Category Archives: Sin

Don’t Judge?

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Matthew 7:1-5; Luke 6:37-42

This whole “do not judge” thing is out of control these days, and entirely contrary to what Jesus actually said. He certainly wasn’t saying we shouldn’t call sin sin, or turn a blind eye to sin in ourselves or others. Scripture is pretty clear about that, if you take time to read it.

Jesus wasn’t implying that everyone is entitled to their own truth. Remember, He’s the same One who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one goes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) Jesus is THE Truth. Not just one of many truths.

If you read these chapters Jesus is telling us to confront and restore a fellow believer who is sinning. Just don’t be a hypocrite about it. Recognize and confess your own sin before trying to address someone else’s sin.

Jesus didn’t say, “Because you’ve sinned, you have no right to point out someone else’s sin.” In fact, He’s saying that BECAUSE we are sinners saved by grace, we have a responsibility to address the plank in another’s eye.

Pointing out sins according to Scripture isn’t trying to judge them. Their actions judge them. You aren’t the judge. But you are the Judge’s voice, His arms and legs, when you have the ability to be used by Him to restore a sinning brother.

Satan’s interpretation of these verses has made Christians weak and stupid. We should be less concerned about being accused of “judging” and more concerned about being accountable to the Judge. Because one day, we all will face Him. I pray that when we do, we’ll be able to look Him in the eye and say, “I did what you told me.”

No, Thank You.

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Ezra 4

When people came and offered to help build the temple in Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity, Zerubbabel told them: no, thank you. Even though they claimed to seek God, and would have lightened the load on the Jews (many hands make light work), the people offering their help were not true believers. In fact, Scripture calls them enemies.

Zerubbabel told them they had no part in the building of the temple, and sent them away.

I wish the Church was as protective of the work of the Lord. today It seems we are quick to welcome anyone who knows the password: “I’m a Christian.” But we aren’t necessarily hearing what their lives are telling us.

We welcome the enemy by singing Bethel songs, listening to the likes of Joyce Meier, Andy Stanley, and Joel Osteen. We welcome the enemy when we focus our worship on the band, or focus on the raising of hands and clapping along with the drums. The enemy comes saying the Gospel needs to be relevant to a changing society, that homosexuals can be pastors, that humans are basically good. The list goes on.

We’ve welcomed the enemy, and think we’re building the Church. Zerubbabel knew that you can’t build anything pleasing to God working shoulder-to-shoulder with the enemy.

When are we going to realize the same?

When the Question is, “Why?”

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Ezekiel 25-29

When God told the prophet about the impending doom for the nations, He not only told them what would happen, who would conquer them, and exactly the sin He was punishing them for, God was very clear about why they were being punished:

“Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.”

Often when people go through hardships one of the first things they ask is, “Why?” “Why me?” “Why now?” “Why this?” The answer is the same as it was in Ezekiel’s day:

Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.

Oh, you may be experiencing discipline over a sin you’ve yet to repent of. Or you might be suffering because of a choice you have made; maybe a choice someone else has made. But in it all, God wants you to see Him.

God longs for you to come to Him. He died so you can be saved. Your suffering doesn’t go unnoticed by an absent God. He is there in the midst of it, revealing Himself, drawing you to His saving grace.

So the next time you are tempted to ask, “Why?” open your Bible. See God. Hear Him say exactly what you need to hear through the words He inspired to be written to you. Then submit to God with all your heart. Your situation might not change. But you will discover that all things will work for your good if you love Him, and are answering His call.

Weird

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Ezekiel 3-4; Jeremiah 27-28

The label “weird” is being thrown out a lot lately in the political arena. No one likes to be thought of as weird. It’s a term that is intended to make you think something is wrong with you. That you don’t fit it. That you should be ashamed.

When I read about the Old Testament prophets, I have to think many were considered “weird” by the people around them. I mean, making a model of the city, putting a frying pan up as a barrier, then lying beside it on your side for a year and a half is weird. Going around with a yoke around your neck is weird. Reading God’s Word aloud in a public setting, then tying a rock to it and throwing it into the water is weird.

Elijah, Elisha, all the way up to the last Old Testament prophet, John the Baptist were all kind of weird. But their weirdness was obedience to God to point people to the truth. God revealed Himself in dramatic fashion through the obedience of these precious weird-os.

So what do people see when they look at you? Do they see someone who looks and acts just like a non-believer? Do they see someone who fits in, plays it safe, doesn’t stand out as a child of God?

Or are you weird because you are obedient to your Lord? It might seem weird to shine your light in a world that is more comfortable in the dark. But isn’t that what we’re supposed to do?

The world’s definition of “weird” IS WEIRD!

I hope you are weird.

But They’re Mean

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Jeremiah 18:18-23

Some people find in hard to be charitable toward people who mistreat them. When someone does us wrong, we like to believe “they’ll get what’s coming to them.” Jeremiah prayed that God would take care of the people he considered his enemies. He even prayed that God would never forgive them, never blot out their sin. In other words, “Send them to hell, Lord, because they’re mean to me.”

Jeremiah’s prayer is recorded in Scripture. God-breathed. So is this a prayer God wants to hear from us?

Hardly.

I believe this prayer is in the Bible as an example of how we ought to pray about our enemy, Satan; how we ought to pray about sin in our own hearts. I don’t think I’m wrong to spiritualize Jeremiah’s prayer in light of what Jesus taught us about our attitude toward people and our attitude toward sin.

We are to love and pray FOR our human enemies. Yet we are to hate and shun evil. We are to do good for those who mistreat us, and destroy the evil inside us.

So I will pray that God will annihilate the evil in me, never to raise its ugly head again. And I will pray that God will save the people entrapped by evil, even if they are mean to me.

God Refuses to Forgive

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2 Kings 24:4

Jehoiakim was an evil King of Judah. He was so bad that when Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon invaded Jerusalem and slaughtered and imprisoned Jews, Jehoiakim defected and joined the enemy camp.

Now, to his credit, he did change his mind and ended up rebelling against King Nebuchadnezzar. But it was too little, too late. He had shed so much innocent blood, nothing he did – not a change of mind or making better choices – could erase his guilt.

I have to say this verse didn’t sit well with me this morning. It says God refused to forgive him. That didn’t sound like the God I know. While I sat here asking God to make this verse make sense a thought came to mind. “Do you see repentance anywhere here?”

Oh, Jehoiakim changed his mind. He changed his actions. But it doesn’t say he changed his heart. Big difference.

I think there are a lot of people who pray a prayer, start making better choices, give to the poor, volunteer at the hospital, and start going to church who think they are saved. However, without repentance, without a humble change of heart, there is no salvation.

Listen to what Scripture says about that:

Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out. (Acts 3:19)

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promises as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 4:17)

Google what the Bible says about repentance. There are a lot more verses than these that show the necessity of true repentance for salvation.

So here is what I believe God would have us consider today: there are people God refuses to forgive.

You can’t go to God and say, “My bad,” then continue in sin and expect to be forgiven. You can’t change your mind and suddenly be a philanthropist or a member of the church choir and expect God to forgive your sins. He’s very clear.

No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. (Luke 13:13)

People will see the result of your repentance in your changed lifestyle, attitude, actions. But unless you repent, turn from, submit to God from your heart, your changed lifestyle, attitude, and actions aren’t enough to erase your sins.

Repent. Otherwise God will refuse to forgive.

And I promise you, if and when you do repent, they throw a party in heaven rejoicing over your decision. You are forgiven! Your life will never be the same!

Not Forever

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2 Kings 18; Isaiah 38; 2 Chronicles 32

People who don’t understand God can feel pretty superior. They see non-Christians succeed in business, beat the odds, live happy lives. So they say, “Those people are fine without God and His restrictions and demands. Those people have risen above their weak need for a crutch and look at them. They have it all, and I can do the same.”

People who don’t understand God can be pretty smug. They see evil people prosper, do unspeakable things to other people, and flaunt their depravity without fear of consequences. So they say, “If God put evil in this world, if He turns a blind eye to the evil, I don’t want anything to do with Him. He’s not a god that meets my standards.”

The Assyrian commander didn’t understand God. He felt pretty superior as he bragged about the nations he’d conquered. He smugly suggested the gods of those nations were no match for Assyria’s power, and believed Israel’s God would be the next to fall.

But the Assyrian commander wouldn’t misunderstand God forever. God, as He always does, will reveal Himself as the Only God, all-powerful, all-knowing, ever present, sovereign God of the universe.

You may feel superior, smugly denying God, putting yourself in the place that belongs to God. You may believe you’re just fine the way you are. But hear me when I say,

you won’t misunderstand God forever..

Grace

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2 Chronicles 30:19

When Hezekiah was king the dam broke. The people had been worshiping worthless idols, living in disobedience. I imagine they probably felt good about themselves thinking they were just fine doing what they were doing. But they weren’t fine. People living apart from God are never truly fine.

Like it or not. Deny it or not. There is a void placed by God in every human heart that can only be fulfilled by God Himself.

When the people heard the Truth and recognized their sinfulness, they couldn’t get to God fast enough. The dam that had separated them from God broke and the flood of repentance poured out. Hundreds of people hurried to the temple to offer sacrifices for their sin. In fact, so many came that the priests had trouble keeping up with the flow.

Then Hezekiah prayed:

May the Lord who is good, pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God… even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.

You see, these people didn’t take time to clean themselves up. They went directly to the blood of the sacrifice. The rules of the sanctuary as had been explained by Moses weren’t abolished. But by the grace of God they were fulfilled on behalf of those who came seeking God for forgiveness.

And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people. (verse 20)

Paul tells us:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

What we see here in 2 Chronicles and what is affirmed throughout the New Testament is that you don’t need to stop sinning, do X amount of good things, quit smoking or swearing BEFORE you go to God. Hezekiah calls it setting our hearts in seeking God. Paul calls it faith.

If you, dear one, would just run to the blood of Jesus instead of trying to make yourself feel worthy, if you would just place your faith in Jesus, the dam will break. The separation between you and God will be washed away and you will receive the beautiful, complete gift of salvation.

Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved. (Acts 16:31)

The grace of God saved the Jews whose hearts were set on seeking Him. That same grace of God can save you, too.

The Power is the Miracle

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2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, Hosea

Israel was like a prostitute. Time after time, king after king she sold herself to (often) the lowest bidder as we see in their history recored in the books of Kings and Chronicles.

She would go back to God when things got really bad. But the temptation to sin was too great. Israel was addicted to sin

God asked Hosea to live a real-time object lesson to prove the point of Israel’s unfaithfulness. It must have been a tough life for the prophet to live.

I am reminded of a Christian recovering alcoholic by the name of Trisha Fenimore who posts on social media. I follow her on FaceBook. She was being criticized for describing herself as a recovering alcoholic. Well-meaning people tell her that by virtue of the work of the Holy Spirit she is healed, no longer an alcoholic. They wanted to encourage her to let go of the past because she has been saved, sins washed away. Which is true.

But Ms. Fenimore explained that the real miracle isn’t that God cured her alcoholism, but rather that He gives her the power to live sober as an alcoholic. She will always be an alcoholic (sinner) but God has provided what she needs – the power over the temptation to drink (sin) one day at a time. (I have paraphrased what she said).

Israel, and Gomer, and Trisha, and I, and you, have the power to resist temptation that comes to us every day. That is the miracle of a loving God for His children who live in a sinful world.

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (1 Corinthians 10:13, emphasis mine)

Doesn’t mean you won’t be tempted. Doesn’t mean God won’t let you sin. You will be tempted just like everyone else. But as His child, He will give you what you need so that you can choose to stand up under the pressure of sin.

Israel and Gomer didn’t choose to receive what God provided. They chose sin.

I pray that Trisha, and I, and you will choose to accept what God provides: the will and the strength to say no to alcohol, or pornography, or lying, or hatred, laziness, self… whatever tempts us to sin. I pray that instead, we will embrace God’s provision to live holy lives today. We can visit tomorrow’s temptations tomorrow.

Let’s choose God today and experience the miracle of the power to resist temptation in the midst of the temptation to sin, to have the provision of holiness in an unholy world.

It’s A Famine

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I King 17:1-6

We live in a dry and barren land, don’t we? So many people are trying so hard to be “somebody,” they debase themselves for clicks and likes. If you can stomach it, scroll through Instagram. You’ll see many, many people sitting in their cars with their phones propped up on the dash, staring into the camera and moaning, wailing, emoting about some perceived injustice they’ve just experienced. You might hear others proclaiming their “truth” as though anyone actually values their opinions. Or, if you’re lucky, you might even find someone purring and licking their hands like a kitten.

I’m not saying there isn’t some good content in social media. But I am saying you don’t have to look very hard to find the under-belly, the pathetic attention seekers whose lives have no meaning apart from what they hope will be their ticket to fame and fortune.

“Maybe my next video will go viral.”

These lost souls and those who contribute to their delusion with clicks and likes are starving to death. They feed on the ridiculous, the immoral, the delusional.

Garbage in. Garbage out. There are millions of people who are spiritually and emotionally starving themselves while living in the richest country in the world.

When God sent a famine to punish Israel, one man was not effected. Elijah, a man of God, allowed God to feed him. Morning and night, Elijah ate all that God provided.

Can you say the same? Do you, morning and night, devour God’s Word? Do you communicate with God through quiet prayer and allow Him to feed your soul?

I’m not talking about podcasts, books, and blogs (yes, this one included) that comment about the Bible. I’m talking about YOU opening YOUR Bible and reading for YOURSELF what God has written to YOU. If you allowed your best friend to eat three meals a day for you while you fed on sand, you would die. If you allow your pastor or teacher read the Bible for you… same.

A spiritual, emotional, and moral famine is spreading throughout our society. You can choose to feed on the food of fools, or you can feast on the bounty that is God. One choice leads to death. The other to life.

I think you know which choice I’m praying you’ll make.