One of the virtues of God's servant is to be sensitive to the cries of His people. Without this gift, we cannot help anyone, but with it, we can bring comfort to many. In my view, this is one of the reasons we did not go to Heaven as soon as we converted. Jesus declared: Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.” (Mark 9:50).

The Lord would not use us to cause confusion in people's lives, but rather to show His guidance to both the saved and the lost. We must be instruments of salvation, not causes of deviation or abandonment of faith in Christ. Remember: there will be the judgment seat of Christ, where we will appear to give an account of what we have done here (2 Corinthians 5:10). Therefore, always be a helper, don’t be a collaborator with the destroyer.

When Jeremiah said, I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself: ‘You have chastised me, he was referring to the northern kingdom, whose capital was Samaria. In those days, that kingdom was devastated by the invasion of Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, and would still face the Babylonian army. Well, the kings of Israel had given the devil an opening. Jehovah was not their God, but Baal, a wicked deity whose worship involved sacrifices, promiscuity, and other evils. Everyone needs to see clearly whom they serve!

Today, evangelical churches are attended by “converted” people who are willing to serve God but continue to live a life of sin and idolatry. In a way, this contaminates those who have been saved from their former sinful practices. The old self must be abandoned; after all, whoever is in Christ is a new creation, for everything has been made new (2 Corinthians 5:17). So be careful not to give way to what Jesus called the leaven of the Pharisees (Matthew 16:6). They claimed to serve God, but they did not. Watch, pray, and believe!

Remember: repentance is given to the saved so that they may put off the old man and be sanctified in the holy Word. This work is done by the Holy Spirit, who convicts us of three important things: sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8). Without this conviction, no one can break free from the old baggage that corrupts man, causing him to lose the salvation he so desperately seeks.

Jesus explained the work of the Holy Spirit in convincing us of sin, righteousness, and judgment, saying: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. (John 16.9-11). We are walking toward Heaven, so we need to abandon the past and take up our cross in order to follow the Master to the end (Mark 8:34).

Be submissive to God. Ephraim was an untrained bull, but he accepted divine punishment and asked: restore me, and I will return, for You are the Lord my God. Ephraim made this decision because he wanted to continue under God's lordship. Seek to walk right before the Lord!

         In Christ, with love,

         R. R. Soares