“For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” This is a continuation of my letter of November 19 regarding the Penn State tragedy. Where would any of us be without the love of God? I would be lost and without hope.
I come from generations of alcohol abuse and addiction and without Jesus in my life could so easily be in bondage to alcohol and much worse. When we trust in Jesus to save us from the penalty of paying for our own sins, He begins a perfect work in us, but we surely are not made perfect! As we study His Word, are with other Christians who help teach us more about God, Who He is, how much He loves us, that He will never leave us or forsake us, we begin to “grow” in our faith. The Bible says new Christians are like newborn babes. They need to be “fed” and nourished in the things of God. They need to grow in their knowledge of God and learn that they cannot possibly live the Christian life on their own.
It is the Holy Spirit that works in Christians to will and to do of His good pleasure. It surely cannot come from our own strength. Would our nation be in such moral deprivation if Christians in America were being obedient to God in what we listen to, what we watch, what we read, what our hands do and where our feet go, with our money, our time? Are we quick to forgive and to ask for forgiveness when we are wrong? Do our lives reflect the transforming power of an omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God? I fear that we have too often failed to be salt and light in this world and instead are being conformed in many ways to what the world is offering. Why else would America be so troubled?
Rae Piepho
Lutsen
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