God speaks to us all of the time, and some listen for His voice more attentively than others. It is good that we should hear God’s voice, but the real question is this: what do we do once we have heard it? When God speaks to us, and we know His will for us, we stand on the dividing line between obedience and sin... which way will we turn?
The little sins in our life are the most dangerous. Do we allow ourselves to tell the small white lies, and think they are not really sin? How about the person we allow ourselves to have lustful thoughts about, but never actually get physical with? Is it alright to do that because, after all, we aren’t going to act on those fantasies? Well, it is the little things that lead us to the larger ones, and although they seem safe, they lead us to points of no return... sin.
We are so naive when it comes to sin. We think that we can easily recognize it, when in fact our greatest sins are often those we lift up to ourselves, and others, as being our most magnificent accomplishments of faith. Things like the pride we take in a healing prayer when in fact it was God’s hand that did the work, and our feeling of self righteousness was merely an attempt to steal his glory... even when we outwardly praised Him. So many sins come encrusted in the sweetness of sugar, or a shining gold plate, when in fact it is sour bread, or crude metal underneath.
Do we value truth above all else? If we do then how much of our lives are spent on obtaining it? Some of us say that we value truth in this way, but we reveal our actual selves as we pursue the real treasures we hold dear; quickly devising a lie, or holding back the truth by not speaking it, just to obtain those things. Here are two question for us to consider today: are we willing to sell everything we own to follow after, and obtain, absolute truth, and the second is, once we have found it, are we willing to lay down our lives in its defense?
How is our spirit today? Is it intertwined with the Holy Spirit as they both dwell within us? Have we accepted Jesus Christ as our savior, and by this have we come to receive the Holy Spirit of He who raised Christ from the dead? If so, then in this way we are freed form sin and death, and become the children of God, and the hope of all creation. For Just as our redemption comes to us through Jesus Christ, the further redemption of God’s creation comes through us by our acceptance of Him... in this way we secure the extended salvation of all creation.
As Christians, are we surprised to be looked down upon, slighted, and rejected by the world? Does it upset us that, because of our faith, we are not liked, or revered by those around us, even our families, and those who we once called our friends? Yet we knew this would happen when we were called by Him to come. We knew this would be our burden, and also knew it would make us acceptable in the eyes of God. We are living stones meant to construct a spiritual house... not for worldly habitation, but in service to God our Father.
When do we bless the Lord? Are we only meant to bless, and praise Him, in the righteous times, or for the holy things in our life? How about the everyday routine things that most of us don’t consider worthy, and which don’t appear to be good or bad? I assume your answer is “yes“ in all of these things? So how about the sin that we find in our lives, the evil that comes against us, suffering, torment, and all forms of tribulation? Do you still answer “yes”? Well you should.
How should our day begin each morning, and In what way should each of our prayers continue to open throughout our day? Praise is good, but It is my custom to thank God for all His many blessings that have proceeded this moment before I begin to praise Him, and finally to convey any need, or desire, I might have. How do you begin your day, and your next breath of prayer? Do you thank Him enough?
Do we confess our sins, repent, and ask God for forgiveness? Do we walk with Jesus each day and bare every transgression to Him so that He can intercede for us regarding it, and we can face it head on? Do we do all these things and neglect to talk with Him about the condition of our faith? Hiding our problems in dealing with life, our doubts, the times when we feel alone, and yes, our personal grappling with faith, does us no good, doesn’t give aid to those around us who similarly struggle, and hides nothing from God who knows our heart.
Are we meant to be content in our godliness over all that the world has to offer? When faith in Jesus has led us, and the Holy Spirit has revealed to us the character of God, do we find ourselves living at ease in our godliness? Though Satan tempts us with wealth, power, and a life founded in the world, there is no true happiness in them, and we are never content in all that we have. We flit like hummingbirds from blossom to blossom all the days of our lives. However, godliness breeds contentment, and a lasting peace, that instills in us an overwhelming joy... each of these being eternal.
As you started your day today could you feel the loving prayers of Jesus flowing over you as He offered them to strengthen your faith? Do you know that He intercedes for you all day long so that not only will you be saved from temptation, and strengthened in faith, but that you will join him in praying for others? Jesus loves us, and is our example in how to love and pray for one another.
How much time do we spend in the grey area between what is sin, and what is not? When we are in doubt as to whether something is sin or not, how do we approach that thing, or action? Well, this was a trick question because in fact there is no grey area when it comes to sin. If we doubt then we have no faith, and if we have no faith then it is sin to us.
By our faith in Jesus Christ, and His desire that we take His gospel, and the Word of God, into all of the world, we have become the glory of God. We, as the varied and amazing Church, have become an example before all of heaven of the immense diversity and creativity of our Heavenly Father. So now in this present age it is meant for us to come together in all our many colors, and various fabrics, to become the beautiful tapestry of God’s design which bears the perfect image of Jesus Christ... His Son.
Have we ever wished that someone would face harm, or been happy when calamity struck them? Does watching a powerful person fall, or a politician we dislike meet with some terrible misfortune, bring us satisfaction? This is the nature of the world today, and sorrowfully it is an indictment of many Christian hearts as well. We wish that not only harm, but great harm, would befall those who don’t agree with us, and either openly, or deep in our hearts, we don’t want them to be conformed to Christian thinking, but to face disaster. We neglect God’s desire to redeem them as we long for their demise.
Do we claim to be Christians, saying that we value The Word of God, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but keep being led astray by our past passions, and the desires of the flesh? Are we receiving manna from heaven, but continue to think, and dream, about the way our old lives smelled or tasted? We can successfully resist making a meal of the great sins we once knew, but what tempts us most is the lingering scent of them... the small tastes, and pleasures that lead us time and again to the physical doorway of those sins. We crucify the sin, but do we nail the temptation of them to the cross as well?