Things to Do, Not Just Feel  

     Repentance. In the Bible, when tax collectors asked the prophet what to do about money they stole, he simply tells them to stop it. 

     When Jesus healed an invalid by the pool, He said, "Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you."

     When a lawyer tries to get Jesus bogged down in follow-up questions, He answers: "You already know your duty; do it and you will live." 

     The risen Christ, through John the disciple, sent letters to seven churches. In each case He wrote, here is what you are doing right; here is what you are doing wrong and what you must desist...immediately. 

     Maybe we pray that God changes our ways. He must do everything. We do nothing.

     No. He simply commands us to stop sinning. In John chapter 8: 

     Teachers and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery to Jesus, hoping to trap him, to have a basis for accusing him. "In the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women." Jesus said, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 

     One by one they began to go away. None condemned her. Jesus told her, "Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin." 

     We are called to "fight the good fight of the faith" (I Timothy 6:12). Paul doesn't mean do battle with our enemies. Instead, we fight off our inclinations to fall into temptation, follow harmful desires, or love money for the sake of riches. 

     We don't just set aside our old nature. We "Put to death what is earthly" (Colossians 3:5).