Sin and Its Insulting Nature

"Be not deceived, God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap. We as Christians have heard many important sermons, lectures, discussions, arguments and excuses about the nature of sin. We argue over whether our obedience should spring forth from a sense of gratitude or out of a compulsion to fulfill the letter of the law. What we often times do not take into account is the offensive nature of our sin. We are very good at discussing the wages of sin, the outcome of sin, the pitfalls of sin and the coming judgment of sin, but maybe we should look at how sin impacts the one who cannot coexist with unrighteousness, God. Why do you think the verse makes it clear that God is not mocked. What relevance does this have to our sin? Would we really be so brazen as to willingly enter into sin, and then make a mockery of God by sowing seeds of immorality, drunkeness, deceit, selfishness, discord and rebellion and expecting to reap a reward for these deeds? Do we expect that God is some Heavenly schoolmaster who is emotionally detached from those he leads? Are we not to establish, maintain and build a realtionship with God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit? If you had a friendship where someone broke into your house and defiled all that you held dear and then laughed in your face by acting as if nothing ever happened, what would you think of that relationship? How then do you think our Heavenly Father feels when we willfully disregard his laws, and in our human ignorance add insult to injury by acting as if no relationship breach has occurred. We continue on our way, living out our lives in the ignorant in between. Avoid this in between. So, no matter what your reason for obedience to God is, be certain that your continued disobedience has the possibility of wrapping your prayers and pleas to God in an envelope of mockery. If you want to reap a relationship with God, understand that your continued sin hurts you, those around you, and even your future generations, but most importantly it mocks the gift of life that God has graciously given to you.

There is Nothing Special About Me.

The Bible is full of warnings about Satan and his destructive ways. He is even called a roaring lion on the prowl for a tasty Christian-sized snack. I don't know about you, but I somehow have managed to discount this threat because it seems that a lion would attack in such a frontal, in your face assault that you could not help but know it is there. This may seem stupid when applied to one who seeks to destroy, but no one ever said humans were never stupid. What seems less threatening to me and to many other Christians is the more subtle, subversive method that Satan has mastered throughout the ages. I liken it to placing a lobster in a boiling pot vs. placing a lobster in a pot of cold water and heating it. The lobster dies either way, but a whole lot less warning bells go off when that death is gradual. One way that the Father of Lies has done this in my life is to make me feel that I am special. He has mastered the art of making us feel as if our trials are only our own and that no one else in the world has ever felt that way. Why else would on take their own life unless this myopic view of their own misery was primary in their thought process. For many years I felt that no one could understand my trouble and that this was a valid excuse for my isolation. It turns out that the lion had me anyway, he was just toying with me awhile. Never is the devil more successful than when he has us in isolation. It is no coincidence that Jesus was not tempted while he was feeding the 5000, or on the Sea of Galilee with his disciples. He was alone in the desert when temptation came. I am so blessed that today I have come through to the other side, and although there are still daily thoughts that I am unique in my trials and temptations, I know for a fact that there is nothing special about me, and I am happy to rest in that fact.

I Corinthian 10:13The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.















The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. I Corinthians 10:13

Are You Palatable?

As I waded into the turqouise-blue water of the Pacific Ocean, I found myself in a quandary. As I approached the pounding surf, I had to decided if I would commit fully to fighting through the crashing waves. I could remain where I was, knee deep in water and play it safe, or I could shed my reservations and dive headfirst through the oncoming waves in order to reach the relative safety of the calm waters beyond the break line. I chose neither of these options and instead found myself in the break zone where a crashing wave reminded me that my indecision had serious consequences. As I brushed the sand off of me and gathered up the loose ends of my pride,I was struck with a spiritual comparison. In" Revelation 3:16, we read of a brutal indictment of those who are in the "lukewarm" zone spiritually. Those who are not hot or cold will be vomited out of the mouth of God. Those are not my words, they are Biblical words. In fact, I think that these may be some of the strongest visual words used to describe the results of wishy-washy Christianity. If you find yourself in the breakwater where sin and apathy swirl around you, know that you are not where God wants you. You risk being spit up on shore like Jonah from the whale. You risk being cast away from the face of God. Take the spiritual, lunge. Break the bonds of sin and your longing for the dry ground where you came from. Do not wallow in the spiritual lukewarm, but press on, leaving fear behind. Immerse yourself in the regenerative power of the Holy Spirit, and be assured that you are a treasure that He holds dear, not something that he wishes to spew out of His mouth.

you