Tag: deceiving yourselfs

Sin is crouching at the door

“Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin”

Genesis 4:7  If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

Ecclesiastes 8:12-13    Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him.  But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God.

Isaiah 3:10-11     Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds  Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him.

Romans 2:7-10     to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;  but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.  There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek,  but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek.

Romans 12:1     I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Desire, want, pride, coveting, self-seeking all have root in our very nature.  We are born with this and it is never far from coming to the surface.  Even when we seek to do good there can be wrong motives.

How do we become aware and expose these.  It is hard when the culture we live in lives by different rules and expectations.  Pornography is labeled adult entertainment, abortion is legalized and a right, and christian values are mocked.  Though these are easily recognized as wrong by many with a background of bible teaching, they are not even close to being seen wrong by the culture that has no background of the bible.

Scripture speaks of both sin and righteousness.  The difference though should be clear as night and day, are not when God is not placed number one in our heart mind and soul.  When humbly serving, honoring, following and obeying God is not a desire everyday we are easily influenced by what seems right in our own eyes.

We can not rightly fight sin in our lives without a basis of knowledge and understanding of what it is.  Our thoughts, intents, and actions are all places where sin takes root.  How can we grow in this understanding of sin? Only by an understanding of God’s Holiness, grace, mercy, patience, justice, anger, wrath, and steadfast love.

As we read God’s word it exposes more and more of His holiness to us.  It peels away layer upon layer of false truths, fake lives, and self centered lukewarm living.

Do not neglect His word.  Do not become complacent in living each moment for His service and direction.  Godly and holy knowledge and understanding do not just happen without effort.  Effort does not exist when there is no desire.  Where there is no desire the heart, soul and mind starve of the very essence of life.  Choose to live this and everyday with His word in your heart, mind, and soul, to grow in your understanding and knowledge of serving and obeying Him.

How sad is the state of the culture when God’s word is at each person’s finger tips 24/7 and it is neglected days on end.

2017 “Year of His Word”

“How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.”

Psalms 19:7  The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

Romans 12:2   Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

James 1:21-25 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.  But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.  For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.  But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

Colossians 3:16  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

2 Timothy 3:15-17  and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Isaiah 3:10-11  Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.  Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him.

2 John 1:8  Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds. Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him.

Revelation 14:13   And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

All of these verses tell us the importance of God’s word, it dwelling in us, and following what it speaks to our heart.   Do you ever wonder why it isn’t permeating every aspect of our thoughts and actions? There is a direct correlation to time spent in His word and it having an effect in our lives.  How can we encourage others with words of hope, peace, joy, rest and His perfect love if His word is not written on our heart?  We are told to train up ourselves in the way we should go, but what is used for this training needs to be deeper than a sermon once per week or things partially remembered from years gone by.  Do not let 2017 be a year of neglect in His word.  Commit to discipline yourself to reading it each day asking God to use it to speak to your heart and use you for His purpose.