Dear Me 2019

Dear Me 2019  (ASR) Contest Entry for Dear Me Contest 1,019 words #2179072 by Chris Breva

1,712 words

Dear Me

I know 2018 was a year of growth for you. You became a Salvation Army soldier in 2017 and have managed to stay faithful to your church ever since. In 2019 I want to demand even more of you. I want to require you to completely live up to the requirements of the covenant you signed with the Salvation Army, with yourself, and most of all with your Lord Jesus Christ. I know that Writing.com is not a Christian website. It is not meant to be. It is a secular, for profit website and The StoryMaster and The StoryMistress do their best to welcome all writers to the site. However, you are a Christian, so I want you to use your blog to further spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. I also want you to use your abilities as a writer to write static items that preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Most of all I want you to practice holiness this year. I know your struggles. Remember who is writing this. There is only one other person who knows you better than I do. That person is Jesus Christ. I personally know of your struggles. I know that you take one step forward and slide three backward. You may be able to fool some people, but I am aware of your shortcomings. I look at you in the mirror all the time remember? You can't fool me. I am there when you slide backward. I know that you know better but walk into sin like a sheep going to slaughter. Why is it that you love sin? What has sin ever done for you? Do you not know that sin is destroying you?

You are well versed in scripture. You have been to two Bible colleges and have studied God's word under some of the greatest preachers that ever lived. You have been offered doctorate degrees in ministry based on your knowledge of scripture and your life experience. Why are you so fascinated with sin? Why does it entice and ensnare you? Jesus paid the way for your salvation and you accepted His gift. I do not believe you will lose your salvation because God is faithful to keep His promises. He promised that if you would believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that Jesus died, and God raised Jesus from the dead you would be saved. You believe that and have believed that. You have confessed that publicly, so I believe God will keep His promise and save you. He has started a good work in you and He will see it through to completion, Philippians 1: 6. However, your behavior is like that of a non-believer. Your behavior is sinful. God does not like your behavior and you will suffer consequences if it continues. My goal for you in 2019 is to discontinue the behavior that you know is destroying you. Take whatever actions are necessary to avoid it. Put off sin one minute at a time if you must. You can always sin in the future. Just do not sin in the present. Holiness is my desire for you this year. Fast and pray for holiness.

I know you cannot do this on your own. It is impossible for man to avoid sin. Even Christians are still trapped in sinful flesh. The flesh is very sinful. It has no idea how to be godly. Man's righteousness is like a bunch of filthy rags according to the prophet Isaiah, Isaiah 64: 6. The Apostle Paul tells us that we all fall short of God's glory in Romans 3: 23. The Apostle John tells us that if we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us, 1 John 1: 8.

You know the power to overcome sin is not within your flesh. Yet the power to be holy and without sin dwells within you. That power is the Holy Spirit. You received the Holy Spirit when you were saved. He entered you when you were saved, and the word of God says that He will never leave you. Deuteronomy 31: 6, Joshua 1: 5, and Hebrews 13: 5 all tell you that. This promise was so important that God saw fit to repeat it three times! You know that the Holy Spirit who dwells in you will not forsake you. Just imagine the Holy Spirit watching as you commit sin! Do you really want to subject God to that? Do you know how much He abhors sin? You are terrified of heights. Multiply your hatred of heights by one billion and you have the tip of the iceberg of God's hatred of sin! Yet you willingly and knowingly walk headfirst into sin! God is there with you! He will not walk away no matter what you do for He said He would not forsake you and He is faithful to fulfill His promises. Cast your temptation on Him! Remember that "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful, he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will provide a way of escape, so that you can stand up under it," 1 Corinthians 10: 13.

God is there for you Marvin. He knows your every weakness. He knows that where sin is concerned your resistance is nil. He knows you crumble like a pile of dust in a rainstorm when you are tempted. If you will simply place that temptation on Him He will fight your battles for you. You are exhausted from trying to do it yourself. Do you not know that holiness must come from Him? It is not in you to be holy. Yet you "can do all things through Jesus Christ who gives you strength, Philippians 4:13.

Quit fighting sin on your own strength. Give it to God. Allow Him to be your banner. As Moses held up the banner in the desert to give Israel victory over the Amalekites, allow God to be your banner now. You can't do this, but He can. Trust Him and you will be victorious in 2019!

I know this sounds like a big order. There are things you must do to put this goal into action. The first thing you must do is ask your brothers and sisters in the Lord to join you for fasting and prayer. You are dealing with demonic oppression and the demon will not simply go away. You must pray it away. This type will respond to fasting and prayer. Ask your fellow Christians to join you in fasting and prayer. You fast every morning for breakfast. Now avoid all drinks during that time as well and pray. Start fasting tomorrow January 6, 2019 and fast one week.

The second thing I want you to do is confess this sin. If you wish you can go to a priest and confess it since you are also Catholic. However, since you do not attend a Catholic church it would be better if you confessed to somebody in a church you do attend. The pastor from the Nazarene Church will be here at the home holding a service for the residents soon. You always attend that. Call him aside and confess it to him. Or you can confess it to Brother Tim at church. Or Brother Jake. Just choose somebody you know will not judge and will be closed mouthed. However, you must confess it. I will give you until January 10 to find somebody you trust and confess your sin.

God will grant you peace and the strength to avoid this sin. He wants you to be holy. You have prayed numerous times about this sin and find that you continue to commit it. You feel like you are flaunting it before God. You may as well be flipping God the bird that doesn't fly as your attitude is one of outright rebellion! You realize this so there is hope for you. As I said, God is faithful to see you through. He who started a work in you will not lay it aside. He has promised you and God cannot lie. (Titus 1: 2). You know that God does not lie. He will save you if you do as He has instructed. Remember Naaman. Naaman was a general in the Assyrian army. Assyria had conquered Israel and exiled them. Naaman had leprosy, which at the time was a horrible skin disease. There was no treatment. Naaman heard that the prophet Elisha in Israel could pray for him and he would be healed. He went to Elisha who did not even come out to meet him. Elisha simply told him to plunge himself into the filthy Jordan River seven times. Naaman at first refused but when he finally did so he was healed. Now God is telling you how to be healed of your sin. If you will carry out His commands and fast, pray, and confess you will be healed and your desire to sin will be lifted. If you do not however, sin will ensnare you and you will lose your position. God has blessed you. He has made you chaplain of the West Virginia Veteran's Home, West Virginia state coordinating elder for the National Association of Christian Ministers, soldier in the Salvation Army Huntington Corps, and corps officer (Sunday school teacher). He is blessing you with an education at Marshall University and you will soon be working as a minister once you have your regents Bachelor of Arts. Perhaps you will be a member of the chaplain's staff at the Veteran's Administration. Whatever you do God will bless if you keep His commandments. Carry out His word.

If you fail to keep His commandment your sin will find you out. It will be broadcast throughout your assisted living facility. You will be ridiculed, and you will lose your position. God will withdraw His hand and allow Satan to buffet you. Your grades will drop. You will go to sleep in fear and wake up terrified. Anxiety will consume you. Do not sin! Carry out God's commands. You have a timeline. Do it!

In Christ's name,

Me