Often I do not live the life that is in accordance to the sanctification that Christ has started within me. If I allow my emotions, flesh and sin nature to dictate my lifestyle I become a self focused man, dictated by vain ambitions; as such I have no fruits of my spiritual labors which well up springs of overwhelming joy for God’s work and provision in my life. It is my belief that our worship as mature Christians must flow from the excess of God’s grace in our lives. However, this cannot be done if we continue to inoculate ourselves to His redeeming work, by using grace as our excuse to expose ourselves to the deadly virus of a sinful lifestyle. While these sins may not affect our eternal standing at the judgment seat, it certainly affects our current status with the Lord. Thus, if we are off breaking our marriage vows with the Lord and expect to enter into an intimate time of communion sharing our adulterated flesh with His Holy and majestic vessel, it is not hard to imagine why the process of repentance is a daunting task. Accordingly, we must live our lives with the image of continual worship and prayer in mind, lest we abuse God’s gift and unite with Him the same vessel we defile with our sins, forgetting the anguish we cause Him.
A man who has tasted love but once is afflicted indeed; but not as severely as he who knows not loss. If I told you I do not enjoy the trappings of money, a good drink and fine cigar, I would surely be lying for I am but human. However, If I knew that the forsaking any or all of these indulgences would assure or possibly extend to just one man the pleasure which I derive from God’s love, I would without hesitation due so, even for the remainder of my life. Furthermore, if by indulging in any or all of these pleasures I knew I was precluding even one man from the love of God I assure any pleasure I would have derived would be replaced with incomparable agony. Beyond this if one is to truly embrace and experience the pleasure of God’s love he must not only be willing to forsake the pleasures of life, but even embrace the expense of suffering. For without tasting the cost, how can we genuinely suggest the value?