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| 10 Living Words The Moral Law |
Time with Jesus - Saturday, 29 June 2013
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| 1 - Do Not Worship Other gods |
Hi
all,
We
are all born with a sin nature. It has been passed down to us from Adam and Eve
in the garden. But individually we are not born sinners. A new born baby has a
sin nature; a tendency to sin. But the child is innocent. At that stage, it
doesn’t even have a conscience to direct and satisfy its thoughts and actions.
This all comes later. How much later, is difficult to predict.
What we can say
with certainty, it soon learns to bawl and squall when it is tired or hungry.
In a short space of time it learns the fine art of manipulation. “If I bawl and
squall, I get attention”. So it sets off on a course that in the end will lead
to selfishness and sin.
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| 3 - Do Not Take God's Name in Vain |
Paul
describes the process very well in Romans 7. It is partially summed us as
follows: 9 At one time I lived without
understanding the law. But when I learned the
command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, 10 and I
died. So I discovered that the law's
commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead.
Rom 7:9-10 NLT
One
of our greatest problems is, most of us “love” our sin. A good illustration is
adultery and fornication. While a couple are “in the very act”, neither of them
care that it is sin. In fact, they “love” it! Indeed, in modern society we are
told that it is a good and healthy “thing” to do. It’s a normal and natural
creaturely craving.
We are told that animals “mate” and that we are merely the
highest form of animal. So do whatever turns you on. When told that it is sin,
the usual reaction is to laugh and call you a “killjoy” and a “prude”!
Trying
to inform men and women that God is not a killjoy is not easy. On the contrary,
He wants us to enjoy life. How to explain this to others is difficult.  |
| 7 - Do Not Commit ADULTERY |
One way
is to take a careful look at the Moral law, the law of God we know as the 10
Commandments. If we do, we will find that they are not irksome. In fact they
give us ample latitude for living a good life. They are sometimes called the 10
Freedoms! Living within these parameters helps us to love God and our
neighbour.
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| 8 - Do Not Steal |
For example, if I love my neighbour, I will not want to seduce his
16 year old daughter. I will not want to steal from him or kill members of his
family. I will honour my parents. I will not revere idols and will remember to
honour God and take a day off work for devotions and spending time with my
family. None of that is difficult. The hardest bit is not to covet. We tend to
like the new things the neighbours have bought and would like them too.
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| 9 - Do Not Lie |
The
reason we don’t stick within the 10 living words is usually because of greed in
some area. The lust of the eyes; the lust of the flesh; the pride of life; one
of these is always at the root of sin. Fortunately, I find that, as Phyllida
and I grow older, coveting the neighbour’s stuff is less and less of a problem.
I may like the idea of driving the latest top of the range Mercedes. But the
associated insurance, running and maintenance cost is not really something we
need right now. Our 2005 Atos and 2009 Honda are more than enough.
Paul
expressed this to the Philippians as follows: 11 Actually, I don't have a sense of needing anything
personally. I've learned by now to be quite
content whatever my circumstances. Philip.
4:11 MSG. For us to carry on this way for a few more years is all
Phyllida and I really want to do. This way, we keep our minds away from sin.
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| The Great Commandment Love God & Love Others |
Shalom,
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – 29 June 2013
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
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©
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These devotionals are the intellectual property of
Jim Strickland and copyright protected. You are welcome to copy and distribute
them to anyone provided it is for non-commercial Christian purposes
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©
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INTRODUCTION
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DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES
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DEALING
WITH SIN
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One of the “best descriptions” I’ve heard concerning
sin, is on a tape made many years ago by a Bible teacher called Paris
Reidhead. This particular tape is sometimes called the “best Bible Teaching
tape of the 20th century”. I can’t verify the validity of this.
But I have a CD recording along with a typed transcript of that teaching.
Speaking about humanism, Paris said that it was “like a miasma that seeps up
out of the gratings over the pit of hell”. His theology may not be right, but
I must confess that it’s a very good comment on humanism and on sin.
Sin is insidious. It seems to arrive unannounced,
unwelcome and unknown. We have all heard about inherent sin. This is our sin
nature. We are born with it “written into our genes” as it were. That
beautiful little new-born baby has a tendency to sin. The child may not be
aware of it. But it won’t be necessary to teach him to lie. He can do it
without any “sin lessons”. That little baby is capable of being a monster of
iniquity. If left unchecked and without correct guidance, we have a potential
Hitler in our midst.
Sin has the way of developing in us. Perhaps the
best example of this is the guards in the Nazi Death Camps. After committing
horrendous atrocities during the day, they would go home and play with their
children; love their wives and pets and sing Christmas Carols. It was
possible because they had grown used to behaving like monsters in the camp.
There was no longer a sense of revulsion in them toward what they were doing.
It was their jobs which they performed with typical Teutonic dedication. This
is not to be understood as a criticism of the German people. The fact is all
of us can quickly descend into the depths of barbaric cruelty.
We see a similar trend in serial killers. The first
murder is carried out with fear of the consequences. The second murder is a
little easier. Eventually, murder for them is like buying an ice cream. It’s
done without regret or remorse of any kind. Sin is exactly like that. At
first we find it difficult. Then, as the transgression is repeated, it
becomes automatic and hardly noticed. God help us when we get there. We could
arrive at a place where our conscience is so seared that we don’t even
realise what we are doing is sin.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, God is not like this.
He never gets unimpressed by repeated sin. If anything He gets angrier with
each repetition. He hates sin with a passion that we can hardly understand.
All sin. He is equally angry with murder as with telling lies. But He had a
“problem”. He loves us and hates our sin. For you and me it’s a catch 22
situation. He will judge each and every sin. Nothing is swept under the
carpet. His “anger” with sin is “equal” to His love for me and you. Somehow
He had to reconcile these two all-consuming opposites. He has done this in
and through the death of Jesus on the cross. Righteousness and mercy have met
and kissed.
In the light of this, He is able to forgive us. His
justice is completely satisfied and we are able to receive His mercy. But
this does not give us a licence to continue in sin. Sin demands repentance.
No repentance, no forgiveness. It’s that simple. He is able and willing to
forgive us from all our sins. He says He will remember our sins no more.
That’s His part. Our part is to repent and turn away from sin.
Jim &
Phyllida
Strickland
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7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or
my rebellious ways. Remember me, O LORD, in keeping with your mercy
and your goodness.
Psalms 25:7 GW
22 I made your rebellious acts disappear like a thick
cloud and your sins like the morning mist. Come back to me, because I
have reclaimed you.
Isaiah
44:22 GW
25 "I am the one who wipes out your
lawless acts. I do it because of who I am. I will not remember your sins
anymore.
Isaiah 43:25 NIrV
18 "Come now, let us reason together,
says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as
snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
Isaiah 1:18 ESV
34 A man will not need to teach his neighbour anymore. And he will not
need to teach his friend anymore. He will not say, 'Know the LORD.' Everyone
will know me. From the least important of them to the most important, all of
them will know me," announces the LORD. "I
will forgive their evil ways. I will not remember their sins anymore."
Jeremiah 31:34 NIrV
19 Once again You will have compassion on us. You
will trample our sins under Your feet and throw them into the depths of the
ocean!
Micah 7:19 NLT
17 I'm sure it was for my benefit that I suffered such great pain. You love me. You kept me from going down into the pit
of death. You have put all of my sins behind your back.
Isaiah 38:17 NIrV
18 Who is a God like you? You forgive sin
and overlook the rebellion of your faithful people. You will not be angry
forever, because you would rather show mercy.
Micah 7:18 GW
5 May grace and peace come to you from Jesus Christ. What Jesus gives
witness to can always be trusted. He was the first to rise from the dead. He
rules over the kings of the earth. Give glory and
power to the One who loves us! He has set us free from our sins by pouring
out his blood for us. 6 He has made us members of his royal
family. He has made us priests who serve his God and Father. Give him glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
Revelation 1:5-6 NIrV
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I’m sure God has a problem when He
looks down on us.
He sees the creatures He has made all
making quite a fuss.
It seems we do not listen. He tells us
what to do.
But we pay no attention; at least not
me and you.
We cannot spot His meaning so rather
like a cat,
We give a look that tells Him, we are
not doing that.
Sometimes we are like canines. We spin
around and bark;
And when He tells us what to do, it
seems we do not “hark”
Why is it we don’t listen? Why is it
we ignore,
The Master’s strict instructions? To
listen is a chore!
Thank You for Your mercy. You know the
mess we’re in;
And when we do not listen, we know it
is a sin.
But we are not “sin conscious”,
instead our minds are seared.
With You we’ve grown familiar, and You
are not revered.
In fact we rather like it. We look at
sin as “fun”.
We’re playing Russian roulette with a
fully loaded gun!
Why should I even bother? There’s folk
much worse than me.
I am a special sinner the blood of
Christ set free.
But God is not a prostitute. We cannot
“use” His grace’.
We do not have a licence to sin in any
place.
We know You want to wash us, clean as
the driven snow.
But change is inconvenient. Can we not
take it slow?
And here’s the contradiction; You’re
wanting to forgive.
But find You cannot do it, because we
want to live,
Just like the unsaved sinners whom we
see all around.
We lie and steal and cheat and kill.
In us there is not found,
A tiny speck of righteousness; except
that of our own.
And we should reap the consequence of all
that we have sown.
But Lord, You are forgiving. We only
have to turn;
To put aside iniquity. That’s what we
have to learn.
And though our sin is scarlet, You’ll
wash us white as snow.
If we’ll come in repentance, forgiveness
we will know.
You overlook rebellion in someone
who’s contrite.
You’ve said you won’t remember, things
not done in Your light!
Our sins You will dispose of into the
deep blue sea.
If we will turn and come back home and
put our trust in Thee.
Our sins will then be blown away just
like the morning mist
Righteousness and mercy will both have
met and kissed. Ps 85:10
And we will gaze in wonder at the
marvel of your ways,
In total incredulity. And Father, we
will praise,
The God of our salvation in wonder and
in awe.
You are the One Who’s worthy; the God
Whom we adore.
Jim Strickland
Written 29th
June 2012
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