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Pastimes : Prophecy -- HYPE or HOPE?

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To: Broken_Clock who wrote (5308)	10/3/2013 2:14:11 PM
From: Emile Vidrine	Read Replies (3) of 5569

I know that such words can stir powerful emotions. I was once a Protestant minister and would have had, at one time in my life, tremendous difficulty with these words. Nevertheless, they are true if understood properly. As a Protestant I struggled with certain sins and sought counsel with several prominent Protestant leaders. Not one could give me a satisfactory answer. My basic question was: how do we overcome our fallen nature and find power to live the sanctified life? I had sincerely accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I had experienced the Holy Spirit and I loved the Word of God. Every Protestant basically said that my particular sins were normal so long as we lived in the flesh. I had basically resigned myself to this idea until I met a priest one day. I was still in my anti-Catholic stage at this time. I decided to ask this priest the same question I had asked several Protestant ministers. He gave me an answer that I considered totally simplistic and stupid at the time. He said: "become a Catholic and participate in the sacraments frequently and you will find strength to overcome." I didn't fully understand what the word sacrament so decided to look it up. Basically I found that they were outward signs that Jesus ordained that would convey grace to the Christian. I was particularly fascinated by the sacraments of Confession and Holy Communion. First I had to overcome my false belief and teachings that men cannot forgive sins. I learned from John 20:21-23 that Jesus had ordained the Church leaders, the Apostles, to indeed have the power to forgive sins. This put a whole new dimension on confession and forgiveness of sins found in 1John1:9? 'If you confess your sins, He is faithful and just to forgive your sins and cleansed you from all unrighteousness.' I had always taken this very personal and out of context with John's record that Jesus had given the Church leadership authority to forgive sins in John 20. Next came Holy Communion as the true Body and Blood of Jesus. I resolved this one by fully accepting the 6th chapter of St. John. Then came the Liturgy or Christian worship--the entire bible put into the context of the Jesus and the New Covenant. The central power of the Liturgy is the partaking of the Body and Blood of Jesus bringing us into Holy Communion with our Lord. Ultimately the proof was in the pudding. I found a new power through this grace to say NO to sins that once tortured me. The experience of having identical temptations and suddenly having the strength in my will to say no and suddenly experience the temptation backing away. This was a tremendous awareness of Satan's power to bring us into sin when we lack the full armor that Jesus provided for our sanctification. Although I am still not perfect and struggling and marching towards the fullness of His image, I am now making clear and powerful progress towards this end of partaking in the divine nature. Again, quite a long answer for a simple question.

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