God vs. sin - who wins?

This week has been a very difficult week dealing with a crisis of sin. Sin is ugly. Sin is deceptive. Sin entangles. Sin enslaves. Sin entraps. But the gospel is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes (Rom. 1:16) So we point people (and us) to forgiveness in Jesus Christ and repentance and faith in Him. They must forgive each other, they must repent before Jesus, and they must turn from their wicked ways and obey Jesus. There is no other way.

When God is on the move, when sin is exposed and people repent, Satan fights back. He hates repentance and will distract and discourage. Sometimes we feel the opposition in the spirit; sometimes we feel it when things, like technology, don't work like they normally do. This week my laptop battery quit recharging. The next day my 15-month-old, perfectly good smartphone developed a 'black screen of death'. It won't display anything so I can't use it. Am I superstitious? I don't think so. 

In our devotions together with Pam this morning, we read Psalm 103 to remind us of who God is and what He has done. 

Psalm 103:6-14

6 The Lord works righteousness
    and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
    his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide,
    nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
    nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
    so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13 As a father shows compassion to his children,
    so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
14 For he knows our frame;
    he remembers that we are dust