If they can fall, aren’t we also capable of falling?

By: Steve Huston

First this first paragraph in review:

This week between October 26 and November 2 is recognized by a handful of faithful Christians throughout America as Pornography Awareness Week. It has been recognized for over 20 years. That’s a sad reality – the numbers opposing pornography vocally are fewer and fewer. The pulpit? When is the last time you heard a sermon regarding standing against pornography and/or pursuing holiness?

Personal note:

We are living in a time when men and women take themselves too seriously. We think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think – puffed up and proud so many are.

I have personally found that it’s pretty hard if not impossible to receive counsel – particularly Biblical counsel – when we think that we are just a bit better than the other guy(s).

Does this kind of verbiage below rankle you? If it doesn’t, I say beware. Satan may be crouching at your door. It is Biblical counsel.

” … Sin comes to us, like Judas, with a kiss; and like Joab, with an outstretched hand and flattering words. The forbidden fruit seemed good and desirable to Eve; yet it cast her out of Eden. The walking idly on his palace roof seemed harmless enough to David; yet it ended in adultery and murder. Sin rarely seems sin at its first beginnings. Let us watch and pray, lest we fall into temptation. We may give wickedness smooth names, but we cannot alter its nature and character in the sight of God. …”
[From R.C. Ryles taken from “Holiness.”
[First published in 1877]

How did Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart, Radio preacher David Hocking, Mike Trout, Earl Paulk, Ted Haggard and so many others fall as they did?

If they can fall, aren’t we also capable of falling?

Do you recognize your sin? Your tendency to sin?

“… I ask my readers to observe what deep reasons we have for humiliation and self-abasement. Let us sit down before the picture of sin displayed to us in the Bible, and consider what guilty, vile, corrupt creatures we all are in the sight of God. What we all have of that entire change of heart called regeneration, new birth, or conversion! What a mass of infirmity and imperfection cleaves to the very best of us at our very best! What a solemn thought it is that ‘without holiness no man shall see the Lord!’ ….

How true it is that the holiest saint is in himself a miserable, sinner and a debtor to mercy and grace to the last moment of his existence. …”
[From R.C. Ryles taken from “Holiness.” [First published in 1877]

I announce to you a year end match challenge that was extended by a friend of this ministry.

It’s an extension of an earlier one that we were not able to meet earlier in the year.
Quoting: “I will match all new (from anyone who has not given to ADA in 2007 or 2008) gifts received from June 1- August 31 up to a total of $15,000. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks for all you do to uphold purity and holiness.”

This match challenge had already run for three months. Here are the results through that time frame. There were 88 gifts totaling $5,911.00.

So our anonymous donor graciously sent us a check for $6,000 and proceeded to yet challenge us again. Stating: “We will give you $6,000 now and we would like to extend the offer for an additional $10,000 for new money collected by 12/31/08. Keep up the fight…”

Those of you that follow closely know that these year end match challenges – as they are met – have been used significantly to strengthen us to start the new year on solid financial ground!!

If you benefit from our email alerts, I encourage you to show your tangible support. Your gift of any amount will be doubled. We will continue by the grace of God and the help of His people.

Bill

To donate online:
https://americandecency.org/folder.php?f=donate
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American Decency Association
Bill Johnson, President
P.O. Box 202
Fremont, MI 49412
ph: 231-924-4050

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