Tag: Sin

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Let God Define You

Daily Reading

Genesis 30-31

Daily Thought

Israel, the great nation of God, would come through the line of Jacob. Jacob had twelve sons and a daughter by four women. Two were wives, two weren’t. Why would God use such a convoluted, sin-filled line to bring forth his people?

We are sinners, simple as that. When God uses us to accomplish his plan, sin tags along. We don’t have to search; sin doesn’t hide. Jacob’s wives invited him to sleep with their maidservants, and Jacob said, “Okay.” What a mess! 

We do bad things and bad things happen to us, and God shapes it into his design. “Joseph said to his brothers, ‘You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good’” (Genesis 50:20). God used the actions of the sons of Jacob to refine them so that they would learn love and trust through the consequences of their own hate and betrayal. God is sovereign, but that doesn’t mean he makes everything happen. For instance, God didn’t make the sons of Jacob sin. Sovereignty is much bigger than that. It means that God is in charge of this world, and he takes everything that happens, good and bad, and uses it to carry out his plan. And it will be good for us.  

Often we let the bad things we do define us – “I’m a bad person” – but God can reshape the bad you have done into a work of his glory. God’s goodness is more powerful than your sin. Let God define you.

Daily Prayer

Father God, thank You for Your mercy. Your son made a trade: He took my sin and gave me His righteousness. What amazing grace! You have made me a new person in Jesus Christ. My old self, delighted with sin, is dead. I am born again, born from heaven, a new person who now delights in You.  

God, I hunger and thirst for righteousness. May I be filled and overflowing. May I live a good and godly life that lights the world around me so that people see You and delight in You, as well. 

Amen

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Sodom and Springer

Daily Reading

Genesis 19-21

Daily Thought

Genesis 19–what a chapter! The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are a carnival of perversity, but their time is up. The depraved men of Sodom clamor for sex with two men/angels staying in Lot’s home. Lot offers to them his daughters instead. Are you kidding me! Their sin has eclipsed the threshold of God’s patience. God’s mercy is drained as he destroys the cities, yet God’s grace endures and Lot and his family are rescued before the downpour of fire and brimstone. Still, as the cities smolder in the distance, Lot’s unrepentant daughters get their dad drunk and take turns sleeping with him. Both end up pregnant.

It’s “The Jerry Springer Show,” the original trash TV. Jerry was asked if it was difficult to find his outlandish guests. “Are you kidding?” he laughed. “They are in every neighborhood in America. Yours too.” He’s right, of course. Millions of people watched Jerry’s show. If you watch the show, you are like the show. Look at our entertainment, our websites, our video games, our politics, or look at the daily news headlines. Nothing stays in Vegas. Lot’s wife looked back with a longing desire. She loved the lifestyle, and we do, too. What’s wrong with the world? In the words of G.K. Chesterton, “I am.” We all are.

And still God’s grace endures. Jesus took our sins, like those of Sodom and Springer, and mine, and made them his own. He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:5). He took what I deserve. That’s mercy. Then he gives me his righteousness. That’s grace. He became like me so that I can become like him. That’s love.   

Daily Prayer

My Lord and Savior God, Your love is overwhelming. You love me and I am not worthy of it. You love me anyway. Thank you for that, and thank you, as well, for hating sin. I need to hate sin more. What it does to me, what it has done to Your creation. I look forward to Your coming Kingdom, when sin is removed, when holiness is the way of the world, when Jesus reigns. Turn my longings toward You, my desires toward Your ways.

Amen

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Kittens

Daily Reading

Genesis 4-7

Daily Thought

Cain and Abel each bring an offering to God, one of fruit and the other a firstborn lamb. God found Abel’s acceptable, but why not Cain’s?

The essence of worship is faith and trust, humility and submission, devotion and awe. The Lord said to Cain, “If you do well, will you not be accepted?” (Genesis 4:7). The problem was not fruit or flock, but Cain’s attitude. There was no contrition, no faith, no love or adoration. It was, at best, an offering of duty, and more likely one of greed and rivalry and pride. Cain gave in hopes of getting.

The warning is in verse 7, “And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” Sin has a life of its own, crouching tiger-like, waiting to spring and strike and devour. My dad told us boys, “The problem with kittens is they grow up to be cats.” My dad did not like cats. Beware when you keep little sins as little pets – they grow up. Sin craves repetition until it takes hold and becomes a habit and so becomes master.

This is why worship more than willpower beats the beast in this battle. Willpower gives us strength but worship guards our heart and transforms our desires. When I worship rightly, I shoo the beast away from my heart and put God back on his throne.

Daily Prayer

My wonderful God, may my life be the first thing I bring to You as an offering, as worship. I shall love You with all that I am, my heart and soul and mind and might. And sin I shall hate. You are going to have to help me with this. Please, do whatever it takes.

Amen