"When the Lord your God brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and stronger than you, and when the Lord your God delivers them before you and you defeat them, then you shall utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them and show no favor to them. Furthermore, you shall not intermarry with them; you shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor shall you take their daughters for your sons. For they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods; then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you and He will quickly destroy you. But thus you shall do to them: you shall tear down their altars, and smash their sacred pillars, and hew down their Asherim, and burn their graven images with fire. For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth." -Deuteronomy 7.1-6
Again Moses gives an instruction and warning, from God, to the people. In short the instruction is to destroy all the people in the land, and the warning is that is they don't they will be led astray and destroyed. The message, "Get rid of sin or it will consume you."
The nations in the land were greater and stronger than Israel. Their influence could be very persuasive. God will deliver them over to Israel, and Israel is to completely destroy them. They are not to show mercy, let alone make a covenant with them, or intermarry with them. If they allow the people of the land to have any say, the sinful ways and pagan practices will have a chance to lead Israel astray.
Men, if we give sin a chance it will consume us. When we make exceptions with potentially compromising situations or circumstances, it is only a matter of time before they get out of control. If we allow any hint of sin it will take over our lives.
Let us get rid of all in. Let us refuse to let it have any foothold in our lives. God commanded Israel to destroy all the people and every hint of pagan worship. Israel doesn't end up listening and it causes a lot of hardship for them. May we never fall into the same trap. Let us get rid of all sin so that we can live as holy men before God.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Showing posts with label Sin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sin. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Cut Off
"But the man who is unclean and does not purify himself from uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from the midst of the assembly, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the Lord; the water for impurity has not been sprinkled on him, he is unclean." -Numbers 19.20
This verse follows instructions about purification in regards to touching a dead body. There was a cleansing ritual that needed to take place otherwise the person would remain unclean, and an unclean person, who would not purify himself, was not permitted to remain in the assembly and defile the sanctuary of God. As I read this my mind goes to the judgment seat.
There will come a day when all of us will stand before God, and those who have not been cleansed from their sins by the blood of Christ, will be cut off from the assembly of God's people forever. Sin has no place with God, it cannot be in His presence and defile heaven. It will be cast out from Him, and the one who has not been cleansed will spend eternity separated from God.
Men, have your sins been purified? Have you been cleansed of iniquity and found forgiveness in Christ? Have you been sprinkled by the blood of Christ so that you may enter the assembly of God forever? If not what are you waiting for? Time is short, the longer I live the more I realize that. Death is certain, there is no way off of planet Earth without facing it.
Will you be welcomed into eternal fellowship with God, or cut off from His holy presence forever? The choice is yours.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
This verse follows instructions about purification in regards to touching a dead body. There was a cleansing ritual that needed to take place otherwise the person would remain unclean, and an unclean person, who would not purify himself, was not permitted to remain in the assembly and defile the sanctuary of God. As I read this my mind goes to the judgment seat.
There will come a day when all of us will stand before God, and those who have not been cleansed from their sins by the blood of Christ, will be cut off from the assembly of God's people forever. Sin has no place with God, it cannot be in His presence and defile heaven. It will be cast out from Him, and the one who has not been cleansed will spend eternity separated from God.
Men, have your sins been purified? Have you been cleansed of iniquity and found forgiveness in Christ? Have you been sprinkled by the blood of Christ so that you may enter the assembly of God forever? If not what are you waiting for? Time is short, the longer I live the more I realize that. Death is certain, there is no way off of planet Earth without facing it.
Will you be welcomed into eternal fellowship with God, or cut off from His holy presence forever? The choice is yours.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Not Disqualified
"All the skillful men among those who were performing the work made the tabernacle with ten curtains; of fine twisted linen and blue and purple and scarlet material, with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman, Bezalel made them." Exodus 36.8
The construction of the Tabernacle and its articles is underway, and we see that Bezalel, the skillful workman God called and appointed to oversee the building process is hard at work in the service of God. The reason this stands out to me is because we don't know of Bezalel's actions with the Golden Calf.
We don't know if he took part in the worship of the idol Aaron made for the people. I'm sure there were those who did not, but we don't know, he very well may have been heavily involved in the day's festivities. If we look ahead to 1 Chronicles 2.20 we see that he is part of the tribe of Judah. Even after Moses' return, when he calls for those who were for the Lord, only the Levites come to him, so Bezalel wasn't part of that group.
Bezales' actions during this event will forever be a mystery to us. He could have gathered with other faithful followers away from the idol, refusing to take place in the idolatry. But maybe he was an active worshiper who fell into disobedience and sin. For the sake of this post, let's say the second option is true. Let's say he bought into what everyone else was doing and went along with it, worshiping a gold cow as God. Even this didn't disqualify him from the service of God. After Moses has spoken on behalf of the people and sought restoration with God, we find Bezalel hard at work building the the Tabernacle.
Men, your past does not disqualify you from serving God. No matter what you have done, no matter what your sins may be, there is grace and forgiveness. The events of your past life, your old life if you have received forgiveness, have been erased from God's mind. He does not remember them, and He does not hold them against you. When we receive new life in Christ, we are made fit for His service.
In the song "A Few Good Men" I shared yesterday it says, "He calls the broken derelict whose life has been renewed". When God forgives us, we are fit and called to serve Him. The past is forgiven and forgotten, and we are able to participate as skillful workmen in the service of God.
Forgiven men are not disqualified.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
The construction of the Tabernacle and its articles is underway, and we see that Bezalel, the skillful workman God called and appointed to oversee the building process is hard at work in the service of God. The reason this stands out to me is because we don't know of Bezalel's actions with the Golden Calf.
We don't know if he took part in the worship of the idol Aaron made for the people. I'm sure there were those who did not, but we don't know, he very well may have been heavily involved in the day's festivities. If we look ahead to 1 Chronicles 2.20 we see that he is part of the tribe of Judah. Even after Moses' return, when he calls for those who were for the Lord, only the Levites come to him, so Bezalel wasn't part of that group.
Bezales' actions during this event will forever be a mystery to us. He could have gathered with other faithful followers away from the idol, refusing to take place in the idolatry. But maybe he was an active worshiper who fell into disobedience and sin. For the sake of this post, let's say the second option is true. Let's say he bought into what everyone else was doing and went along with it, worshiping a gold cow as God. Even this didn't disqualify him from the service of God. After Moses has spoken on behalf of the people and sought restoration with God, we find Bezalel hard at work building the the Tabernacle.
Men, your past does not disqualify you from serving God. No matter what you have done, no matter what your sins may be, there is grace and forgiveness. The events of your past life, your old life if you have received forgiveness, have been erased from God's mind. He does not remember them, and He does not hold them against you. When we receive new life in Christ, we are made fit for His service.
In the song "A Few Good Men" I shared yesterday it says, "He calls the broken derelict whose life has been renewed". When God forgives us, we are fit and called to serve Him. The past is forgiven and forgotten, and we are able to participate as skillful workmen in the service of God.
Forgiven men are not disqualified.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Your Sin Will Be Found Out
"So he turned aside to her by the road, and said, 'Here now, let me come in to you'; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, 'What will you give me, that you may come in to me?' He said, therefore, 'I will send you a young goat from the flock.' She said, moreover, 'Will you give a pledge until you send it?' He said, 'What pledge shall I give you?' And she said, 'Your seal and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand.' So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him... Now it was about three months later that Judah was informed, 'Your daughter-in-law Tamar has played the harlot, and behold, she is also with child by harlotry.' Then Judah said, 'Bring her out and let her be burned!' It was while she was being brought out that she sent to her father-in-law, saying, 'I am with child by the man to whom these things belong.' And she said, 'Please examine and see, whose signet ring and cords and staff are these?'" -Genesis 38.16-18, 24-25
Judah's first son had a wife, Tamar, but he was evil and God took his life. Onan, the middle son, had the duty to have children for his brother, but knowing they wouldn't be his, he didn't perform his duty, and God killed him too. Now Judah had a third son, Shelah, and Tamar should have been given to him as a wife, but Judah is afraid for his youngest son's life. Instead of doing what he should do, he sends her home with the false promise of giving her to his son when he is old enough.
Judah's wife dies and he heads to the town to shear his sheep. Tamar hears about it, and knowing she hasn't been given to Shelah, disguises herself as a prostitute. Judah sleeps with her, and gives her his seal, cord and staff, to hold in trust until he sends payment. But she removes the disguise and later it is found out that she is pregnant. As they are about to hand out punishment she produces Judah's items, and he is caught. He sinned against her and God. He knew what was right and refused to do it. When the prostitute couldn't be found he figured he was in the clear, but his sin found him out.
Men, our sins will always find us out. Nothing we can do will erase them, and nothing we can do will fix them. We can move to another church, or neighborhood, hoping to leave our sins behind, but they will eventually catch us. And when they do, we will face judgment for them.
Let us live our lives free from sin. Let us flee from evil and avoid sin at all costs. Let us do what is right always, because sin will be found out. It might not be today, or next week, or even next year. But one day all things will come to light, and sin that has been hidden during life leads to the lake of fire. Your sin will be found out, flee from it, and seek God's strength to live above it.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Judah's first son had a wife, Tamar, but he was evil and God took his life. Onan, the middle son, had the duty to have children for his brother, but knowing they wouldn't be his, he didn't perform his duty, and God killed him too. Now Judah had a third son, Shelah, and Tamar should have been given to him as a wife, but Judah is afraid for his youngest son's life. Instead of doing what he should do, he sends her home with the false promise of giving her to his son when he is old enough.
Judah's wife dies and he heads to the town to shear his sheep. Tamar hears about it, and knowing she hasn't been given to Shelah, disguises herself as a prostitute. Judah sleeps with her, and gives her his seal, cord and staff, to hold in trust until he sends payment. But she removes the disguise and later it is found out that she is pregnant. As they are about to hand out punishment she produces Judah's items, and he is caught. He sinned against her and God. He knew what was right and refused to do it. When the prostitute couldn't be found he figured he was in the clear, but his sin found him out.
Men, our sins will always find us out. Nothing we can do will erase them, and nothing we can do will fix them. We can move to another church, or neighborhood, hoping to leave our sins behind, but they will eventually catch us. And when they do, we will face judgment for them.
Let us live our lives free from sin. Let us flee from evil and avoid sin at all costs. Let us do what is right always, because sin will be found out. It might not be today, or next week, or even next year. But one day all things will come to light, and sin that has been hidden during life leads to the lake of fire. Your sin will be found out, flee from it, and seek God's strength to live above it.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Fix or Avoid?
"Now Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; so he tore his garments. He returned to his brothers and said, 'The boy is not there; as for me, where am I to go?'" -Genesis 37.29-30
Reuben had a plan. He had had an affair with one of his father's concubines, and his father found out about it. He had lost honor and integrity with his actions, and for some time had been trying to figure out how to regain it. He had made a mistake, gotten caught, and now was trying to fix it. Then one day the annoying little brother shows up and the other brothers decide they have had enough and to off him. At last, the opportunity he's been waiting for.
The first part of the plan goes well. He talks them out of killing him, and Joseph ends up alive in a pit. Now all that's left is to get him out secretly, and take him home. He'll explain what happened, how he saved the life of the father's favorite son, and all will be forgiven. Later he heads back to the pit for step two of the plan, but now the pit is empty. Joseph is gone, and so is the one hope he had of fixing his mistake.
He had a plan that might have worked, but the problem is he needed a plan to begin with. Reuben never should have compromised himself and fallen into the need of a redemptive act. Men, how many times do we try to fix our mistakes? We say something we shouldn't have and we try to apologize. We get caught in the wrong place at the wrong time and we try to make excuses for why we're there, or we throw someone else under the bus to try to save our own skin. We change our environment so that the truth doesn't get found out. We put so much work into trying to fix our faults, instead of putting all of that energy into avoiding them to begin with.
With Reuben, he gave in to a desire for pleasure. He didn't think he'd get caught, but as soon as he does he begins to work on a plan to try to fix it. How many men have fallen into a similar trap and reacted in a similar way? You've compromised your integrity, and truthfully, there is no way for you to undo that. It's like chopping down a tree. One mistake won't topple you, just like one strike of an ax won't bring down a tree, but it leaves a mark that will always be there. Try as we might, there is no way to undo it, the mark will always be there.
Men, we cannot fix our mistakes. We can't take back the words we say. We can't hide from the truth forever. So instead of working so hard to try and fix them, let's put the energy into avoiding them. Let us flee from temptation and evil. Let us learn self-control, and how to tame the tongue. Let us focus on God, and growing in righteousness.
I have been dwelling on Proverbs 3.5-8 for several months now, and when we get there I'll write more on it, but if we would avoid mistakes, this is where our focus needs to be. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones."
I've used the word "mistake" in this post, but I don't mean the little things like coloring outside the lines. I'm talking about the big things. The things that destroy us. I'm talking about sin. And while sin can be forgiven by God, we have to live with the consequences of our actions, and that means damaged integrity. But if we trust in God and acknowledge Him in all things, not leaning on our own understanding, He will make our paths straight. If we are humble and fear Him, turning away from evil, we will have peace.
Men, let us pour ourselves into avoiding sin at all costs. Let us flee from everything that could compromise our integrity. Once the damage is done, it's impossible to fix it. Reuben's plan didn't work, and neither will your's. Let's not get ourselves into the situation where we have to try to fix it. Rather, let us focus all of our energy on walking the path of righteousness and avoiding sin at all costs.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Reuben had a plan. He had had an affair with one of his father's concubines, and his father found out about it. He had lost honor and integrity with his actions, and for some time had been trying to figure out how to regain it. He had made a mistake, gotten caught, and now was trying to fix it. Then one day the annoying little brother shows up and the other brothers decide they have had enough and to off him. At last, the opportunity he's been waiting for.
The first part of the plan goes well. He talks them out of killing him, and Joseph ends up alive in a pit. Now all that's left is to get him out secretly, and take him home. He'll explain what happened, how he saved the life of the father's favorite son, and all will be forgiven. Later he heads back to the pit for step two of the plan, but now the pit is empty. Joseph is gone, and so is the one hope he had of fixing his mistake.
He had a plan that might have worked, but the problem is he needed a plan to begin with. Reuben never should have compromised himself and fallen into the need of a redemptive act. Men, how many times do we try to fix our mistakes? We say something we shouldn't have and we try to apologize. We get caught in the wrong place at the wrong time and we try to make excuses for why we're there, or we throw someone else under the bus to try to save our own skin. We change our environment so that the truth doesn't get found out. We put so much work into trying to fix our faults, instead of putting all of that energy into avoiding them to begin with.
With Reuben, he gave in to a desire for pleasure. He didn't think he'd get caught, but as soon as he does he begins to work on a plan to try to fix it. How many men have fallen into a similar trap and reacted in a similar way? You've compromised your integrity, and truthfully, there is no way for you to undo that. It's like chopping down a tree. One mistake won't topple you, just like one strike of an ax won't bring down a tree, but it leaves a mark that will always be there. Try as we might, there is no way to undo it, the mark will always be there.
Men, we cannot fix our mistakes. We can't take back the words we say. We can't hide from the truth forever. So instead of working so hard to try and fix them, let's put the energy into avoiding them. Let us flee from temptation and evil. Let us learn self-control, and how to tame the tongue. Let us focus on God, and growing in righteousness.
I have been dwelling on Proverbs 3.5-8 for several months now, and when we get there I'll write more on it, but if we would avoid mistakes, this is where our focus needs to be. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones."
I've used the word "mistake" in this post, but I don't mean the little things like coloring outside the lines. I'm talking about the big things. The things that destroy us. I'm talking about sin. And while sin can be forgiven by God, we have to live with the consequences of our actions, and that means damaged integrity. But if we trust in God and acknowledge Him in all things, not leaning on our own understanding, He will make our paths straight. If we are humble and fear Him, turning away from evil, we will have peace.
Men, let us pour ourselves into avoiding sin at all costs. Let us flee from everything that could compromise our integrity. Once the damage is done, it's impossible to fix it. Reuben's plan didn't work, and neither will your's. Let's not get ourselves into the situation where we have to try to fix it. Rather, let us focus all of our energy on walking the path of righteousness and avoiding sin at all costs.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Deal With the Issues
"It came about while Israel was dwelling in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it." -Genesis 35.22
At some point one of Jacob's sons takes a liking to Bilhah, the maid that Rachel gave to her husband as a wife to bear children on her behalf. Reuben begins an affair with her, Israel hears about it, but that's all we get. He doesn't deal with the issue. We have no record of him confronting his son. We have no record of anything being done about it. We are simply told that Israel heard about it.
Men, when our children sin and get into destructive behavior we need to deal with the issue. In this family there is a history of just letting things slide and go unaddressed. The actions of the sons go unpunished, at times even unaddressed, by their father. And the more that they get away with, the more they are willing to try.
It began with slaughtering a city. Then it became this event of Reuben's. Coming up there is talk of murdering one of their own brothers. The more things that get overlooked, the bolder they get. And the same is true today.
Men, when we find our children, or anyone we care about, engaging in a destructive activity, whether physically or eternally, we must deal with it. We have been given strength by God to deal with these issues. It is our duty to protect our children. It is our duty to discipline and correct their behavior. Ignoring an issue and allowing it to go unaddressed does neither of them, and by doing this you actually show your children that you hate them.
Don't allow your children to run rampant and destroy their lives. And actually it isn't just their lives they are destroying with their actions, but others as well. If you love your children, biological or not, discipline them and deal with the issues. You might just rescue their soul from hell.
Man up, and deal with the issues.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
At some point one of Jacob's sons takes a liking to Bilhah, the maid that Rachel gave to her husband as a wife to bear children on her behalf. Reuben begins an affair with her, Israel hears about it, but that's all we get. He doesn't deal with the issue. We have no record of him confronting his son. We have no record of anything being done about it. We are simply told that Israel heard about it.
Men, when our children sin and get into destructive behavior we need to deal with the issue. In this family there is a history of just letting things slide and go unaddressed. The actions of the sons go unpunished, at times even unaddressed, by their father. And the more that they get away with, the more they are willing to try.
It began with slaughtering a city. Then it became this event of Reuben's. Coming up there is talk of murdering one of their own brothers. The more things that get overlooked, the bolder they get. And the same is true today.
Men, when we find our children, or anyone we care about, engaging in a destructive activity, whether physically or eternally, we must deal with it. We have been given strength by God to deal with these issues. It is our duty to protect our children. It is our duty to discipline and correct their behavior. Ignoring an issue and allowing it to go unaddressed does neither of them, and by doing this you actually show your children that you hate them.
Don't allow your children to run rampant and destroy their lives. And actually it isn't just their lives they are destroying with their actions, but others as well. If you love your children, biological or not, discipline them and deal with the issues. You might just rescue their soul from hell.
Man up, and deal with the issues.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Old Weaknesses
"Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah." -Genesis 20.2
Again we see Abraham pass his wife off as his sister. For a second time he enters a foreign land as a sojourner, and allows his wife to be taken by another man. I'm just like, "What the heck dude?!" So much has transpired since Egypt. God has spoken on several occasions. Abraham has received a new name, a covenant, and the sign of the covenant. And yet here he is pulling the same stunt again.
How many times have you beaten yourself up over the same sin that you commit time and again? How many times have you tried to move past it, and heal from it? And yet time and again it continues to be a struggle. And every time you hate yourself for giving in again.
First, let me say that that's a good thing. The fact that you are upset over the act is a sign of new life in you. You know who you were, you have entered something new, and are striving to live differently. You are aware of the wrongness of your actions, and what's more, you care about the wrongness of your actions. This is a sign of the work that God has done in you.
It is important to know that we cannot overcome our sins and struggles on our own. The more we rely on our strength and will power to resist, the more we fall into them, and the worse we feel when we do. It is only in the power of the Holy Spirit that we can overcome the sin in our lives. It is only in God's strength that we can triumph.
And so we must lean on Him more. We must draw ever closer to Him. The deeper our relationship with Him is the stronger we will be. But also, the closer I am to God, the more I want to do things that please Him, and the less I want to do things that displease Him. My desire to please God is stronger than my desire for any sort of gratification, and that gives me strength to resist the temptations that come.
My desire is to live my life in a way that gives glory to God, and with His help, and in His strength I am able to do that. He empowers me to do the right thing, even when it isn't the easy thing. He encourages me to speak the truth, even if it may lead to my death. He fills me with His spirit so that I can live in holiness. My old weaknesses are powerless compared to the new strength I have in Christ.
It will not always be easy, and there will be times we fail. In those moments we turn to God quickly, seeking His forgiveness and healing. We pray for God to lead us away from the situations, and when we find ourselves in them, to give us eyes to see the escape He has promised to provide. And the more we walk with Him, the easier it becomes. It takes time, but God is loving and patient, and He walks with us every step of the way.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Again we see Abraham pass his wife off as his sister. For a second time he enters a foreign land as a sojourner, and allows his wife to be taken by another man. I'm just like, "What the heck dude?!" So much has transpired since Egypt. God has spoken on several occasions. Abraham has received a new name, a covenant, and the sign of the covenant. And yet here he is pulling the same stunt again.
How many times have you beaten yourself up over the same sin that you commit time and again? How many times have you tried to move past it, and heal from it? And yet time and again it continues to be a struggle. And every time you hate yourself for giving in again.
First, let me say that that's a good thing. The fact that you are upset over the act is a sign of new life in you. You know who you were, you have entered something new, and are striving to live differently. You are aware of the wrongness of your actions, and what's more, you care about the wrongness of your actions. This is a sign of the work that God has done in you.
It is important to know that we cannot overcome our sins and struggles on our own. The more we rely on our strength and will power to resist, the more we fall into them, and the worse we feel when we do. It is only in the power of the Holy Spirit that we can overcome the sin in our lives. It is only in God's strength that we can triumph.
And so we must lean on Him more. We must draw ever closer to Him. The deeper our relationship with Him is the stronger we will be. But also, the closer I am to God, the more I want to do things that please Him, and the less I want to do things that displease Him. My desire to please God is stronger than my desire for any sort of gratification, and that gives me strength to resist the temptations that come.
My desire is to live my life in a way that gives glory to God, and with His help, and in His strength I am able to do that. He empowers me to do the right thing, even when it isn't the easy thing. He encourages me to speak the truth, even if it may lead to my death. He fills me with His spirit so that I can live in holiness. My old weaknesses are powerless compared to the new strength I have in Christ.
It will not always be easy, and there will be times we fail. In those moments we turn to God quickly, seeking His forgiveness and healing. We pray for God to lead us away from the situations, and when we find ourselves in them, to give us eyes to see the escape He has promised to provide. And the more we walk with Him, the easier it becomes. It takes time, but God is loving and patient, and He walks with us every step of the way.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Failure to Act
"When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate." -Genesis 3.6
And now we come to root of the problem. Up until this moment everything was perfect. Up until this moment everything functioned exactly as it was supposed to. Every relationship existed in perfect harmony. It was paradise. And a man screwed it all up.
For a long time I blamed woman for bringing sin into the world, and then I read Genesis 3.6 again, and noticed two words that changed everything, "with her". Adam was right there watching the whole thing happen. He heard everything the serpent said. He listened as the woman (she isn't named Eve until the end of chapter 3), misquoted God's command. And he just stands there silently letting it all happen. He doesn't speak up. He doesn't lead her away from the tree. He lets her fend for herself, pick some fruit, eat it, and then he follows her lead. Adam failed to play the man. He failed to lead his wife. He allowed her to take the position of leadership, and all of creation is cursed with sin because of it.
How often have we been guilty of the sin of silence and actionlessness? How many times have we watched injustice or dishonesty seize a foothold, while we slid into the shadows? How many times have we held our tongues when someone's character is assassinated in our presence? How much harm have we allowed because we have failed to act?
Men, this is a tendency that has been around since the first one of us walked the earth, and we've all inherited it. But we have to break the cycle. It's easy to do what he did. It's easy to hold keep still and silent. But it takes a man, a warrior, to act. It takes a man to silence the snake, and lead others into truth. Silence brings death, but action leads to life, and that is what men of God fight for.
Let us work to break the sin of inaction. Let us take a stand, digging in our heals, and refusing to let the enemy advance another step. Let us silence gossip. Let us stand up for the oppressed. Let us fight for truth.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
And now we come to root of the problem. Up until this moment everything was perfect. Up until this moment everything functioned exactly as it was supposed to. Every relationship existed in perfect harmony. It was paradise. And a man screwed it all up.
For a long time I blamed woman for bringing sin into the world, and then I read Genesis 3.6 again, and noticed two words that changed everything, "with her". Adam was right there watching the whole thing happen. He heard everything the serpent said. He listened as the woman (she isn't named Eve until the end of chapter 3), misquoted God's command. And he just stands there silently letting it all happen. He doesn't speak up. He doesn't lead her away from the tree. He lets her fend for herself, pick some fruit, eat it, and then he follows her lead. Adam failed to play the man. He failed to lead his wife. He allowed her to take the position of leadership, and all of creation is cursed with sin because of it.
How often have we been guilty of the sin of silence and actionlessness? How many times have we watched injustice or dishonesty seize a foothold, while we slid into the shadows? How many times have we held our tongues when someone's character is assassinated in our presence? How much harm have we allowed because we have failed to act?
Men, this is a tendency that has been around since the first one of us walked the earth, and we've all inherited it. But we have to break the cycle. It's easy to do what he did. It's easy to hold keep still and silent. But it takes a man, a warrior, to act. It takes a man to silence the snake, and lead others into truth. Silence brings death, but action leads to life, and that is what men of God fight for.
Let us work to break the sin of inaction. Let us take a stand, digging in our heals, and refusing to let the enemy advance another step. Let us silence gossip. Let us stand up for the oppressed. Let us fight for truth.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
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