STICKY SIN

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

ARE YOU SEEKING?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

You ever find yourself slipping back into an “old groove.”

I know your nose just curled up or you raised an eyebrow and probably uttered a little “what” under your breath, but work with me a little this morning.

Maybe an old groove is “lustful thinking”. Maybe an old groove is “undisciplined internet surfing”. Maybe an old groove is loose talk or profane language. Maybe an old groove is white lying.

You following me?

Old grooves are those sinful habits that when left unchecked really do some damage.

The Bible warns us about “old grooves”.

1 Peter 1:13-16
[ A Future in God ] So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that's coming when Jesus arrives. Don't lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn't know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God's life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, "I am holy; you be holy."

When we choose to serve GOD, to accept CHRIST and give Him access and reign in our lives, GOD expects us to “give up the grooves” so to speak. We are to live as He wants us to live and we know longer have the excuse of “ignorance” or apathy to lean on.

GOD makes it clear. We are to remove those old what I will call “STICKY SINS” from your heart and lifestyle and live in a more GODLY fashion.

Proverbs 3:5-6 MSG

Clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.

Sticky sins or those “old grooves” are those sins that we consciously or unconsciously bring upon ourselves and they usually occur because we have not completely cut our relationship with the chronic sinful habits. Like the verse says, we “easily slip back into them.”

I will be truthful this morning, lustful leering fits in the “old groove” for me. My loose tongue when I am frustrated or angry is a sticky sin for me.

But GOD is calling both you and me to shed those “sticky sins” and to “give up the old groove”.

But Lord knows that is not an easy task. But it is one that we must do! And cutting our relationship with chronic sinful habits requires serious choices.

When we find ourselves thinking about how to gratify our sinful natures, we are setting ourselves up for an occasion to sin. This thinking process can be very subtle and deceptive.

We may meet a friend at a restaurant with the best of intentions to help them or talk with them and then suddenly there is a drink in our hand and the paparazzi is snapping our photograph. (Ask Josh Hamilton)

You might head over to a friend’s house with every intention of helping his recovery and before you know it you have snorted 3 caps and blown 15 months of recovery. (Real story)

Sticky sins and old grooves are like the song says “hard habits to break”!

But GOD wants more from us. He wants all of us. He deserves it.

And He wants us FREE from those sticky sins!

Ephesians 4:21-24

…Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.

So today if you are struggling with a sticky sin or can’t seem to lift yourself out of an “old groove”, ask God to help you be honest with yourself and see those habits for what they are, CHRONIC, DANGEROUS and ROTTEN.

Then ask GOD to help you to make the right choices.

Psalm 51:10

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Prayer:

“Father, help me to be honest with myself when I make these serious choices. Help me to make choices that will keep me away from any occasion for sin. Help me to honestly avoid the things and situations I know would be enticing. In Jesus’name Amen.

I love you all.

Have a blessed weekend!

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney