by Charity Pence
I love the song "Slow Fade" performed by Casting Crowns. Each time I listen to this song, I am reminded of how quickly, and sometimes unintentionally, we can slip into sin. Reflect for a moment on the following lyrics:
It's a slow fade
When you give yourself away
It's a slow fade
When black and white are turned to gray
And thoughts invade, choices are made
A price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
The journey from your mind to your hands
Is shorter than you're thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just may be sinking
The path to sin may sometimes be like a fork in the road. There are two clear directions we may go, and we make a conscious choice. However, more often sin is like a road that gradually takes us further and further from our Heavenly Father. We start on the path with what we believe to be a minor sin. But the longer we travel that road, the more comfortable we become with that sin. And then the sin grows into something bigger. Before we realize what happened, we've travelled so far from where we began, we cannot see where we started.
It's like a thought, or a fantasy. We toy with an idea we know is wrong, but we let it play in our minds until we're comfortable. And as the lyrics say, "the journey from your mind to your hands is shorter than you're thinking." Thoughts become actions.
It's like a lie, or an omission of the truth. We get used to leaving out certain details until we suddenly find ourselves telling flat out lies. Yet it isn't sudden. It's a process we've allowed to take place.
The slow fade can take place with any sin. A glimpse at an indecent photo can lead to an addiction to pornography. "Playing around" with a particular substance such as alcohol or drugs can lead us to require more and more of the substance to be satisfied. And as our lives begin to crumble, we wonder how we came so far.
Proverbs 5:21-23 offers the following warning: "For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all his paths. His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, and he is caught in the cords of his sin. He shall die for lack of instruction, and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray."
We need to realize how serious the slow fade of sin can be. However, we are not without hope. We are not lacking in instruction. We are not destined to go astray. Our Heavenly Father who loves us and knows us better than we know ourselves has given us His Word; that is where we find instruction. And in God, we find strength to resist temptation. "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you. Because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength." Psalm 26:3, 4.
Dear Heavenly Father, how easily and quickly we allow ourselves to stray when we do not keep our hearts and minds on You. Please forgive us the sins we've allowed ourselves to grow comfortable with. Help us to see what we are doing. Convict us when sin, regardless of how trivial we may think it is, tempts us. Give us strength to prevent ourselves from straying further away from you. We need you, Lord. I need You. Thank You for never forsaking us. Help us to reflect on this message and to understand the consequences we may face if we do not turn away from the path we've chosen. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Part 2 will be posted next week. What to expect:
~How a close relationship of God protects us
~How to guard ourselves from the evil of Sin
~How to use God's word as daily instruction
~The importance of repentance
~God's great, never ending love for us
Showing posts with label sin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sin. Show all posts
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
The Devastation of Sin
by Charity Pence
This Week's Verse: Psalm 1:6 "For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish." (NKJ)
What comes to mind when you think of sin? I've been reading through the book of Psalms, and there is a particular passage that stands out to me. "There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your anger, nor any health in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds are foul and festering because of my foolishness." Psalm 38:3-5. My wounds are foul and festering. When I picture that, I see a terrible, painful sore oozing with pus. It's a nasty image, isn't it? But that is exactly what sin does to us.
The consequences of freely partaking in sin can be devastating. Sin weakens our body and makes us physically ill. David, the writer of the 38th Psalm, understood this very well. The physical toll is not the worst consequence, though. Sin wedges itself between us and God, causing a separation between us and our Heavenly Father. Isaiah 6:3 tells us God is holy, holy, holy. And in 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 we are reminded, "For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore, he who rejects this does not reject man but God, who also has given us His holy spirit." So in choosing sin, we forsake God. For how can we stand in His presence, He who is most holy, when we are full of sin?
We can find comfort in Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Whew. We can breathe easier now, right? Perhaps. But only if we've truly repented and made Christ our Lord. The question is this: if we are freely partaking in sin, are we truly repenting? Or are we foolish enough to think sinning is okay because we can repent for it later and be forgiven? Now don't get me wrong. The Bible assures us of God's grace and forgiveness. But that means we have to continually check ourselves and be sure we are truly striving to resist sin. This is where prayer comes in. The truth is, we can't do this on our own. We have a sinful nature. However, God fills us with His strength when we pray which allows us to resist the temptations we are faced with daily. Prayer is our strongest tool. We should use it more often.
Dear Heavenly Father, You know what sins we struggle with daily. You know the burden sin places on us. You call us to a life without sin because you know the damage it causes. Therefore, be with us, O Lord. Please fill us with your strength so we can resist the traps set for us by the devil. We are your children, and we wish to draw near to You. We love You, Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Application: When you find yourself tempted this week, call out to God. He will always show us the correct path as long as we seek it.
Power Verses:
Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Titus 2:11, 12 "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age."
This Week's Verse: Psalm 1:6 "For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish." (NKJ)
What comes to mind when you think of sin? I've been reading through the book of Psalms, and there is a particular passage that stands out to me. "There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your anger, nor any health in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds are foul and festering because of my foolishness." Psalm 38:3-5. My wounds are foul and festering. When I picture that, I see a terrible, painful sore oozing with pus. It's a nasty image, isn't it? But that is exactly what sin does to us.
The consequences of freely partaking in sin can be devastating. Sin weakens our body and makes us physically ill. David, the writer of the 38th Psalm, understood this very well. The physical toll is not the worst consequence, though. Sin wedges itself between us and God, causing a separation between us and our Heavenly Father. Isaiah 6:3 tells us God is holy, holy, holy. And in 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 we are reminded, "For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore, he who rejects this does not reject man but God, who also has given us His holy spirit." So in choosing sin, we forsake God. For how can we stand in His presence, He who is most holy, when we are full of sin?
We can find comfort in Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Whew. We can breathe easier now, right? Perhaps. But only if we've truly repented and made Christ our Lord. The question is this: if we are freely partaking in sin, are we truly repenting? Or are we foolish enough to think sinning is okay because we can repent for it later and be forgiven? Now don't get me wrong. The Bible assures us of God's grace and forgiveness. But that means we have to continually check ourselves and be sure we are truly striving to resist sin. This is where prayer comes in. The truth is, we can't do this on our own. We have a sinful nature. However, God fills us with His strength when we pray which allows us to resist the temptations we are faced with daily. Prayer is our strongest tool. We should use it more often.
Dear Heavenly Father, You know what sins we struggle with daily. You know the burden sin places on us. You call us to a life without sin because you know the damage it causes. Therefore, be with us, O Lord. Please fill us with your strength so we can resist the traps set for us by the devil. We are your children, and we wish to draw near to You. We love You, Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Application: When you find yourself tempted this week, call out to God. He will always show us the correct path as long as we seek it.
Power Verses:
Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Titus 2:11, 12 "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age."
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Sin's Destruction
by Charity Pence
Proverbs 5:21-23 states, "For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all his paths. His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, and he is caught in the cords of his sin. He shall die for lack of instruction, and in the greatness of his folly, he shall go astray." (NKJ)
This passage has long been a favorite of mine, though I'd had to read it a few times before it really took hold. The meaning is clear. Sin leads us away from God. God loves us unconditionally; His love never fails. But that doesn't mean He is pleased when we allow sin to control our lives. When I've allowed sin to hinder my walk with God, I imagine God shaking His head and asking with a heavy heart, "What are you doing?"
We know better, don't we? Yet we partake in sin anyway. We tell a little fib. Take part in gossip. Pass judgment on another. Doesn't that make you just cringe? It's so easy for us to get it wrong, which is why instruction is so important. And where does our instruction come from? The Bible. As Christians, we should make reading the Bible a priority. Reading God's word helps us to draw near to our Lord. And the closer we become to our Heavenly Father, the less enticed we are by sin's destructive ways. We may still stumble, but when we repent God will be right there to pick us up.
Dear Heavenly Father, I am far from perfect; I am a sinner. Thank You, Lord, for Your never ending grace. Thank You for remaining by my side even when I choose the wrong path. Please forgive me for the sins I've committed, and help me draw near to You so that I can follow You and not the world. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Proverbs 5:21-23 states, "For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all his paths. His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, and he is caught in the cords of his sin. He shall die for lack of instruction, and in the greatness of his folly, he shall go astray." (NKJ)
This passage has long been a favorite of mine, though I'd had to read it a few times before it really took hold. The meaning is clear. Sin leads us away from God. God loves us unconditionally; His love never fails. But that doesn't mean He is pleased when we allow sin to control our lives. When I've allowed sin to hinder my walk with God, I imagine God shaking His head and asking with a heavy heart, "What are you doing?"
We know better, don't we? Yet we partake in sin anyway. We tell a little fib. Take part in gossip. Pass judgment on another. Doesn't that make you just cringe? It's so easy for us to get it wrong, which is why instruction is so important. And where does our instruction come from? The Bible. As Christians, we should make reading the Bible a priority. Reading God's word helps us to draw near to our Lord. And the closer we become to our Heavenly Father, the less enticed we are by sin's destructive ways. We may still stumble, but when we repent God will be right there to pick us up.
Dear Heavenly Father, I am far from perfect; I am a sinner. Thank You, Lord, for Your never ending grace. Thank You for remaining by my side even when I choose the wrong path. Please forgive me for the sins I've committed, and help me draw near to You so that I can follow You and not the world. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Capture That Thought
by Kathy Lay
This Week's Verse: 2 Corinthians 10:5, "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."(NIV)
Devotion:
I had an evil thought recently. I'm ashamed to admit this, but I did. In a moment of extreme frustration with someone who often raises the hackles of those nearby, I found myself envisioning a certain someone whizzing down the interstate in a car and out of nowhere, along comes this huge, monstrous semi truck and...well, I'll spare you the gory details!
I was jolted back into reality by the horror of what I'd just imagined! Would I really want this person dead?! Heavens, no. But for just a brief little moment I found escape from a situation in this warped fantasy.
And fantasies are harmless, right? Not so. James 1:15 explains how our thoughts or desires lead to sin, which eventually lead to death. Wow.
So what's the remedy? How do we gain control over our thought life?
The answer is in this week's verse. We take those impure thoughts captive under the authority of Christ.
The first time I was directed to do that very thing I had trouble with the method. Take a thought captive? I smirked. And how exactly do I that? Hog tie it and lock it up? (Uh-huh. You see now why I desperately need help harnessing my nasty little attitude.)
But that's actually not so very far from the truth. Matthew 18:18 says, "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."(NIV)
Sooo..let me wrap my mind around that. If I do hog-tie and lock up a bad thought under the authority of the Name of Jesus Christ, then I'll have all the power of heaven joining me in capturing it? And if it's bound, how much easier is it to conquer?
That's just powerful enough to work! Even for me!
Let's not stop there, though. We need to flood our mind with good thoughts, Christ-like thoughts, to crowd out room for any more bad ones to pop up. Phillipians 4:8 prompts us to fix our "thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise"(NLT).
Is a blood-spattered highway lovely? Uhh...no. I need to replace that thought with a thought that Christ himself might have. I can't really picture the victim in my fantasy "Dancing With My Father God" in fields of grace or daisies, but I can picture me praying more for this person. I can begin to see this person through the eyes of the Creator. And I can turn my thoughts to the truth and praise God that He's opened my heart to it.
The least I can do is get my lasso ready to go!
This Week's Verse: 2 Corinthians 10:5, "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."(NIV)
Devotion:
I had an evil thought recently. I'm ashamed to admit this, but I did. In a moment of extreme frustration with someone who often raises the hackles of those nearby, I found myself envisioning a certain someone whizzing down the interstate in a car and out of nowhere, along comes this huge, monstrous semi truck and...well, I'll spare you the gory details!
I was jolted back into reality by the horror of what I'd just imagined! Would I really want this person dead?! Heavens, no. But for just a brief little moment I found escape from a situation in this warped fantasy.
And fantasies are harmless, right? Not so. James 1:15 explains how our thoughts or desires lead to sin, which eventually lead to death. Wow.
So what's the remedy? How do we gain control over our thought life?
The answer is in this week's verse. We take those impure thoughts captive under the authority of Christ.
The first time I was directed to do that very thing I had trouble with the method. Take a thought captive? I smirked. And how exactly do I that? Hog tie it and lock it up? (Uh-huh. You see now why I desperately need help harnessing my nasty little attitude.)
But that's actually not so very far from the truth. Matthew 18:18 says, "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."(NIV)
Sooo..let me wrap my mind around that. If I do hog-tie and lock up a bad thought under the authority of the Name of Jesus Christ, then I'll have all the power of heaven joining me in capturing it? And if it's bound, how much easier is it to conquer?
That's just powerful enough to work! Even for me!
Let's not stop there, though. We need to flood our mind with good thoughts, Christ-like thoughts, to crowd out room for any more bad ones to pop up. Phillipians 4:8 prompts us to fix our "thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise"(NLT).
Is a blood-spattered highway lovely? Uhh...no. I need to replace that thought with a thought that Christ himself might have. I can't really picture the victim in my fantasy "Dancing With My Father God" in fields of grace or daisies, but I can picture me praying more for this person. I can begin to see this person through the eyes of the Creator. And I can turn my thoughts to the truth and praise God that He's opened my heart to it.
The least I can do is get my lasso ready to go!
Jesus, you know how hard it is for us to keep our thought-lives pure. Thank you for your promise to help us take thoughts captive under your authority and for binding them up with all the power in heaven. We ask that you also loose from heaven the types of thoughts that are pleasing and glorifying to you so that we can loose your will here on earth.
Application: Impure thoughts can range from heinous crimes to little snide comments you've thought but not said out loud. What are three thoughts you've had lately that you'd be ashamed of if people knew? Get out that rope and take them captive right now in Jesus' Name. Replace them with thoughts that are praiseworthy.
Power Verses:
2 Cor. 10:5-6, "We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity."(MSG)
Titus 1:15, 16, "Everything is clean to the clean-minded; nothing is clean to dirty-minded unbelievers. They leave their dirty fingerprints on every thought and act. They say they know God, but their actions speak louder than their words." (MSG)
Friday, February 27, 2009
Caution: Slow Fade
by Kathy Lay
This Week's Verse: James 1:15, "Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." (NIV)
Devotion:
There are times when I wish that my highway of life was marked by God with big, bold road signs that provided clear direction. Stop! There's nothing good down that road. No Exit; if you enter here, you'll never get out. Merge; this is a movement I'm orchestrating and you need to be a part of it. Go! My Power will be fueling you and there's nothing to fear! Yield, someone else needs to go before you, Kath.
If God did use big, bright roadsigns (and He does sometimes, I think), I wonder how many times a day I would see a caution sign. Caution: this seems harmless but it could lead you little by little, further and further away from Me and all that I have for you.
And if I did see caution signs, I wonder how many times I would disregard them. As I cruise up to the intersection of a choice (which way do I turn?), would I heed the caution sign and intentionally choose the best road? Or would I think, "Hey, caution noted, but I can handle this. It's nothing, really."
It's at that crossroads where a slow fade might begin if the caution sign is ignored.
Casting Crowns' song "Slow Fade" has been getting a lot of air play lately and it was also on the soundtrack for the movie Fireproof. The video (below) focuses on unfaithfulness to a spouse, but when I think of myself as a part of the bride of Christ, it's easy to see parallels with my own unfaithfulness to my Bridegroom.
"Be careful little eyes what you see." But I really love seeing who bombed and who shined on the red carpet and I can't help it if most of the celebrities aren't dressing with modesty in mind.
"Be careful little lips what you say." But I was FURIOUS when I let that little curse word slip out and I didn't even realize I was doing it. And when I snap or speak harshly to my family it's because I'm so tired. And that dishonorable piece of gossip? It was a prayer request, really.
See how a slow fade begins with one teeny-tiny choice? Caution signs should be popping up everywhere. I mean, when we think about our aspirations, how many of us say, "I want to be an impatient, grumpy mom and really perfect the art of nagging my husband." Or "Man, sign me up to be liar--that's where it's at!"
None of us, of course. But that slow fade--those little tiny moment-by-moment choices--can send us speeding in a wrong direction before we know it. Heed the caution signs; avoid the traps. With God's help, we can even approach the bright red stop sign smiling because we know His Power will help us bring that slow fade to a screeching halt if we ask Him.
Father, help us to not only recognize the caution signs you place in our lives, but to obey them. Thank You for the various ways You direct us and for Your leading of the Holy Spirit that leads us into all truth. Increase our discernment and soften our hearts to obey so that we won't slow fade into so much less than You want us to be.
Application: Watch the "Slow Fade" video by Casting Crowns. Although it focuses on unfaithfulness in a marriage, identify areas of your life where "a price will be paid when you give yourself away..." Repent, giving those areas up to God and asking His mighty power in your life to stay faithful to Him in every little choice. Ask for help recognizing and heeding the caution signs He shows you.
Power Verses:
Romans 6:16, "Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living." (NLT)
Romans 8:6, "So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace."(NLT)
This Week's Verse: James 1:15, "Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." (NIV)
Devotion:
There are times when I wish that my highway of life was marked by God with big, bold road signs that provided clear direction. Stop! There's nothing good down that road. No Exit; if you enter here, you'll never get out. Merge; this is a movement I'm orchestrating and you need to be a part of it. Go! My Power will be fueling you and there's nothing to fear! Yield, someone else needs to go before you, Kath.
If God did use big, bright roadsigns (and He does sometimes, I think), I wonder how many times a day I would see a caution sign. Caution: this seems harmless but it could lead you little by little, further and further away from Me and all that I have for you.
And if I did see caution signs, I wonder how many times I would disregard them. As I cruise up to the intersection of a choice (which way do I turn?), would I heed the caution sign and intentionally choose the best road? Or would I think, "Hey, caution noted, but I can handle this. It's nothing, really."
It's at that crossroads where a slow fade might begin if the caution sign is ignored.
Casting Crowns' song "Slow Fade" has been getting a lot of air play lately and it was also on the soundtrack for the movie Fireproof. The video (below) focuses on unfaithfulness to a spouse, but when I think of myself as a part of the bride of Christ, it's easy to see parallels with my own unfaithfulness to my Bridegroom.
"Be careful little eyes what you see." But I really love seeing who bombed and who shined on the red carpet and I can't help it if most of the celebrities aren't dressing with modesty in mind.
"Be careful little lips what you say." But I was FURIOUS when I let that little curse word slip out and I didn't even realize I was doing it. And when I snap or speak harshly to my family it's because I'm so tired. And that dishonorable piece of gossip? It was a prayer request, really.
See how a slow fade begins with one teeny-tiny choice? Caution signs should be popping up everywhere. I mean, when we think about our aspirations, how many of us say, "I want to be an impatient, grumpy mom and really perfect the art of nagging my husband." Or "Man, sign me up to be liar--that's where it's at!"
None of us, of course. But that slow fade--those little tiny moment-by-moment choices--can send us speeding in a wrong direction before we know it. Heed the caution signs; avoid the traps. With God's help, we can even approach the bright red stop sign smiling because we know His Power will help us bring that slow fade to a screeching halt if we ask Him.
Father, help us to not only recognize the caution signs you place in our lives, but to obey them. Thank You for the various ways You direct us and for Your leading of the Holy Spirit that leads us into all truth. Increase our discernment and soften our hearts to obey so that we won't slow fade into so much less than You want us to be.
Application: Watch the "Slow Fade" video by Casting Crowns. Although it focuses on unfaithfulness in a marriage, identify areas of your life where "a price will be paid when you give yourself away..." Repent, giving those areas up to God and asking His mighty power in your life to stay faithful to Him in every little choice. Ask for help recognizing and heeding the caution signs He shows you.
Power Verses:
Romans 6:16, "Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living." (NLT)
Romans 8:6, "So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace."(NLT)
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