Once again we are reminded that…
November 3rd, 2006Sin is deceitful. It blinds us to right and wrong. As one person said years ago, “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay and cost you more than you want to pay.”
While all of us have problems with sin it is twice as damning when high profile Christian individuals fall. This week there have been two such men in the local paper. Pastor Ted Haggard of New Life Church in Colorado has been accused of paying for gay sex and using drugs. He is the president of the National Association of Evangelicals in America. He has temporarily stepped down from both posts. A church leader at New Life has said some of the accusations are true.
In Pensacola, Dr. Kent Hovind was found guilty on 58 counts of tax evasion. He is the founder of Creation Science Evangelism and Dinosaur Adventure Land in Pensacola.
How should a Christian respond to these tragedies? Here are some thoughts to ponder.
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Be humble. You are not above having sin get a grip on you and bring you crashing down.
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Be committed. Walk daily in the fullness of the Spirit. Sell out to Jesus and stay clean.
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Be involved. Connect with a small group of believers you trust. Allow them to hold you accountable.
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Be prayerful. Call the names of people like the two I have mentioned to the Father. Ask for their full restoration. Be a prayer warrior for the fallen.
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Be faithful. If I am your pastor hold me up to the Lord daily. Intercede for other leaders and influencers in your life. Pray continually for your leaders.
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Be forgiving. Remember Jesus is in the second-chance business. When true repentance comes HE is able to take a broken vessel, fill you up with His grace and power, and use you again, sometimes even in a mightier way than before.
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Be reminded. For every high profile Christian you hear about that falls there are thousands that have and are standing firm and faithful to the end.
Pastor Ted Traylor