"Grace to Help in Time of Need"

In Chapter 7 of his Epistle to the Romans, the Apostle Paul describes our struggle with sin.  As long as we remain in our earthly bodies, as long as we live in this corrupt and immoral world, we struggle with temptation and doing wrong – often in spite of our best intentions to do the right thing.  Even when we try to do good, if we do it in our own strength without God it often turns out wrong. 

No one is exempt.  The secular person finds that they have trouble living up to their own philosophical moral code.  The Hindu, Moslem, and Buddhist struggle to keep their faith as they should.  Even celebrated Christian ministers with large public followings have had moral failures – often disillusioning those who trusted them for leadership. 

Sometimes we want to throw up our hands in exasperation and cry out in the words of Paul: 

Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.  (Romans 7:24-25 NASB) * 

Our God is an awesome God, and the Holy Spirit gives us the answer in the first paragraph of the very next chapter (Chapter 8), which shows us how it is done: 

Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus.  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.  For what the Law could not do,  weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,  so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.  For those who are in accord with the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are in accord with the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.  For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,  because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,  and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:1-8 NASB) * 

* https://biblehub.com/nasb 

I have had moral failures.  When I am struggling with temptation and sin, I find that singing this old hymn prepares my heart to repent, confess my sins to God, and ask for forgiveness.  Then I can rest in the sure and certain knowledge that I am restored to a right relationship with God. (1John 1:9)  For, Christ has won the battle for me.  He has given us the victory.  Praise God! 

Just a Closer Walk With Thee

(Anonymous)

​I am weak but Thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I'll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk close to Thee. 

(Refrain)
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be. 

Thro' this world of toil and snares,
If I falter, Lord, who cares?
Who with me my burden shares?
None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee. 

(Refrain)
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be. 

When my feeble life is o'er,
Time for me will be no more;
Guide me gently, safely o'er
To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore. 

(Refrain)
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be. ** 

** https://amazinghymns.com/just-a-closer-walk-with-thee/