Love Covers Sin

I’m sure none of us like to think of ourselves as sinners or not so bad anyway, and others will be truthful and say how bad they are and not care. Most people fall somewhere in the middle, I would guess. There are the not so bad. Really bad who had a complete turnaround. Some who worry about their past even as a believer, and the would nots. People who would not rest in Him. Or just not believe, or not receive, who would not believe they were sinners.

We see sin covered by offering in the Old Testament, I don’t see how people kept up with all that or made sacrifices. I hate the fact Jesus even had to die for me, but what if He had not?  I would hate to think about that. I’m a person who has always had respect for God and the blessings He pours on us, If sacrifices covered sin, just think of Jesus covering them once and for all who would believe.

I used to worry about that, I was concerned I was the one doing something wrong or I would see more prayers answered, but they were often answered and I just didn’t see the results. He answered prayers for people but they did not always receive it, and sometimes, there was just a better time, like now. I could have blogged before, but had no idea I could do it, I was too busy waiting, which you have to, but you can also be a doer in the mean time.

Just think, He had covered my sin on the cross, long before I was born. I was so close to dying as was my mother, that He just took hold of us back then and never let go. By eleven, I wasn’t much of a sinner but I was saved, and have been a Jesus girl ever since. Now, I keep that repentant heart and ask right away, and then forget it. The devil is not badgering me any longer.

Let’s take a look at our verse.

Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends. Proverbs 17:9

Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover over a multitude of sins. James 5:20

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8

We see from James what the ” multitude ” of sins actually is, a lifetime of them. The lie one day, the office flirtation, ” borrowing ” something that isn’t yours, and the just not doing what you know is right, that is a sin. While some people are huge sinners and others are not, when you are born again, truly receiving Christ as Lord, you are free from sin, you don’t have to do it and should not want to, you should be aware of it and repent, get back on track.

We all fall short of His glory, Romans 3:23 says but the very next verse is about grace. John 1:16 says He gives grace upon grace and the Message, gift after gift. that is why we should never just use grace a cover to sin, you are not fooling God and could be making it worse as pretender instead of being passionate about His love and loving deeply, from the heart. One translation says severely.

Most of us probably don’t think about how much He loves us. We should read Psalm 139 more often. He forgave David, and Paul, many others, try to see yourself as He sees you, in His love, through the precious blood of Jesus and maybe you will see how He loves, He will cover a lifetime of sin, that doesn’t mean you don’t have to repent if you do something wrong, you just don’t have to dwell on it. His love covers a multitude of sin so we can love deeply as He does.

This does not mean we should stay in abusive situations or not report suspicious activity, or just jump to conclusions, either, trust the Spirit.

Sara Dabaghian / Unslpash

Free From Sin

In case you missed it, we studied freedom all the month of July and this was one  topic, and it is worth repeating, so here are some verses and then we will discuss how Jesus makes us free from sin.

If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:32

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36

Yet God, in His grace, freely makes us right in His sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins. Romans 3:24

For one who has died ( by being saved ) has been set free from sin. Romans 6:7

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2

For the Lord is Spirit, but where the Spirit is there liberty. 2 Corinthians 3:17.

This really should be self explanatory, what a wonderful gift we have been given to be free from sin, we should not even be aware of it except to repent and move on, remaining in His love, that how we remain free from the law of sin and death, we have died with Him being born again and that is what we should be conscious of, His redemption, forgiveness and not condemnation.

Invite the Holy Spirit to fill you daily, and breathe the love of Christ into you lungs, enjoy the fragrance of His love, and sing His praises. The more you receive His love and peace the more rest you have and I believe even more joy.

There is healing in His presence, and power in His name, faith may work by believing the impossible but even more so, it works by love. His love, ours doesn’t always measure up, but His never fails, and where the Spirit is there is liberty and freedom in Him as He completes our lives, and makes us free from sin. We should be aware of how He suffered for us, and how it hurt Him not to be able to get us to listen to the Spirit, we want to let the Son set us free indeed, and we are free from sin.

Chuotanlis / Pixabay

Tempted To Sin?

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and He, Himself, tempts no one, But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. James 1:13,14

This is powerful isn’t it? What a loving Lord to  forgive and allow us to grow in grace and recognize temptation. Eve gave in to temptation, Adam’s sin was willful. Why marriage is a covenant to couples in Christ, and two are better. Man protects the woman. God protects both.

So God is not tempting you, He will test you at times letting you grow in grace. Jesus taught us to pray in the Lord’s Prayer, to pray, ” Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. ” Indeed He would love our earth to be heaven on it. Realizing sin and knowing how to resist it, can bring that about.

Jesus was led by the Spirit right after His baptism into the wilderness to be tempted, and was there forty days. He was asked to turn stones to bread because He was hungry, to jump off a roof, that angels would catch Him, and to bow down to worship the devil, and he would give Him the kingdom.

Jesus answered with the Word of God, just what we should do. I have been told that people can survive that long without food, I don’t think so, the longest I ever heard of was twenty three and the girl was lost in the Grand Canyon, had her dog not left and come with help she would have died. So don’t try that kind of fast. Partial fasts are good.

Jesus said that he was not to tempt God. Matthew 4:7, and some may think that the devil didn’t have any kingdom to give Him, but he did have Adam’s authority, but he is a liar and would not have given it anyway. Notice that Jesus knows how to answer. He is not giving in, even to the quote of angels, and the devil leaves out the word, beloved,  in reference to the Son. Why remind Jesus of who He is?

I believe this happened all at once in the Spirit at the end of the fast but I could be wrong. The devil goes after you at your weakest point. I have been tempted to give in lots of times, from back pain, from being hurt by cruel words, I was writing about suicide, which is something I never thought I would even dream of doing, but I was hearing about so many people taking their lives even a minister. let me tell you, it is a temptation, you don’t have to give in. The more you think about, talk about it, the enemy will get you to act on it. Please get help. 1 800 LETS TALK.

James says in the verse that we are led away by our desires and that we conceive it, act on it, and it will grow and lead to death. But Jesus death on the cross, paid the price for sin and redeemed us from sin and death, sin has lost it’s hold on us if we yield to the Holy Spirit and resist the devil, he will flee, he may come and go in seasons and cycles and try to repeat his offers, even go after certain days that have meaning to you or holidays, he can even blind the minds of believers with unbelief, if they don’t recognize his tactics, we are not to be ignorant of his devices and let him out smart us.

So, there you have it. God is not the one tempting you. He will not allow you more that you are able to bear, He makes an escape, it is there pray about and you will find it, don’t bow to the enemy, rather to Jesus.

DeeDee86 / Pixabay

Retaining Sin

As we continue our series on sin I had this in mind and also the fulness of sin which I believe will lead to His return, I cannot explain or possibly know all God does but He did things at certain times or moedim, appointed times, and He waited until just the right time to send Jesus to be crucified and He only has to give the word for His return.

He does not just allow sin, He gave everyone a free will, and while His grace abounds meaning it is right there to save sinners, not giving them permission to keep sinning, it is like He will say enough is enough, sin has passed its limit to receive grace, then He will return, not just my thinking, the Word bears it out, God has a plan and though it doesn’t change, He makes allowances and draws His people back, but still He has His times set.

As for retaining sin, it is time to forgive. And really, we can only do that through Him, our natural or human hearts have a tendency to remember. The enemy and other people will bring it up. Whatever the offence. We are not giving permission to people to go ahead and keep hurting us, not saying that it is okay. Not, at all.

We are just letting it go and letting God handle it, I read today that a wise man was asked what anger was, and he said punishing ourselves for someone else’s wrongs, That is a good definition, We walk around wounded, punishing ourselves for what others have done to us, do they think about it? Probably not and might not even remember it or deny it ever happened. It is they who should carry it and repent, we should not. Believe me, there are some heavy loads to bear if you take them on.

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:14,15

Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” Luke 17:3,4

Jesus has risen from the dead and breathes on the disciples…..

If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld. John 20:23

Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs. Paul – 2 Corinthians 2:10,11

There are many verses about forgiveness and I suggest studying them and asking the Lord’s help if you have a problem with that, He will sustain you and unburden you as you forgive. Don’t keep punishing yourself by refusing to forgive, it is just retaining their sin and yours.

pixabay

Sin Conscious

What are you conscious of? If you are like me you might feel like you are walking around unconscious at times, so in need of His rest, but we are  all conscious of something. Some people are weight conscious, some are money conscious, still others are only conscious of the moment, and some the past. Others worry about the future.

The mind is a funny thing at times and we have to renew it as believers in Christ. We can get off into wrong thinking, believing enemy lies and not be what God wants us to be. And He wants us to be God  conscious, aware of Him and His presence in our daily lives and walk with Him.

Another thing some people can be is sin conscious, I was one of those. When I thought a prayer wasn’t answered, I was sure I was doing something wrong. In fact, none of it was true I was trying to earn what was already a gift. Grace and salvation are a gift as is His peace. Being self conscious about looks and sin conscious over forgiven sin or being afraid that sin is hindering prayer, will keep you off kilter. it is best to keep a repentant heart and let the Spirit lead you, than to be too sin conscious or disregard it altogether.

Now, sin can hinder prayer but that wasn’t my case, at least most of the time, I let the accuser have too much to say, the one verse I am thinking of  is about husbands loving wives in Galatians 5, that their prayers not be hindered. How many husbands are loving their wives and giving themselves like Christ? Personally, I think if more did that there would be a lot less stress on women. But I know loving like Christ is not always easy, is it? It is a choice and the right choice and He will allow His Spirit to flood yours.

And there are relationships, friends with benefits, people are not even married, and they certainly don’t see how God patterned it for men and women, and He the threefold cord, Father, Son and Spirit, He is merciful and offers every attempt and understanding His love, not twisting to fit any definition of God. It does not mean you hate others, just that we realize God’s ways are better and He gives everyone a free will.

Forgiveness can be hard to extend to others, especially those who have harmed you. I am not saying to stay in abuse, but realize that we are not only conscious of our sins but those of others, the devil will remind you, but you must know you have forgive that and not carry the burden of someone else’s shame. Forgiveness is rewarding yourself with freedom from someone else’s sins.

I grew up in the late 1960’s and 70’s, yes, friends go go boots and bell bottoms, The little church I first attended thought everything was a sin. Make up, pants, shorts, some talked about television and music. They were focused on the outward, but God focuses on the heart. He sure focused on mine.

Today many people are the same, grace is thought to be cheap, and it wasn’t, Jesus died for it. So never think as a believer you are unworthy, or just an old forgiven sinner, maybe you were but Jesus saving you making you worthy. His love is deep, but God will not tolerate abusing it.

Don’t keep going around worrying about something that was forgiven. I know people who have done that, many thinking their sin caused something to be wrong with them or their child. sin should not keep you in bondage. If you are forgiven, you are forgiven, even of something like abortion, that may not be the reason you are still childless.

Maybe, something you did during pregnancy drinking or drugs caused something, even if it did He will forgive you and can bring  healing. While sin has consequences, God has mercy. We are not widows or orphans with Him on the throne. He can heal and forgive all at once. And people in the Bible were asking what sin caused a man’s blindness, his or his parents, the answer, neither.

God does allow some trials, there will be things that happen to us all, but He uses what is going on anyway, to grow our faith. He is not ” sicking ” the enemy on us or punishing us with a rare disease because of some forgiven sin,

We never want to not be aware of a sin, but confess it and move on. We don’t want our focus to be on the things of the world, but on Jesus, not just our clothes and  looks, sure we should look nice as women of faith, modest daughters of the King, even in shorts. We never want to be self absorbed but awash in the Spirit.

We want to be conscious of His rest. Matthew 11:28

We want to be conscious of His peace. John 14:27

We want to be conscious of His love. 1 John 4:8

And we want to be conscious, rightly dividing His words, not everything is a result or their sin or even a parents, though things can be generational, Jesus breaks curses. We don’t want to be sin conscious, so wrapped up in the fear of it that we can’t function or be free from what have been freed of by Jesus.

We want to be God conscious.

Zohre Nemati / Unsplash

Made Sin For Me

For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21

Her expression says it all doesn’t it? Jesus, the one with no sin at all was made sin to save me. That  is an awesome thought isn’t it? And Jesus is the only way we ever become righteous in God’s eyes. No one needs the self righteous rags that will not cover sin. Nor the unrighteousness that sin brings unto our lives.

Only the shed blood of Jesus could ever do that, make us the righteousness of God. Galatians 3:13, expounds on it, that Jesus was cursed for cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree, or in effect is crucified. One translation even says pole, in agreement with Moses lifting up the serpent. That represented Jesus. He would have been stoned under Jewish law but the Romans sent Him to the cross, actually, He went willingly to save us.

I cannot even comprehend, what he suffered for us, or the amount of pressure and torment on Him as a man, although He was also God, which is why He never sinned. And we would not have even know what we were doing wrong has He not come to enlighten us.

We should all read and study the gospels through, everything Jesus did had a purpose or fulfilled the prophetic, there is a lot to study about His life and sacrifice and how He imputed righteousness to us as a sacrifice for sin. We would never attain it by works or own or own, though He gives us works to do, they don’t earn grace or the gift of salvation, only by His sinless life are we ever righteous.

I am always amazed how He did not get into arguments, even when provoked, He was not offended with the disciples short lived faith, and questions. He moved through crowds when some wanted to kill Him, quite miraculously.

He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth. 1 Peter 2:2 ( deception or lies )

He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:2

You know that He appeared in order to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin. 1 John 3:5

And while it is important to know the severity of His death and crucifixion, and the price He paid for our redemption should always be close to us, He did it out of love , and didn’t come to condemn but to save. John 3:16, 17. The Spirit convicts us of sin and we are saved when we truly repent and believe, Jesus makes us free from it and should not keep controlling our lives.

What amazing love, He died for all of us, yet many will not believe.  Should you not know Him as Lord, please think about accepting Him, He was made sin and he knew none for us, her expression says it all.

Nardus70 / Pixabay

The Sin Of Rebellion

I could have chosen a more rebellious photo,  I like her look. It’s just that she has her fists clenched. So what is the sin of rebellion? And did you know it has a deeper meaning. that it is  in the same category as witchcraft? That it is a deadly sin?

For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king. 1 Samuel 15:23

Samuel is denouncing Saul as king, he had long been troubled by a spirit and David’s harp soothed him, but after Goliath, the king came to hate David and he was often pursued, even his wife helped him escape and he had seven throughout his life. David would be hiding out in caves and once even found Saul asleep and cut off part of his garment to show that he was able to get to him.

Saul was told that obedience was better than sacrifice and that is true even to us, Saul was ruling like he wanted to, not God’s way. His way would get him and his son killed eventually and he did visit the witch of Endor, who was more likely a warlock, there just was no word for that then.

Rebelling against God and His will is the same or comparable to witchcraft or divination. Divination is like fortune telling , tarot cards, seeing the future in a crystal ball. It is the spirit of python that is cast out of the girl in Acts. She was mocking God. So you see how the occult can be deceptive, demonic and deadly. Avoid it at all costs. Some witches here in Georgia have been meeting with believers and said it was hard to leave the group. It is better to do that than disobey God. Christian witches, just can’t be, it doesn’t work that way.

Prayers are not spells, the person on the receiving end has a choice, spells seek to control, why prayers must not be to make someone do thus and such but rather have a revelation of Christ’s love.

Now, the gift of prophecy is different. When a person filled with Spirit prophesies something over you, it is a word from God and you can hold onto it. And the Holy Spirit will show you things to come. It is not rocket science, but people are either afraid because of the enemy’s attempts to copy God or they are in perhaps, denial and rebellion against God’s will, even without knowing it because of wrong teaching, fear, the devil will blind you even as a believer to keep you from receiving.

This is not a new spirit or teaching, the spirit of divination, the occult has been in action since the time of Nimrod back in Genesis, it was he who corrupted the study of astronomy into astrology. The  stars and constellations were for signs and seasons, God’s calendar, not for idolatry and pagan practices, mythology and the like.

I love stories and there is good and bad in all of them, many fairy tales come from such myths and legends and even Hercules was a sort of mythological Christ. But philosophy and intelligence doesn’t cut it. It was Jesus who paid the price for us, all who would believe.

The word pharmakia mentioned in Revelation tells us that people are not repenting of drug use, which also falls into witchcraft, potions and the like, but pills used used as medicine, now a street drug, cocaine, crack, pot, LSD, whatever can be smoked, injected or inhaled, vaped, they are dangerous and deadly, and can cost not only your life but soul. Is an eternity away from a loving God worth it, being tormented forever?

It is easy to repent of rebellion, I have seen some people changed miraculously, it is not impossible, but I have tell you that most aren’t, never get off meth and what not, or don’t want to be. If you think I’m kidding you, I’m not, it is not worth it, ask forgiveness. Of course, this is not the only sin people are unwilling to part with, there are others.

There is no place like spending eternity with Jesus. No worse place than hell itself, forever, and no place for rebellion in the heart of  a believer, so don’t fall into enemy snares and lies. Don’t ever just presume or assume anything, trust the Holy Spirit, and be free of rebellion as you yield to Him.

ali karimi / unsplash

How Sin Steals

We have all heard about the thief from John 10:10, who comes to steal, kill and destroy, I am much more concerned with the Lord Jesus and that He wants us to have life and more abundantly, so we must not let the thief steal that abundant life we have in Him as a believer, so how does sin steal?

Sin steals from the unbeliever, it rules and has a hold over them. They don’t believe in God or that they are sinner, or do believe they are Christians just by believing there is a Jesus, but not knowing Him as Lord. Deception, steals. Division steals.  Disappointments steal.

The Lord is a a triune God, Father Son and Spirit. The enemy tries to copy that, fear, terror, torment, the unholy three or trinity, all sins coming at you, they are thieves to the souls of the believers. Jesus saved a thief on the cross, who repented, the other did not.

Zacchaeus was a thief as many tax collectors were in that day, but an encounter with Jesus changed him and he offered to make not only restitution but more.  He appears to have lived up to this, if only more people could do that.

Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Ephesians 4:28

It was a commandment, you could be put to death for kidnapping or selling someone into slavery. You were not to withhold wages, you had to repay a stolen sheep with five, thereare a lot of laws concerning stealing.

People do not despise a thief if he steals
to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry,
but if he is caught, he will pay sevenfold;
he will give all the goods of his house.

Proverbs 6:30,31

I used to think if you named the devil as the thief that he had to repay you, he just doesn’t want to pay up. In revivals, there was a song about going to the enemy’s camp and taking what he stole. Now, I think it is better to let God keep the books, have His vengeance, sometimes, I didn’t know what was being stolen or how, even how much. The devil is often stealing health when we are not in the rest Jesus offers, he is disturbing and stealing the peace He gives as gift, John 14:27, he is trying to trouble us and make us afraid, keep us worried and under spiritual attacks. And he steals joy through our own cares and others who are against us. But we don’t give it up.

Jesus did not like the thieves selling offerings at the temple, quoting Jeremiah 7:11. He cleansed the temple and ran them out, and the Holy Spirit in us will do the same to who and whatever is stealing from us. Jesus also alludes to His coming as a thief in the night, He will come for the bride when He is least expected.

We don’t have to give up our joy or peace, don’t take just anything. The spiritual aspects is that cleansing our temple, can be done through speaking in tongues, and even if you do not operate in spiritual gifts, you can still ask Him to cleanse you.

He also explains how He is the Good Shepherd and that thieves and robbers were before Him, He calls Himself the gate of the sheepfold, which is a horseshoe like rock formation, the shepherd lies down at the opening to guard them. Also, He is door, if anyone tries to come in any other way, they are a thief. Jesus is the only way to heaven, He died to give us access to the Father.

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:20, 21

For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house? Matthew 12:29, in reference to casting out the devil – He is stronger.

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. John 10:1

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10

For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 1 Thessalonians 5:2

Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed. Revelation 16:15 NLT

So here is a pretty good look at what the Bible says about stealing. You can steal and rob from yourself, like the rich young ruler depending on his ability to keep the law, and not the grace of God, by not receiving the good things He has for you or believing they exist. The devil is a thief and robber and a liar, no wonder the words for thief, gannab and kleptos sound so bad, he gets away with way to much from believers but God is on our side and His vengeance is going to cause us to be repaid.

Don’t lose out by continuing to sin, disobedience or stealing. Repent and make restitution. Are you stealing time from your family, withholding love for punishment, there are lots of ways to be a thief, not offering encouragement. Jesus will help you discern and if you don’t know Him as Lord He is coming. The devil uses people to steal and often it is more than money.

Father, in His name open our eyes to the wicked one who is a liar and a thief, we want him bound, and the minions loosed from their assignments, you are the provider and restore our souls, the greater one, take vengeance on him, and bless us, with what has been stolen, beginning with your gifts of rest and peace. Help us see how sin steals.

Marius Held / Unsplash

Sin And Shame

We’ve all seen those videos where pets are being shamed for behavior, one is even asking forgiveness for chewing up a Bible. while some things might be cute though, I don’t like fat shaming, skinny shaming, and there are lots of others. I grew up when people were made to feel ashamed of wearing makeup, pants or shorts. Then, it was like everything was acceptable and nothing was a sin, times and morals change, but people have always been sinful, wicked and cruel throughout history. God doesn’t change, Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever.

That said, the Holy Spirit brings shame or conviction, and then you repent and are saved, then He will not be condemning or shaming you, He will tell you if you have sinned and you still have an advocate and can ask forgiveness. We are all going to mess up, but there is no excuse for continual and willful sin. If Jesus had not pointed out sin, and sent the Spirit after He died for us, we would not even know what it is, since we do there is no excuse. John 15:33

While I think people should be ashamed of their behavior, they’re not, actually, I have been ashamed for them. Many people don’t realize what sin actually is or just don’t care. You know the child that is unruly and the sweet old lady comes to give advice, she has no idea that you have other children and are a great mom, but this one is from foster care and given to disobeying, that sort of thing. I have had a little experience with that sort of shame, I have seen parents leave their dinner and coats, it is not always their fault, and doesn’t mean they are not trying. Don’t shame people in public.

I have told children they should be ashamed but given them an explanation, if they understand what is unacceptable, they should get it. But there are people, like me at times, that continue to carry that weight of shame, even though it was nothing or forgiven long ago, I had to realize that Jesus took the sin and shame. He bore so much that we as believers, continue to carry.

He instead made spectacle of the devil and his minions on the cross and put them to an open shame. And they thought they were making a mockery and spectacle of Him! It is easy to start thinking or blaming ourselves for something that is not true. Jesus understands, let’s look at what the Word says so we won’t shame ourselves or other and not the Lord.

No one who waits for you will ever be put to shame, but all who are unfaithful will be put to shame. Psalm 25:3 GWT others say disgrace, treacherous or offend with out cause.

Because the Lord GOD helps Me, I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set My face like flint, and I know that I will not be put to shame. Isaiah 50:7

Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more. Isaiah 54:4, a promise to Israel.

Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. Isaiah 61:7

For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. Luke 9:26

For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” Romans 10:11

It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. Ephesians 5:12 – Some thing just don’t need to be talked about.

For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.  Hebrews 6:5,6 — these are people who never mature in faith.

And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when He returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from Him in shame. 1 John 2:28

And Isaiah 53 says His soul was an offering for guilt, so you see Jesus really does take sin and shame, and while it is is correct to teach what is right and wrong, establish boundaries and make clear our beliefs, we must realize that the Spirit convicts and we repent and are forgive, He will not keep condemning you, Romans 8:1.

Those who look to Him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. Psalm 34:5

 

franpazos / pixabay

Sins Large And Small

Have you ever seen the Matthew series with Bruce Marchiano? He was a great Jesus, there is  a scene where he explains the mote and beam, and it is actually quite funny, he shows the difference people make in  sins, by putting a beam up to his eye.

His performance is dramatic, but he makes Jesus so personable and real, that it is  one of my favorites.  So, that is one of our descriptions of sins, large and small, the mote and the beam, let’s see the Word. Mote also translates as sawdust, speck, insignificant speck and splinter, even a chip. A beam is like a staff or for weaving.

Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Matthew 7:3

So we should not criticize or condemn, even point out our fellow believer’s sin if ours is larger, or without examining our own life or eyes as the case may be. We talked about southern phrases and compared them to verses earlier this year, in May. This would be the pot calling the kettle black, both were, the old cast iron kind.

The second description is gnats and camels. The people in Bible days has to strain the water or wine for gnats, hence the phrase, strain at a gnat or swallow a camel. I means people are straining out the little sins, but swallowing the big one. I suppose that would be a huge lump in your throat. It is just another comparison of large and small sin and the religious were always picking at doctrine and dogma, even with miracles and the Messiah, and the dead raised, all right there.

You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! Matthew 23,24, and the disciples were criticized for not washing their hands, they were being called defiled, but Jesus tells them it is not what goes in a person but what comes out that defiles them. Words have power and traditions can actually hinder the Spirit, and He is not saying not to wash your hands but you don’t make a ceremony out of it. If you can’t, it is not a sin. But today there are wipes and sanitizers.

You have to understand what Jesus was up against, He went against everything they were taught or so they thought, but He fulfilled the law, without sinning. He explained it in their terms and in parable which take study. I always tell people to study for themselves and ask the Holy Spirit to give them a teachable Spirit. Why shouldn’t we be healed on the Sabbath?

The scribes and Pharisees were careful about little things, scribes had to write a certain way, an error or jot and tittle, the little marks in Hebrew, a little off and they had to start over and bathe and could not write Yahweh at all, you may still see some people wrote G-d, it is the same. But the niceties or traditions hindered what was supposed to be learned. They paid tithes with spices but also lacked mercy.

So now, I hope we think twice before we look for specks and gnats, because we might be about to prove that we have beams or camels ourselves. And in case you were curious about rich people being saved, that it is easier to get a camel through the eye of the needle, that is just an arched doorway. The rich young ruler was trying to depend on his own abilities, when he should have understood Jesus, that was a beam and camel moment. But rich people did get saved, rich and royal and a lot of women.

We do tend to categorize sins, we put them neatly into categories. We look at them and see ourselves or not, classify others or not, forgive or not. Remember how Jesus looks at it, he told those questioning Him about adultery, that to look at a woman with lust in his heart was the same, and murder was one I contemplated for this series, it is high on the list.

I considered murder different to killing, like self defense or in battle, knowing of someone who was prayed for having killed someone in his work, that was delivered and knew it was something he had no choice in, I believe it contributes to a lot of things, like PTSD and battle fatigue, even spiritual warfare can.

The devil was a murderer from the beginning. I once read a man thought he would go to heaven because he had not killed anyone. He would have to be saved. Murder, intentional and premeditated, I find hard to believe a Christian could do, a true believer, no, they could not. They would not be yielding to the Spirit.  And yet, there are those who tear each other down rather than build each other up, it is possible to murder hopes and dreams and break spirits.

He knows hearts and is never fooled. Jesus forgives sin large and small.

Nasty Gepp / Pixabay