Good morning gang! Leviticus chapter 12. As I read this chapter I thought this is a little awkward. Once again we read about unclean and being made clean. Leviticus is filled with issues dealing with being made holy. Last chapter we talked about clean and unclean foods. This chapter we talk about clean and unclean women during childbirth. With all these clean and unclean issues it seems we could get tired of reading all of it. Leviticus will continue to discuss other areas where we are unclean and need to be made clean or be made holy. Instead of getting tired of all these issues, it should act as a continual reminder that God is serious about unclean things. We can't play around with sin. We can't get lacks in our thinking that sin in some areas is okay while condemning another person for a sin they are committing. Sin is sin no matter who's doing it. Repentance is commanded. At what cost are we willing to be made holy and clean? At what cost are we willing to stop what we're doing that is not pleasing to the Lord? For some, sin is a prison that they feel locked into. I can't get out. Why? Is God not powerful enough? Yes he is! The work of Christ enables us to experience deliverance from the bondage of sin. To be set free in order to serve the Lord. We are overcomers. We are more than conquerors. Then why do some people not experience freedom from sin? I'm not sure I can properly answer that question but I do have two thoughts
1. Perhaps the desire to stay in the sin is greater than the desire to be delivered and made holy. They have a battle going back and forth. Yes I want to be set free and made holy! But wait I still love what I'm doing! Wait, I hate this! No, I love this! It's a battle! But sin wins because the desire for doing the sin is greater than the desire to be free and holy.
2. Perhaps this particular person needs help from the body of Christ. They're trapped in sin but Christ did all that was necessary for overcoming sin. But it's a battle. They are in a combat and need someone to come alongside them and help them fight the battle. I need encouragement. I need someone to cry with me. I need an accountability partner. I need counseling. In Exodus chapter 17, Moses went up the mountain during the battle against the Amalekites. Moses held the staff of God up in the air. When the staff of God was held up Israelites were winning. When the staff of God came down, Israelites were losing. Aaron and Hur assisted Moses my helping hold his arms up. This was necessary so the Israelites could obtain victory. There are times when we will have to come alongside somebody else and help them experience victory. Sadly, we eventually find out some don't really want help and there's not much we can do to get them to the next level with the Lord. Prayer becomes our resource until they reach the point of realizing they need to surrender all to Christ.
We all have an area that we are struggling with and we all have an area that we need a person to come alongside us. For those not struggling with pornography we may find it hard to be compassionate with those who are. Pornography may not be a struggle for us but spending time with God each day may be a struggle.
We all need compassion. We all need encouragement. We all need prayer. Where's your struggle? Do you need an accountability partner? Ask someone if you do. Don't wait. God is serious. Let's get victory!