Key verse
1 Thessalonians 4:7 - For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.
2 Chronicles
2 Chronicles 7:13-14 - “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if
my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray
and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from
heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
God's love manifests itself in different forms. If we repent and obey, he is kind and compassionate and slow to anger. But if we have heard his commands and yet disobey, He will not hesitate to punish us. Not that we have to fear fire from God every time we do something wrong, but we can't rest on our laurels thinking that God has promised only to do good to us, even if we do bad. Look at King Solomon. God told him, right after verses 13 and 14, that yes, if they repented, he would save them. But, if Solomon did not respect God's law and instead followed pagan gods, God would certainly send Israel into exile and destroy the temple Solomon had just built for Him.
Our good deeds will never save us. Only the blood of Jesus, come with the new covenant, can cover our sin and intercede for us when we go off the trail.
Showing posts with label sin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sin. Show all posts
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
God works in us
Key verse
Luke 5:32 - [Jesus said,] "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Philippians
Phil 2:13 - "... for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."
Sort of stemming from yesterday's post on considering others better than ourselves, which is a hard thing to do, this verse brings some good news. We aren't in it by ourselves! Not that we can sit back and enjoy the ride, as we do have to bring 100% effort to the relationship, but what we lack, God brings. So when we set our minds to following his purposes, He'll jump in and help us out! That's awesome.
Luke 5:32 - [Jesus said,] "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Philippians
Phil 2:13 - "... for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."
Sort of stemming from yesterday's post on considering others better than ourselves, which is a hard thing to do, this verse brings some good news. We aren't in it by ourselves! Not that we can sit back and enjoy the ride, as we do have to bring 100% effort to the relationship, but what we lack, God brings. So when we set our minds to following his purposes, He'll jump in and help us out! That's awesome.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
A life of integrity
Key verses
Romans 7:21-25 - So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Matthew
I'd like to continue from yesterday's theme of Jesus's return. Matthew 24:42 says that we do not know the day or the hour that Jesus will return. Do we live in disregard of his message, then, and simply carry on as we please, hoping to get at least some notice of when we should clean up our act? By no means! Living a life of integrity is the better way, like the "faithful and wise servant" mentioned in verse 45. First, we won't be caught off guard when the end does coming (whether through the second coming or through our own physical death), and secondly, having consistently followed God for the rest of our lives, we will be far better prepared for heaven than we would be otherwise. Certainly, heaven will be something beyond our imagination, but by seeking after God here, somehow I think we'll be in a better position to continue being with him there.
Romans 7:21-25 - So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Matthew
I'd like to continue from yesterday's theme of Jesus's return. Matthew 24:42 says that we do not know the day or the hour that Jesus will return. Do we live in disregard of his message, then, and simply carry on as we please, hoping to get at least some notice of when we should clean up our act? By no means! Living a life of integrity is the better way, like the "faithful and wise servant" mentioned in verse 45. First, we won't be caught off guard when the end does coming (whether through the second coming or through our own physical death), and secondly, having consistently followed God for the rest of our lives, we will be far better prepared for heaven than we would be otherwise. Certainly, heaven will be something beyond our imagination, but by seeking after God here, somehow I think we'll be in a better position to continue being with him there.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
The bronze snake
Key verse
Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Numbers
The story about the bronze snake in Numbers 21 almost seems a bit idolatrous. At least, the snake could lead to idolatry, in that the Israelites would look at the snake alone for healing, rather than having the bronze snake be a symbol of God's healing touch. In fact, years later, Hezekiah ended up destroying this bronze snake that Israel had kept all along, because it had become a god to them, and they were burning incense to it (see 2 Kings 18).
When God provides an avenue for us to worship him or call on him, or a tool to use in developing our relationship with him, we need to avoid idolizing that tool as a god, and instead remember that it is only a means to God.
Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Numbers
The story about the bronze snake in Numbers 21 almost seems a bit idolatrous. At least, the snake could lead to idolatry, in that the Israelites would look at the snake alone for healing, rather than having the bronze snake be a symbol of God's healing touch. In fact, years later, Hezekiah ended up destroying this bronze snake that Israel had kept all along, because it had become a god to them, and they were burning incense to it (see 2 Kings 18).
When God provides an avenue for us to worship him or call on him, or a tool to use in developing our relationship with him, we need to avoid idolizing that tool as a god, and instead remember that it is only a means to God.
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