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Bring It On-Line: Sin - May 12, 2016

What is your opinion of John 20:23 where it says if you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven, if you retain the sins of any they are retained? Dear Pat, are our silent prayers as meaningful to God as our spoken ones? Sometimes I think that ... Read Transcript


Time for some questions.

Let's go for it.

It is.

Let's bring it on.

This first one comes from Roland, Pat.

He says, what is your opinion of John 20:23, where it says,

if you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven.

If you retain the sins of any, they are retained.

I think what Jesus is talking about is we have in our hands

as Christians, the message of forgiveness,

which is faith in Jesus Christ.

And if we give that message, people find forgiveness.

If we withhold that message, then those sins

remain on those people.

And also, he talks about binding and loosening.

Whatever you loosen, earth is loosed in heaven, and so forth.

It has to do about the power of the church

to set limits and guidance for the conduct of people.

This is Joyce who says, dear Pat,

are our silent prayers as meaningful to God as our spoken

ones?

Absolutely.

God's a spirit you.

Can commune with him in spirit.

You don't have to be verbalizing.

God didn't need language.

He knows what's in your heart.

This is Janie who says, hi Pat, my name's Janie,

and I'm a senior in high school.

I have been battling with idolizing basketball

for two years.

Now I wonder if I should just quit.

Sometimes I think that quitting is just

running away from my problems.

Is there a way for me to follow Christ and play basketball?

If God is really telling me to quit

I think that I could do it, but I know

my parents would not be happy.

I don't understand, we're just idolizing stuff.

I did sports, football, boxing, that kind of stuff.

It's just what you did.

But as a kid, it isn't your faith.

Your faith is something else.

So you commit your life to Jesus and there's

nothing in the world wrong with playing basketball.

There's nothing in the world wrong with being

good at basketball.

You just don't obsess on it.

And you just have to get your head around the fact

that He'll make you good, He'll let you be a superstar

if you've got the ability.

But don't get all hung up on it.

I mean, be concerned about the Lord.

Put Him first.

And if you do that, then this all will go away.

This is Stan, who says I was saved when I was 10 years old

but got derailed spiritually in my college years.

In my 30s after a divorce, I reconnected with the church

but by then, I developed a habit of drinking a six pack of beer

or a bottle of wine and smoking a pack of cigarettes

every Friday night.

I'm 52 now and still do it.

It seems like a release I need after a long week at work,

but I always feel guilty the next day.

I think maybe I continue in this habit

because I still haven't found a wife since my divorce.

Am I kidding myself thinking that I'm still a Christian?

Yeah, you're still a Christian.

I mean, I think you'd be sick as a dog

if you smoked a pack of cigarettes on a Friday night

and then drinking a six pack of beer.

Are you out of your mind?

I mean look, this business about I need a release, nonsense.

I mean if you need such a release,

go ahead and run a half a mile or a mile

or get up on some of those machines in a gym

and work out and get a bit of a sweat and take a cold shower.

I mean, this is nonsense.

I mean, you're kidding yourself.

So don't ask me about it, you talk to yourself

and say listen, I serve the Lord.

And he is my joy.

And if you read the Bible, how can a young man cleanse

his way, the Bible says, but taking heed there too

according to by word?

That's what it is.

By word have I hid in my heart that I might not

sin against you.

So focus on the word, and this other stuff is-- I mean,

it's just nonsense.

You've got a habit, and it's a pretty weak habit at that.

Leave it aside.

And I can't see in the Bible anything

wrong if you want a glass of wine on Friday night.

I mean, by all means, be my guest.

But I think you don't have to drink

a bottle or a six pack of beer or smoke a pack of cigarettes.

We leave you with today's Power Minute from Psalm 29.

The Lord will give strength to his people.

He will bless his people with peace.

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