Time with Jesus - Thursday, 31 January 2013
Hi all,
It’s a brave and foolish man who would dare to suggest
that there is nothing wrong with sin. On a number of occasions I’ve heard
people defending their actions because they can’t help it. They have to have it
– no matter what “it” is. “God knows me and He understands”, they say. But it
is not true regardless of the “it”. A drug addict or an alcoholic can be dried
out. In some cases the person is “put to sleep” while the worst of the withdrawal
symptoms are experienced. Others are “dried out” in places of care which
specialise in such practices. Some are just thrown into a “padded cell” and
left to dry out. The problem for us all is we don’t know the nature of sin. Sin
is anything that misses the mark of God’s perfection! His pass-mark is 100%
obedience from the cradle to the grave. People don’t realise that 99.99% is a
failure. What about you and me? We must realise that not stopping at a stop
street misses the mark of God’s perfection. In God’s economy, it’s as serious
as murder or adultery. It is sin. We may categorize them in degrees of
wickedness. But the final outcome is death. Adam bombed out by eating what he
was told not to eat. He didn’t kill anyone. He was out; thrown out of Eden. He
could never return. Did the punishment fit the crime? I think it did. How about
you? Today’s meditation is about sin.
Blessings,
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – Thursday, 31 January 2013
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
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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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Sin Against God
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Sin! What can
we say about it? Not much, other than the fact that we love it! The people of
the world sincerely believe that basically, we are good people who have gone
wrong. What we need is sympathy and a bit of understanding. Perhaps a visit
to a Psychiatrist or a Psychologist will straighten us up and then we will be
fine. But it isn’t true. Each and every one of us is a “monster of iniquity”
who loves their sin. We aren‘t looking for salvation because we think it’s
unnecessary. We will continue with this opinion until we learn that sin is no
laughing matter. It is a deadly cancer that destroys us all
During every revival,
people have been made aware of the enormity of their sin and the terrible
consequences thereof. For this to happen on a local, national or
international scale requires the intervention of the Holy Spirit. Without His
intervention our efforts are perfunctory at best. He is the only one who can
bring an awareness of sin to the listeners. Because of this, the likes of
Wesley, Whitefield, and Finney, to mention only three, commenced every
meeting by preaching on the topic of sin. They knew that in every revival,
the listeners had to be aware of the enormity of their rebellion against God.
As a result, they commenced every series of meetings by preaching about sin
and its consequences. They would continue with this topic until the people
came under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. The people would begin crying
out to the Lord for forgiveness. Many of them would pass out and fall down
under the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. Then there would be a call to
receive salvation.
This was no “half baked”
repentance. Under the ministry of John Wesley Redfield, the jails became
empty. The police were told that if they came across anyone lying in the
gutter they were to go and smell the persons’ breath. If there was no trace
of alcohol, they were to leave the person exactly where they were. That
person had Redfield’s disease. This meant that when they awoke, if they had
been drunkards, they would drink no more. If they were thieves, they would
steal no more. Redfield’s disease transformed the individual into a God-fearing
believer. Similar tales can be quoted about examples from the lives of other
men of God. If they walked into the gates of a factory, workers would pass
out and others would cry out to the Lord for salvation.
We no longer see these
signs of revival. Why not? I think it is because we no longer preach about
the consequences of sin. Instead we fill our pulpits with popular men who
preach ear tickling pabulum that does not touch the heart. We would rather
hear motivational messages, prosperity and irrelevant drivel. Sure it brings
in money. But does it touch the hearts and lives of sinners? What do you
think?
Jim
& Phyllida Strickland
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25 If someone sins against another person, God
can mediate for the guilty party. But if someone
sins against the LORD, who can intercede?" But Eli's sons
wouldn't listen to their father, for the LORD was already planning to put
them to death.
1 Sam 2:25 NLT
1 My dear children, I'm writing this to you so that
you will not sin. But suppose someone does sin.
Then we have one who speaks to the Father for us. He stands up for us. He is
Jesus Christ, the Blameless One. 2 He
gave his life to pay for our sins. But he not only paid for our sins. He also
paid for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 2:1-2 NIrV
25 For God presented
Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they
believe that Jesus sacrificed His life, shedding His blood. This sacrifice
shows that God was being fair when He held back and did not punish those who
sinned in times past, 26 for He
was looking ahead and including them in what He would do in this present
time. God did this to demonstrate His righteousness, for He Himself is fair
and just, and He declares sinners to be right in His sight when they believe
in Jesus.
Rom 3:25-26 NLT
24 He'll be gracious
to him. He'll say to God, "Spare him from going down into the grave. I
know a way that can set him free.'
Job 33:24 NIrV
31 What should we
say then? Since God is on our side, who can be against us? 32
God did not spare his own Son. He gave him up for us all. Then won't he also
freely give us everything else? 33 Who can bring any charge
against God's chosen ones? God makes us right
with himself. 34 Who can
sentence us to death? Christ Jesus is at the right hand of God and is also
praying for us. He died. More than that, he was raised to life.
Rom 8:31-34 NIrV
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There is an understanding that people
seldom know.
It’s all about what happens when into
sin we go.
We sin against a person. Perhaps we
steal his tie.
We think that it looks pretty,
although it makes him cry.
We’ve taken from him something and
said it is our own.
Of course that is deception and sin in
us has grown.
Perhaps it’s not important; not from
our point of view.
But we have just committed an act we
should not do.
Perhaps the value’s minimal. A Rand or
two at most.
And so we soothe our conscience, until
the Holy Ghost,
Reminds us we have stolen and that we
are a thief.
And that until we’ve put it right,
there will be no relief,
From what is deep inside us. Our
conscience has been pricked.
And even if we give it back, the
problem isn’t licked.
In fact it never can be! We’ve sinned
against the Lord.
The value’s not important. We have
released His sword,
This brings His retribution. We’ve disobeyed
His Word;
And everything we say or do, by God is
seen and heard.
So every sin committed is not just
against man.
It is a violation of Father’s Holy
plan!
But can we be forgiven? The answer’s
yes and no.
Forgiven for the action, but the
consequences grow!
I think it’s very fortunate the cost
of sin is death.
No matter what a man has done, after
that final breath
There’s nothing more for us pay. We
cannot die again.
A Christian knows for certain and the
Bible makes this plain.
We do not keep on dying for sin
repeatedly.
Perhaps that is what we deserve. But
no more will that be.
So Jesus can forgive me. The record is
wiped clean,
But only ‘cause He’s paid the price
for all that I have been!
So every sin committed is marked up on
our slate.
And we will surely die for it, upon
some future date.
But Jesus Christ our Master came and
took my place.
So there is not another death which I
will have to face.
There’s one consideration. Repentance
from our sin,
Determined that it’s over, we will not
take part in,
Another repetition of what we have
just done.
It’s over and it’s done with. From now
on, we will shun,
Anything and everything the deed in
fact implies.
Then we’ll be forgiven. But don’t use
a disguise,
And show a false repentance. Then
things will not have changed.
This will make it very clear we’re
mentally deranged.
Perhaps you’ll find it easy to make a
fool of me.
But Jesus knows about it. You can’t
fool Deity!
Jim
Strickland
Written
31st January 2012
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