Then turn this man over to Satan. His sinful self has to be destroyed so that his spirit will be saved on the day when the Lord comes again. 1 Corinthians 5:5
In the early fifties, my cousin Dennis was running and playing in the backyard with my siblings and his sister. My mother peered out the window to smile at their energy and enthusiasm. They were so cute, and the vision of Dennis running so incredibly fast left an indelible impression on my mother. He was the oldest of all five little children frolicking on that pretty day.
However, the next day Dennis was burning up with fever. His parents took him to a doctor and was given a diagnosis that gripped their hearts with great fear. Little Dennis had polio. He was put into the hospital, and as his fever continued to burn, so did the paralysis continued to spread up his body. All his loved ones waited anxiously to see if the next step for his treatment would be the negative pressure ventilator, also known as the iron lung.
There is another epidemic spreading around the world today. The sickness of sin is slowly inflicting people with debilitating symptoms. It comes on slowly and gradually until one is paralyzed in the grips of lust, lies, greed, sloth, gluttony, wrath, or pride.
The only medication to cure this terminal illness is Jesus Christ. When one receives Christ into his/her heart, mind, and soul, sin’s condition will be completely eradicated. A heart that comes to Christ in humble contrition is forgiven totally of all transgressions. It is replaced with a new life, an abundant life, and a life that is cleansed from within. It’s a cure that is guaranteed for eternity.
My mother prayed for little Dennis who had just been playing in the backyard the day prior. She also prayed for her own children who had been exposed. Dennis’s fever finally broke, and the the growing paralysis stopped just in time to avoid that next dreaded step of treatment. Although Dennis would always require aids to help him walk, he had a full life with an attitude of joy. The other children were spared this illness. God had answered her prayers.
Prayers are being said today for all those who refuse to listen to the gospel of Jesus. Our prayers are that you'll open your mind, your heart, your ears, and your soul to the Savior. You could avoid the dreaded next step of 1 Corinthians 5:5. There is always hope, but why choose to be paralyzed in sin sickness resulting in death when you could have life?
Dear Father, Let these words reach someone today who desperately needs You. In Christ I pray, Amen.
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