Notice: Something went wrong yesterday and the devotional was sent out twice. I apologize. Hopefully that won’t happen again. If it does, please let me know so I can get it fixed. Thank you.
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The Deceitfulness of Sin
But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:13.
“The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Sin, however small it may be esteemed, can be persisted in only at the cost of eternal life. . . .
Adam and Eve persuaded themselves that in so small a matter as eating of the forbidden fruit there could not result such terrible consequences as God had declared. But this small matter was sin, the transgression of God’s immutable and holy law, and it opened the floodgates of death and untold woe upon our world. Age after age there has gone up from our earth a continual cry of mourning, and the whole creation groaneth and travaileth together in pain as a consequence of man’s disobedience. Heaven itself has felt the effects of his rebellion against God. Calvary stands as a memorial of the amazing sacrifice required as a propitiation for the transgression of the divine law. Let us not esteem sin as a trivial thing. Are not the hands and feet and side of the Son of the infinite God to bear an eternal testimony before the universe of its untold malignity and curse?
O that a right impression might be made upon the minds of young and old in regard to the exceeding sinfulness of sin! . . .
God is not deceived by appearances of piety. He makes no mistake in His estimation of character. Men may be deceived by those who are corrupt in heart, but God pierces all disguises and reads the inner life. The moral worth of every soul is weighed in the balance of the heavenly sanctuary. Shall not these solemn thoughts have an influence upon us, that we may cease to do evil and learn to do well? There is nothing gained by a life of sin but hopeless despair. . . .
Let faith lay hold on the promises of God. Jesus is mighty to save His people from their sins. Light from Heaven has illumined our pathway. Sin has been revealed to us by the Word and the Spirit of truth, that we may not be found transgressors of the divine precepts, and there is no opportunity to plead the excuse of ignorance. The command is “Depart from iniquity” (2 Timothy 2:19).
That I May Know Him p. 255
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Prayer Requests
—–Please pray for my grandniece Nirvana (age 5) who is having surgery today. Pray for her mother as well. Rose
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Dear Friends,
When Eileen was in 4th grade, she was friends with a boy in her class at school and at church who enjoyed doing things to irritate people. This made leading out in Primary class very difficult for me. Paul had the ability of repeating loudly everything a person said a split second after they did. He thought it was great fun, but I didn’t. It made it very hard for me to talk or even to think.
His mother taught in that class. I expected that she would keep her son from practicing his “talent” while I was speaking, but she let him continue with his mimicking ways. Each week I dreaded going to church because I knew that Paul would be there delighting in getting me flustered and confused.
One day, I talked with Martha and suggested that she cure her son of this bad habit. I asked her how she could sit there beside her son and not stop him from disrupting the class. She said that she was so used to it, that she no longer noticed. She thought that I was being unreasonable. Reluctantly, she began telling Paul to stop every time he began his repeating “talent”.
How many times, we are like Martha. We get so used to sin, that sin no longer appears sinful. We are so comfortable with it that we no longer notice it even when it is “sitting beside us.” “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,” yet, we must never allow ourselves to become comfortable with it. Rom 3:23 Paul advises, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” 6:12,13 James adds, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren.” James 1:13-16
How vital to our present and future happiness it is that we “be sober, be vigilant; because [our] adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 Paul tells us that “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Eph 6:12-17
May sin become exceedingly distasteful to us. May we “put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” and gain the victory over sin through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. vs. 11 May we, in whatsoever we do, in whatsoever we say, in whatsoever we think “do all to the glory of God.” 1 Cor 10:31
Rose