Hello Mike,
How are things? Sorry I haven’t kept in touch. My mind has just been a mess and the day- to- day stress I have to continue to realize God is in control. Every day I have been feeling week and tired. I hate the sin and want to stop yet I continue I just wish God could just stop me from sinning. There are days I wish I were brain dead. And having to deal with my in- laws whenever they come over (my wife’s mother being co- paster of their church always tries to say things about church to my wife and I) is very difficult.

And one day my wife heard her mother praying for my wife to be delivered from whatever she is dealing with and come back to church. My wife tells her what her eyes see looking in from the outside of the church, but you know their answer to that. My wife will never go back to being a member of a church because we have gone to a few churches for family events and had to listen to the service. She had told how the pastor contradicted himself within the same sentence. I would catch it as well. And my mother in- law knows how we feel about tithes.

One of the services we went to with them started off talking about tithing. Her mother was upset because she felt that because they spoke about tithes first that closed our ears to hearing the service; as if she is waiting for us to hear an earth- shattering sermon to get us to go back to church. In their eyes we are back sliders even though we would read the bible at home. I don’t say much anything more to them because they would say something unscriptural and I would reply with a scriptural answer and they would quit. That’s some of things I have been dealing with for awhile now.

I have a question. How is Christ’s blood precious? Does 1Pe 1:19 have something to do with the offerings? Thank you for your time.
Your brother in Christ,
J____

Hi J____,
You are the fourth young man this week to say to me what you say here:

I hate the sin and want to stop yet I continue I just wish God could just stop me from sinning.

Now I know that you are aware that grace chastens and scourges us to forsake ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live godly lives in this present age.”

 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12  Teaching [ Greek, paidueo – chastens] us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

But there is a complimentary set of verses to which you may not have given as much thought. Consider this twice repeated statement by this same apostle Paul to the Romans:

 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
Rom 7:16  If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that [ it is] good.
Rom 7:17  Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but [ how] to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21  I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

It is God who has made us subject to the law that causes us to sin when we would do otherwise. The fact that we have no free will is as applicable to our sins as it is to our righteousness. Both are the work of God in and through us.
Yes, we must repent of our sins, but ‘repent’ means ‘to change,’ and we are not repenting of doing things of ourselves. Even our repentance is the work of God in our lives. We simply change from doing the wrong thing to doing the right thing, and both are all of God. The apostle Paul actually separates himself from the law of sin and death, and acknowledges God’s sovereignty in all things. “All things” certainly includes our sins.
So now you should have a much better understanding of the depth of this verse:

Luk 21:19  In your patience possess ye your souls.

So be sober, and be vigilant, but also be patient. You are being delivered from the sin in your life, but it is taking place on God’s schedule.
You are wise to not attempt to engage your unreceptive family and friends, and yet you must be Christ’s witness to these things, so be sure to witness to all when you are led to do so. God will give you the wisdom to know when to do what.
My prayers are with you. God is working to make a vessel of honor in His house.
Your brother in the Christ of Christ.
Mike