
and evil, light and darkness begins to take place.
The spirit is
willing but the flesh is weak.
The wages of sin
is death, or darkness.
The wages of
truth is life, light.
Even
those who do not walk in the spirit of light that comes through Jesus Christ
know the difference between right and wrong, good and evil, light and darkness,
love and hate, truth and lie, they just stop choosing the latter most of the
time.
The
gentleman I was speaking about earlier told me as we were eating breakfast this
morning, he said if there is one thing you learn from me while we are together
it is this “Nothing lasts forever.” How profound!
Sure
I have heard it said before but that doesn’t make the impact of the statement
any less valuable.
Nothing
lasts forever or does it?
Can
we live in darkness forever?
The
answer is yes!
With
time most pleasure or pain changes form, as we grow older what use to bring us
pleasure or pain evolves but it never ends. Although we change and evolve, our Lord
does not, he is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow and although we change
he remains rock solid. It is true what he said as it relates to situations,
events and moments on time while we are on this earth. Things do change, people
do change, circumstances do change, life isn’t static it is very dynamic.
People often times can’t see the way to the light so they are left in darkness,
broken, suffering, miserable, unsure, jealous, envious, and controlling and in
extreme pain.
The
want to break the chains of darkness but are unwilling, unable or don’t have
the knowledge necessary, the only way out and I mean the only way out of the
wages of sin, pain, misery, frustration, evil, darkness is Jesus.
Light and darkness, good and evil
He
is the light of the world. He said in John
8:12 – I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
So
why do people choose evil over good, darkness over light, wrong over right,
pain over pleasure, lies over truth, hate over love.
Why?
Because
they live bound by the chains of sin, sin that has never been forgiven, sin
that destroys, sin that corrupts, sin that leads to death.
Sin – the act of
breaking a religious or moral law. An offense, error or fault.
In John 8:34 we see everyone who sins is a slave to sin, in Romans 6:23 we find for the
wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus our Lord.
We also see in Romans 14:23, 24 – But the man who has doubts is condemned if
he eats, because his eating is not from faith and everything that does not come
from faith is sin.
When
we doubt the power of the Lord we are sinning for the Lord said or
commanded us to have faith, if we
don’t have faith we have sinned against God.
When
we sin against God we walk in darkness and don’t have the Holy Spirit
counseling us.
Although
we may pray, the Holy Spirit is not prompting these prayers as it says in Romans 8:26, 27 and therefore the
Lord will not search our hearts and he will not answer our prayer according to
his will. Life with sin is a life without God. In 1 John 1:8-19 – we claim to
be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us, if we confess
our sins he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us
from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be
a liar and the word (Jesus) has no place in him. 1 John chapters 1, 2 – Walking
in the light. (5) God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. (6) If we
claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in darkness we lie and do not live
buy the truth. (7) If we walk in the light d he is in the light we have fellowship
with one another and the blood of Jesus his son purifies us from all sin. 1 John 2:4 – The man who says I know him but does not do what he commands is a liar
and the truth is not in him. 1 John is a powerful message on sin and living
in the world. Suffice it to say when sin exists I you, God does not, 1 John 3:6 – No one who lives in him keeps on sinning (lack of faith for example,
impatience, doubt, fear, jealousy, envy, covetousness, pride, conceit, etc.,
etc., etc.). No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. (8)
He who does what is sinful is of the devil.
Now
we know why people live in darkness – sin!
Why it is so difficult to break the chains of sin? Disobedience to the Lords word, a lack of faith, of true acceptance of
Jesus. We are still trying to control our life as well as those lives of
people around us.
Remember
Jesus said in Matthew 16:25 – For whoever wants to save his life will lose
it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
Stop
trying to control your life and give it over to Jesus. Well you say that is
just too hard, I don’t want to do that. What you are truly saying is that you
have no faith in Jesus and when you say that; you have chosen sin and thus
death, evil, hate, darkness, pain, misery, despair. It doesn’t have to be a
conscious choice of disobedience, something as simple as doubting the Lord
leads to sin and thus darkness.
There
is a way out, and it is called forgiveness.
Forgiveness
comes to us when we make a choice to repent of our sins, be baptized, receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit, forsake our sins, have faith, follow and obey the
Lord’s commands. When we are baptized he forgives all our sins, they are
forgotten, the slate is wiped totally clean, then as we walk with the Lord and
sin and ask for forgiveness of our sins and promise to never sin again, forsake
them, he hears our request and forgives us. In the Lord’s Prayer Matthew 6:9-13
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from the evil one.
We
petition the Lord forgive our trespasses (sins) as we have forgiven others.
In
Mark 11:25 – When you stand praying, if you hold anything against another, forgive
him, so that your father in heaven may forgive you your sins. In Matthew 6:14, 15 – it is said for if you forgive men when they sin against you, your
Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their
sins, your father will not forgive you. Matthew 18:21, 22 – And Then
Peter came to Jesus and asked Lord how many times shall I forgive my brother
when he sins against me? Up to seven times. Jesus answered, I tell you not
seven times, but seventy seven times. Luke
11:4 – Lord’s Prayer - Forgive us our
sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. Colossians 3:13 – Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have
against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Sin – Repent –
Forgive others – Petition
Ask For
forgiveness – Forgiveness given –
Sin washed clean
through our
Lord and savior
Jesus Christ
Through his grace
and
Mercy.
Our
sins will only be forgiven after we have forgiven others of their sins against
us.
Only
when we have forgiven others will we be forgiven, not before.
If
our sins are not forgiven, we continue to live in sin, darkness and death.
Our
Heavenly Father promises us forgiveness of our sins if we just believe in his
son.
Acts 10:43 – Everyone
who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. Ephesians 1:7 – In him we have
redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins in accordance with the
riches of God’s Grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
You
see in order to have wisdom and understanding we need forgiveness of our sins, Hebrews 9:23 we have forgiveness of sin when we believe in the name Lord Jesus.
No comments:
Post a Comment