Something stuck with me from the message at our Sunday morning service, and I thought I should share it with you.
Sin is all around us, and I seem to be better at sin than anything else, but in order to overcome areas of sin, I must learn to recognize it for what it is.
Here are 4 facts about sin that we can remember to unmask sin before it trips us.
1. Sin always offers life, but only delivers death.
2. Sin always offers to enhance my life, but in reality diminishes it.
3. Sin often convinces you it won't affect anyone else, when in it almost always affects other people in my life.
4. Sin is and will always be all around us, until we get to Heaven, but in the midst of sin, I can still chose to honor God.
2. Sin always offers to enhance my life, but in reality diminishes it.
3. Sin often convinces you it won't affect anyone else, when in it almost always affects other people in my life.
4. Sin is and will always be all around us, until we get to Heaven, but in the midst of sin, I can still chose to honor God.
Here's a practical everyday example of these at work:
Sally makes me really mad and I have had it with her. The emotions are running rampant and the thought occurs that I should just let her know a thing or two. At first I think, "No, you should just ignore it and move on." Then it begins, "Nope, you should tell her EXACTLY how you feel and let her know EXACTLY how mad you are. You just need to get this off your chest and then you'll feel better." Can't you see the head bobbing? :)
Did you catch that offer of life tucked so neatly in there? You just need to get this off your chest - sin begins pointing out what I need, when the need itself is a lie, and then promises I'll feel better. It promised life and then promised to enhance my life. In reality, the sin didn't fufill any of my needs, it only created deeper ones. It didn't enhance my life, it diminished the joy in it. It offers life, but doesn't deliver, because after I go give Sally a piece of my mind, I don't feel better, in fact I feel worse. I'm more angry, I'm more hurt, and suddenly there's more I need to say.
There it goes again, appealing to my needs. Putting me first, and others last, because sin tells me what I'm doing won't affect other people. Another lie. Not only did it affect me, it affected Sally, it affected everyone who witnessed or overheard it, it affected my husband when I bit his head off later, and then it affected my children when they needed my help and I was too consumed with what I needed and deserved today to help them.
Not to mention all of the missed opportunities I had with unbelievers between the time of my exchange with Sally and when I went to bed that night. I was too consumed with my needs to see the needs of others. Sin affected the people around me. People who commit suicide believe the lie that it won't affect anyone else, people who drink and drive don't think they are affecting anyone else, when the enemy knocks at your door with an illicit relationship, it's easy to believe that the only people involved are you and that other person. Abortion tells us know one will know, no one will be affected.
Lie. Lie. Lie.
Here's the hope, though, sin is and will always be present in the world around me, but in the midst of sin, I can still chose to honor God. I have that choice.
How do I know that? Because I believe His word, and this is what His word tells me:
Sally makes me really mad and I have had it with her. The emotions are running rampant and the thought occurs that I should just let her know a thing or two. At first I think, "No, you should just ignore it and move on." Then it begins, "Nope, you should tell her EXACTLY how you feel and let her know EXACTLY how mad you are. You just need to get this off your chest and then you'll feel better." Can't you see the head bobbing? :)
Did you catch that offer of life tucked so neatly in there? You just need to get this off your chest - sin begins pointing out what I need, when the need itself is a lie, and then promises I'll feel better. It promised life and then promised to enhance my life. In reality, the sin didn't fufill any of my needs, it only created deeper ones. It didn't enhance my life, it diminished the joy in it. It offers life, but doesn't deliver, because after I go give Sally a piece of my mind, I don't feel better, in fact I feel worse. I'm more angry, I'm more hurt, and suddenly there's more I need to say.
There it goes again, appealing to my needs. Putting me first, and others last, because sin tells me what I'm doing won't affect other people. Another lie. Not only did it affect me, it affected Sally, it affected everyone who witnessed or overheard it, it affected my husband when I bit his head off later, and then it affected my children when they needed my help and I was too consumed with what I needed and deserved today to help them.
Not to mention all of the missed opportunities I had with unbelievers between the time of my exchange with Sally and when I went to bed that night. I was too consumed with my needs to see the needs of others. Sin affected the people around me. People who commit suicide believe the lie that it won't affect anyone else, people who drink and drive don't think they are affecting anyone else, when the enemy knocks at your door with an illicit relationship, it's easy to believe that the only people involved are you and that other person. Abortion tells us know one will know, no one will be affected.
Lie. Lie. Lie.
Here's the hope, though, sin is and will always be present in the world around me, but in the midst of sin, I can still chose to honor God. I have that choice.
How do I know that? Because I believe His word, and this is what His word tells me:
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence
--2 Peter 1:3
I can chose to do the right thing because His power has given me everything I need to live a godly life because I know Him. I love this verse and the ones that follow it, so I plan on digging a little deeper into them in the days to come.
That's what stuck with me. What stuck with you? No matter what pew you sat in, I'd love to hear about it.
That's what stuck with me. What stuck with you? No matter what pew you sat in, I'd love to hear about it.
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