Tag: Sin

Posted on

If There Is No God

DECEMBER 17

MATTHEW 7:26_shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand.

Why do we make foolish decisions? Because we make them. For goodness sake, where do we come up with the idea we know what is best for ourselves? We’re sinful people born with a sinful nature. When left to ourselves we make foolish decisions.

Psalm 14:1(KJV) “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.” Someone made a foolish decision to make that statement!

If there is no God we are all doomed.

Destined to build life on sandy soil.

No hope.

No secure life built on the Rock.

No becoming salt and light in our dark world.

No hearts filled with genuine, unconditional, compassionate love.

No true wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. 

Most of all, no hope of eternal life.

The one true God gives us, Psalm 16:9 (KJV), “Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.”

Psalm 31:24 (KJV), “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.”

Psalm 38:15 (KJV), “For in thee, O Lord, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.”

There is nothing sandy about soil filled with hope!

PRAYER

God of Hope, All my hope is in You! In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.          

Christ is true and eternal—He gives me hope!

Posted on

Point of No Return

DECEMBER 3

MATTHEW 7:23_will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me…

I can think of nothing sadder than to have the ultimate source of love and compassion, Jesus, say He does not know me. The One who has loved me from my birth! And now I stand before Him at my death and my name is not recorded in His Book of Life!

I may face a lot of hardships, pain, and struggles in life, but glory to God, I will never hear those words spoken to me! And neither will any of you who completed the August 29th Salvation Post in this blog. Don’t for a minute let the devil deceive you into believing otherwise. This verse is not for you.

There comes a time when rescue is no longer an option—a point of no return. That day comes when Jesus opens the Book of Life and does not find your name. The names in the Book of Life are the names of the saved—whose hearts were opened to the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

I wish Jesus had not used the word many in this teaching—but He did. There are going to be some surprises on Judgment Day because Jesus sees through sheep’s clothing.

You don’t have to be one who is surprised.

Get your name in the Book!   

PRAYER

Messiah, Praise You that Your blood wrote my name in the Book! In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.          

Christ writes my name in the Book—With His blood!

Posted on

Not Everyone

NOVEMBER 23

MATTHEW 7:21_Not everyone…

Since Jesus begins this teaching by saying not everyone, there must be some exclusiveness. Can mercy be exclusive? If so, who decides who is excluded? Would it be Jesus? How does He decide it?

Mercy is a God-like attribute.

Mercy is a Jesus quality.

Mercy covers sins.

Mercy covers shortcomings.

Mercy covers failures.

Mercy rescues the undeserving. 

Mercy brings the lost to shelter and safety.

Mercy does this by its very nature of being merciful.

However, one of those hard realities of life we prefer to avoid, is mercy is not limitless.

That is hard truth! 

When mercy has offered itself over and again countless times and been refused, it reaches its limit.  Personally, I don’t think mercy had limits in the originality of the Garden of Eden. But free will caused it to pull in the reins, put on the brakes, and turn off the power.

That’s when a phrase like, not everyone, came into play. Mercy is for everyone, just as life without death was for Adam and Eve, but everyone has the freedom to reject it. 

PRAYER

King of Kings, Please help me never to reject Your mercy. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                                                                                       

Christ offers mercy to those who will receive it—I will receive!                                              

Posted on

Because

OCTOBER 26

MATTHEW 7:14_Because…

If you have never been to Rock City in Chattanooga, Tennessee, add it to your bucket list.  You’ll find it at the top of Lookout Mountain. The area known as Rock City is full of many unique rock formations.

There are different paths to take as you encounter fascinating natural wonders. I have taken youth groups there but have never had a group that completed the journey at the same time—even when they took the same path. Some rush through, some stop and explore.

Because Jesus’ gates lead to life paths, you have the freedom to choose the path to follow. You have the freedom to decide how to spend your time on each path. How it ends is your decision. The apostle John says in I John 2:12-13 (KJV), “I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. 13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.”    

There are a lot of becauses in these verses. Each one is directed to a different stage in life. They are each about receiving the truth because of choosing the path which leads into a relationship with Jesus.   

 PRAYER

Lord of Truth, I know the Bible is written to me because I choose the truth! In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                           

Christ caused the Bible to be written to me—I will study!

Posted on

Seek!

SEPTEMBER 30

MATTHEW 7:7_seek and ye shall find…

To seek means to look for something. It may be something you’ve lost. Or it may be a need. Or it may be a want. It may be for yourself. Or it may be for a loved one. If you have everything you need or want – you won’t be seeking. 

There is something everyone has lost – by way Adam and Eve. When sin entered the world, many things were lost, first and foremost the intimate relationship God intended people to have with Him. Seek that with all your heart. The man after God’s heart, King David, understood this: I Chronicles 16:11 (KJV), “Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually.”  There are two words in that verse which I particularly love – strength and continually.

Also lost by sin was wisdom. If you lose wisdom, you lose her two companions, understanding and knowledge. Spend your lifetime seeking these three.

The wisest man of all, King Solomon, covers this in Proverbs 2:4-6 (KJV), “If thou seekest her [wisdom] as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; 5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.”

Seek!

PRAYER

Lord of Lords, I seek Your strength and wisdom continually. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                              

Christ knows what I should seek—He will show me!!