Sue J Love
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- Joined
- Mar 27, 2015
- Messages
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Matthew 19:23-26 NIV
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” 26Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
The “gods” They Worship
Why do you think that it is difficult for rich people to be saved from their sins and to have eternal life with God? I believe it is because they own so much, and they have so much money, and so many possessions, that the things of this world end up becoming their “gods” in place of God becoming their God. They want to hold on to their riches and to their possessions, but they know that faith in Jesus Christ means total surrender to the Lord, and so they fear if they surrender to the Lord that he will require of them that they give up much or all of their worldly possessions, and they don’t want to lose them.
But I believe this story isn’t just about rich people. This is about anyone who is holding on to anything they are unwilling to surrender to the Lord and so it keeps them from being genuinely delivered out of their bondage to sin so that they can now serve the Lord with their lives. And what comes to mind is anyone who is addicted to any particular sinful habit who is unwilling to let go of it in order to follow our Lord in obedience to his commands. They can’t be saved from their sins because they are unwilling to deny self, die to sin, and surrender their all to the Lord to obey him and his commands.
With Man This is Impossible
Ephesians 2:8-10 BSB
“9For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.”
When I read “With man this is impossible” in the passage in Matthew, it immediately brought to mind this passage of Scripture in Ephesians 2. Why? Because this passage teaches us that our salvation is not from ourselves, i.e. “with man this is impossible.” None of us, in our own flesh, of our own will and purpose, by our own “good works” can ever earn or deserve our own salvation. We can never be “good enough” to be right with God of our own doing, of our own flesh. But our salvation is not absent of works, but they are the works of God which God prepared in advance that we should do.
And that took me to the subject of addiction to sin and gaining victory over addiction to sin. Many people are trying to do this in their own flesh, and it just isn’t working. They read all the books on this subject, and they read internet teachings on this subject, and they receive psychological counsel, and other people’s advice. And so they try these things, and they may work for a while, but for many (or most) of them, what they try to do in their own flesh eventually fails. Why? Usually because they fail to surrender it all to the Lord. It is that “treasure” that they don’t want to have to give up.
Victory is Possible with God
Luke 9:23-24 BSB
23Then Jesus said to all of them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.”
So, this is the solution. You want to have victory over addiction to sin, and deliverance from slavery to sin, and eternal life with God? You have to let go and let God. You have to deny self, take up your cross daily (die daily to sin and to self), and follow Jesus in obedience to his commands, and in surrender to his will, all in the power of God at work within those of genuine faith in Christ. You can’t do it in your own flesh, of your own human effort. This faith which brings salvation is not from ourselves. In our own flesh we can never be good enough to be saved from our sins. So surrender to God!
[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]
Video Talk on the same topic:
He Lifted Our Burdens
Based off Isaiah 9:2-7
An Original Work / February 15, 2014
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
People walk in darkness. They abide in their sin.
It has power o’er them. True belief escapes them.
Jesus Christ came to save them. He gave His life up for them;
Crucified; died for our sin, so we might be forgiven,
And have life up in heaven.
Many come to know Him. God’s love now o’erflows them.
They rejoice in vict’ry. Their sin is but hist’ry.
We were once bound in slav’ry. Jesus lifted our burdens;
Set us now free from Satan, so we now walk in freedom.
Sin has no more dominion.
Praise be to our Savior! He showed us His favor.
He took all our burdens; cast them all upon Him.
He is our mediator; The Light which shines in darkness.
Counselor in our troubles; He gives peace now in our hearts;
Joy which is everlasting.
Victory Over Addiction to Sin
An Original Work / July 6, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” 26Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
The “gods” They Worship
Why do you think that it is difficult for rich people to be saved from their sins and to have eternal life with God? I believe it is because they own so much, and they have so much money, and so many possessions, that the things of this world end up becoming their “gods” in place of God becoming their God. They want to hold on to their riches and to their possessions, but they know that faith in Jesus Christ means total surrender to the Lord, and so they fear if they surrender to the Lord that he will require of them that they give up much or all of their worldly possessions, and they don’t want to lose them.
But I believe this story isn’t just about rich people. This is about anyone who is holding on to anything they are unwilling to surrender to the Lord and so it keeps them from being genuinely delivered out of their bondage to sin so that they can now serve the Lord with their lives. And what comes to mind is anyone who is addicted to any particular sinful habit who is unwilling to let go of it in order to follow our Lord in obedience to his commands. They can’t be saved from their sins because they are unwilling to deny self, die to sin, and surrender their all to the Lord to obey him and his commands.
With Man This is Impossible
Ephesians 2:8-10 BSB
“9For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.”
When I read “With man this is impossible” in the passage in Matthew, it immediately brought to mind this passage of Scripture in Ephesians 2. Why? Because this passage teaches us that our salvation is not from ourselves, i.e. “with man this is impossible.” None of us, in our own flesh, of our own will and purpose, by our own “good works” can ever earn or deserve our own salvation. We can never be “good enough” to be right with God of our own doing, of our own flesh. But our salvation is not absent of works, but they are the works of God which God prepared in advance that we should do.
And that took me to the subject of addiction to sin and gaining victory over addiction to sin. Many people are trying to do this in their own flesh, and it just isn’t working. They read all the books on this subject, and they read internet teachings on this subject, and they receive psychological counsel, and other people’s advice. And so they try these things, and they may work for a while, but for many (or most) of them, what they try to do in their own flesh eventually fails. Why? Usually because they fail to surrender it all to the Lord. It is that “treasure” that they don’t want to have to give up.
Victory is Possible with God
Luke 9:23-24 BSB
23Then Jesus said to all of them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.”
So, this is the solution. You want to have victory over addiction to sin, and deliverance from slavery to sin, and eternal life with God? You have to let go and let God. You have to deny self, take up your cross daily (die daily to sin and to self), and follow Jesus in obedience to his commands, and in surrender to his will, all in the power of God at work within those of genuine faith in Christ. You can’t do it in your own flesh, of your own human effort. This faith which brings salvation is not from ourselves. In our own flesh we can never be good enough to be saved from our sins. So surrender to God!
[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]
Video Talk on the same topic:
He Lifted Our Burdens
Based off Isaiah 9:2-7
An Original Work / February 15, 2014
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
People walk in darkness. They abide in their sin.
It has power o’er them. True belief escapes them.
Jesus Christ came to save them. He gave His life up for them;
Crucified; died for our sin, so we might be forgiven,
And have life up in heaven.
Many come to know Him. God’s love now o’erflows them.
They rejoice in vict’ry. Their sin is but hist’ry.
We were once bound in slav’ry. Jesus lifted our burdens;
Set us now free from Satan, so we now walk in freedom.
Sin has no more dominion.
Praise be to our Savior! He showed us His favor.
He took all our burdens; cast them all upon Him.
He is our mediator; The Light which shines in darkness.
Counselor in our troubles; He gives peace now in our hearts;
Joy which is everlasting.
Victory Over Addiction to Sin
An Original Work / July 6, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
