Tag Archives: sin

Feb 21 – Be Careful Little Mouth What You Say

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Leviticus 24&25

“If anyone curse his God, then he will bear his sin.” (24:15)

That is what God said concerning a man who, when fighting with another man, blasphemed God and cursed. As a result of his blaspheming, the man was stoned to death. You just don’t curse God, even in a fit of anger.

Now a days we don’t automatically kill a person who damns someone while using God’s Holy Name. But that doesn’t mean what comes out of our mouths is any less serious this side of the cross.

Scripture tells us there is only one unforgivable sin: blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. And the Bible teaches that those who do will have to pay for their own sins.

The atheist blasphemes The Holy Spirit as long as he tries to deny God’s existence. The sinner blasphemes God as long as she ignores Him. Even ones who call themselves Christians can blaspheme God by not obeying or believing Scripture. And I believe if anyone dies in the state of blasphemy, they will face God on their own.

And, from what I read here in Leviticus, how we use the Holy Name of God is serious business. What we do with that Name is life and death.

A children’s chorus from my youth comes to mind:

Oh, Be careful little mouth what you say.

Be careful little mouth what you say.

For the Father up above is looking down in love.

So be careful little mouth what you say.

God is reminding me today that He is to be taken seriously. He is Holy. His Name is Holy. And I need to wear His Name, and use His Name with respect and honor.

Holy God, I pray for those reading this blog who have yet to bow before you and repent of sin. I pray that they will quit blaspheming the Holy Spirit, and accept your gift of grace. I also pray for your children, Father. May we honor you with our lives, including our mouths. And may people be drawn to you because of the way we represent You.

Feb 18 – Acceptance

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Leviticus 16-18

God demands certain things concerning sexual relationships. He goes into great detail here in chapter 18 so no one can “accidentally” sleep with someone they shouldn’t. Read the list. It is a sin to have sex with a blood relative: a parent, a child, a half-sibling, a  niece, nephew, aunt, step-parent, grandchild. Having sex with a blood relative can send you to jail yet today.

God is also specific about the sin of having sex with an animal. I would think we can all agree that these sexual acts are sin, an abomination.

So how can anyone read 18:22 and not think the same thing? Homosexuality is a sin according to Scripture.

Someone recently told me the world would be a better place if everyone was more like Jesus, loving and accepting of everyone. But did Jesus accept everyone? What about the Sadducees and Pharisees? What about the rich young man who walked away from Jesus? What about Judas who betrayed Him?

I agree with my friend. The world would be a better place if people were more like Jesus. Jesus loved everyone so much He died for them. If He just accepted everyone He wouldn’t have had to go to the cross.

Jesus loved people enough to point out sin in their lives and demanded they repent. Jesus never turned a blind eye to sin that would lead a person to hell. He never glossed over sin or justified it. Jesus called the woman at the well out, then told her to quit sinning.

If I want to be like Jesus, I must love the homosexual enough to identify homosexuality as a sin. The truth is God does love everyone, and accepts anyone who confesses sin and asks His forgiveness. He is faithful and just to forgive every sin. But asking forgiveness comes before acceptance.

I know this is not a politically correct viewpoint. But I am not accountable to you. I love you in Jesus’ name. And sin is sin.

Feb 17 – Blood and Water

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Leviticus 14-15

Don’t you love reading the Bible when something jumps out as though you were reading it for the first time? That’s what happened to me this morning. Today’s chapters include the required sacrifices for making a person healed of leprosy clean before God. Once again God’s instructions are very detailed. It includes lambs and birds and oil and wood and red string…

One of the sacrifices described includes the death of one bird, its blood sprinkled on a live bird. Then the live bird is set free to fly over the open field.

Dear one, isn’t that what happened to you when you accepted the fact that Jesus’ blood was applied to your account? Wasn’t your soul set free to soar just like that bird we read about today? Jesus blood was shed, that blood covered your sins, and you were set free. My heart is soaring just thinking about it.

Oh, there’s more!

As I was reading about how the priests were to go about cleansing a leprous house, another beautiful picture came to mind. Look at 14:51-53. The house was cleansed by running water and the blood!

My mind went immediately to the cross where Jesus died for me. What happened when the soldier pierced Jesus’ side? Out pour water and blood! That was not just some physiological phenomenon. That was God saying Jesus’ death on that cross was no accident. Jesus’ death absolutely fulfills every tiny little detail required to make me clean.

When the water and the blood poured out of Jesus’ side, that was God saying, “I love you, Connie, and I’ve got this covered.”

Dearest Savior, My heart is full this morning as I recognize how connected the Old Testament is to the Gospel. Thank you for showing us in such detail what is required for the forgiveness of sin. Thank you for the men and women who followed your instructions, who sacrificed the lambs, who washed the birds, who put the blood on toes and fingers, who baked the bread. I can’t even list a fraction of what Old Testament forgiveness requires right now. Yet I see quite clearly that what Jesus did for me on the cross was planned and executed perfectly to fulfill every little detail. You didn’t miss a thing. And you did that for me. Thank You for covering me with Your blood. My spirit soars. I worship You.

Feb 16 – Unclean! Unclean!

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Leviticus 11-13

I wonder what it was like for a person who had to live outside the camp because he was unclean. God was very specific in his instructions concerning leprosy. The priest had to inspect the infected person, and if any spot no matter how small was identified as leprosy, that person had to live by himself, away from family and friends.

Unclean! Unclean!

Could the leper hear the laughter of the people inside the camp? Could he smell the aroma of dinner cooking over a campfire? Was there dancing and singing inside while he was forced to remain alone and  separated from all the activity? I bet those seven days seemed like an eternity. It would for me.

In a way, I think hell will be like that. Alone, separated, outside the gates of heaven, an eternity to realize their own uncleanness. Will they hear the praises and singing of those who were made clean by the blood of Jesus? And will those happy sounds magnify the shame of  being forced to sit in their disease of sin?

The Old Testament leper could console himself with the hope that after the seven days of exile, a priest could pronounce him clean again, and he could return to the camp. There will be no such hope for those in hell.

Jesus, our High Priest, will have the final say. He will declare clean those of us who have accepted His grace, the forgiveness He bought with His death on Calvary. And He will pronounce “Unclean” everyone who has rejected Him, even those who tried to enter heaven by some other means than the blood of the Savior.

There are two eternities. One is inside the camp where God is. The other is an eternity outside, in darkness and solitude, an eternity of living in uncleanness and regretting every decision that sent them there.

I’m praying for you.

Feb 14 – For Love

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Leviticus 5-7

It’s Valentines Day. You hear the word “love” thrown around a lot today. Got me to thinking about what love is all about.

Ravi Zacharias said, “Love is as much a question of the will as it is of the emotion.” Do you remember the popular book from years ago, “Love Is A Choice”? And I’ll always remember a former pastor saying, “Love is something you do.”

So as I’m reading about all the sacrifices and how detailed were God’s instructions, a lightbulb went off. God gave these instructions for love.

Here’s God, separated from the people He created and who He loves with the strongest emotion possible. Here’s God wanting to fellowship with his children but cannot because of sin in their lives. Here’s God, bridging the gap so that sinners could be forgiven, and fellowship restored.

What I read today isn’t a list of arbitrary hoops for people to jump through. This was God, reaching out and saying, “Here’s how you can come to Me. Please come to Me!”

God wants them to ask Him for forgiveness. He’s anxious to do that. God wants them to shed blood on an altar so He can. God is rooting for them, cheering them on, calling to them, and gladly forgiving them when they ask.

These chapters I read today is about love. I think I’ve always read them as though they were about rules. But the message here is definitely love.

God is love. God demonstrated His love for us by sending His Son, Jesus, to bridge that gap created by sin, once and for all. And it’s the same God as the One who gave Moses these directions in these chapters in Leviticus. He’s still anxious to forgive us when we come to Him, He’s still rooting for us, calling to us.

So today, if love is something you do, I would challenge you to love God by doing what He’s asked us to do. Accept Jesus as Savior, repent of sin, live for the One who loved you and gave Himself for you.

Sure, love is an emotion. But that emotion is meaningless and empty if it doesn’t include choice, and action, and obedience.

Thank You, Lord, for demonstrating Your love for Your children by providing a way for them to be forgiven for sin. Thank you for loving those Old Testament people enough to want to fellowship with them. And thank You for Jesus, who is our perfect sacrifice here in the 21st Century. Thank You for love. Thank You for You.

Feb 9 – You Can Fool Some Of The People Some Of The Time

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Exodus 30-32

Really Aaron? “This is the god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt”? (32:4) A statue you yourself made from gold, and you want to pass it off as a god? Did you really think your brother Moses was going to believe that you threw some gold earrings into a fire and out popped this idol all by itself? Do you think anyone in his right mind would believe such a story? Are you saying you believe it? Seriously?

Ok, friend. How many times have you (have I) rationalized our own bad behavior? Ever say, “He made me do it”? Ever try to convince someone that God’s ok with you not going to church because you’re working extra hours to get that promotion? Ever try to talk someone into agreeing with you that getting drunk on the weekends doesn’t mean you have a drinking problem? Ever look at Playboy for the great articles?

What was God’s response to Aaron and the sin committed by the children of Israel? Don’t kid yourself into thinking He’s any less angry with us when we disobey.

I can read these verses in Exodus and shake my head at Aaron’s audacity. Then I look in the mirror and realize I look an awfully lot like Aaron.

Maybe in some parallel universe we might get someone to believe a gold calf emerged from a fire on its own. Maybe you might convince someone that the sin you are committing isn’t really a sin after all.

But you will never fool God.

Dear Father, I hate it when I recognize myself in some of the Bible’s accounts. I know there have been times when I rationalize sin in my life, and I am sorry. You have a right to be angry with me. But I don’t want You to be. God, may I identify sin in my life, call it what it is, and repent of it. Stop me when I try to convince myself or someone else that any sin is ok. I lay down all my defenses. Guilty. And forgiven. Thank You. In Jesus’ Name.

Feb 5 – An Eye For An Eye

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Exodus 19-21

In the chapters we read today, and will read in the days to come, God is spelling out his demands for holy living. There is absolutely a right and a wrong and it’s right here in front of us in black and white. Those who think “right” is an arbitrary set of rules decided by individuals to suit their own needs is wrong, wrong, wrong.

I’ve often heard, “an eye for an eye” and it’s first said here in Exodus. It is included in the verses that talk about how to handle it when a pregnant woman gets injured when two men are fighting. But the principal applies to life. Jesus even talked about it.

But when Jesus talked about it in Matthew 5, he turned things around a bit. He says if someone slaps you, don’t slap back. Turn the other cheek. He’s using these passages in Exodus to make a point. Sin isn’t just sin when acted out. Sin is a heart condition.

For years, when I was a Middle School Guidance Counselor and did “guidance” activities with sixth graders, I showed the movie “The Buttercream Gang.” There’s a line in there that came to mind this morning as I thought about what God would say to me in His word. Here’s the line:

An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind, Pete.

Seriously, getting even never makes things even. Tailgating the driver who cut you off doesn’t even the score, except to make you both look ridiculous. Hurting someone who hurts you only makes both of you guilty.

I’ve found that I am happier, life is better, if I let God be judge and jury. He’s much better than I. And in the end, he’s gonna judge me, too.

Holy God, I pray that as we read your rules for living we will bow to You in complete obedience. I thank you that I live this side of the cross, where I know following rules cannot buy my salvation. And I want to remember that Jesus took these rules one step further, that my heart’s condition is so important. But You gave these rules to us to make our lives richer, our relationship with you purer. I want to be obedient, repentant when I sin, and love you with my whole self. Make me holy through Jesus’ blood. Thank you for wanting to.

 

Jan 25 – Oops, I Forgot

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Genesis 38-40

How could the cupbearer “forget” about Joseph, when Joseph interpreted his dream to the letter? I doubt that kind of thing happened every day. Wouldn’t someone be inclined to remember a miracle?

But isn’t it kind of the same thing for me to accept the miracle of my salvation from Jesus, then put it on a shelf and go about my merry old way? Is it the same when I forget what it cost Him to pay for the lie I tell, or the gossip I spread, the hate I harbor, or when I neglect time in God’s Word?

I want to live my life with the ever-present knowledge that Jesus went to the cross, that He forgave my sins, and that His grace has set me free from sin’s control.

Lord, help me to remember.

Jan 23 – Good Old Boys

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Genesis 32-34

I went on a Gospel Music cruise last week. (That’s why I’m playing catch-up with my posts today) We had a great time listening to great music and seeing a little bit of the world I’ve never seen before. Our hearts were blessed by the groups who sang throughout the week.

One group, the Dixie Melody Boys (I think) sang a song entitled “Good Old Boys”. Good old boys don’t get to heaven because they are good old boys. Living according to what someone thinks is right isn’t enough.

Simeon and Levi got revenge on Hamar and the whole city because Shechem had raped their sister. He needed to be punished according to what the brothers believed, so they gave what they thought was their right to give – death to every man, looting, stealing, kidnapping.

But their dad, Jacob, was not happy when he heard what his sons had done. Jacob didn’t shake his head and say, boys will be boys. He told his sons they had made a bad situation worse by their actions.

We humans tend to adopt our own standards of right and wrong. There are some people who refuse Jesus, yet are really nice folk. And some believe that should be enough to get them into heaven.

A verse ran through my head as I thought about this passage today. It tells us that there is a way that seems right by human standards, but in the end it leads to destruction.

The Bible is clear that there is only one way to the Father, one way to heaven. That is through the blood of Jesus. Only. It is by grace we are saved. Not of works so that no one can brag they’ve earned it on their own.

No, good old boys need Jesus just as much as the bad ones. All have sinned.

Yep. Even the good old boys.

Jan 18 -For Ten Righteous

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Genesis 19-21

The Old Testament draws vivid pictures, examples of God’s power, love, holiness, and more. Here in the chapters we read today we can see exactly what God’s attitude is toward sin. It’s the account of Sodom and Gomorrah.

The cities were completely destroyed. Every sinful person young and old faced God’s fiery judgement.

But they didn’t have to. God had promised Abraham if He could find just ten people who obeyed Him, the entire population would be spared. Ten.

This should be a wake-up call for us Christians. What if God said the same about our families? Our churches? Our nation? Would He be able to count you as one of the righteous?

May it be so in me. In you.