Leaky boat?

 

This post comes from a night well spent with High School students & a loving Spirit filled Youth Pastor!

The current sermon series for our High School group (Tribes) is entitled…”THIS (Jesus) CHANGES EVERYTHING”

Last night, the subject was sin. Not something most people, ESPECIALLY teenagers, want to chat about.

Here is my take:

The root of sin doesn’t stem from a list of do’s and dont’s. It comes from an ATTITUDE (self focused) that leads to an ACTION that separates you from God and from relationships. It leads to feelings of guilt and shame, which leads to isolation …where the sin festers and grows.

Peter, our youth pastor shared that when we sin, we develop holes in our boat (faith) which cause us to sink. We need to plug up the holes in our leaky boat with truth. Here are the steps he shared to accomplish this:

-Fill yourself with God’s Word

-Hate Sin (we can only do this when we operate with the Holy Spirit’s direction)

-Repent (a lot) (turn away and change your direction)

-Be accountable to people who love you

-Be humble (admit you need the Lord and come under His authority)

We must ASK the Lord to align our hearts with His. When this happens our attitude changes. Our perspective goes beyond what our human eyes can see. God’s desires become our desires.  Our job is to surrender…The Lord takes care of the rest!

Romans 8:13 “For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”

Romans 8:1 “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus”

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”

1 Peter 5:5 “And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

When we let sin in, and our boat (faith) develops holes, we are prone to sink down into shark infested waters. There the enemy waits to increase the size and number of our holes…until we drown.

Who is holding your life preserver? There is someone you love and trust who can be there, ready to throw you a line. We need one another. It’s the natural function of the Body of Christ. Instead of hiding in the darkness of shame and guilt, reach out (and up) for help! Bring your sin out into the light so that the truth causes it to lose it’s power over you.

Let’s be a life line for sinking boats and learn to reach for a life saver…in more ways than one:)