Tag Archives: sin

Devotions Psalm 27, two vrs- 6/12/21

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Got some not such encouraging words from the doctor the other day. Told me he didn’t believe I had a physical problem! He wanted me to get a cat scan and I misinterpreted that as “You don’t have what you claim, I want you to get THIS done instead.” Glad I listened to people who said to get it. Get that done!

I will touch on two verses here in Psalm 27. It will be verse one and verse four. I might have to do so in KJV (King James) Version instead of NKJV. Or just speak and not reference at all, haha…

If the Lord is your light and salvation does that mean He is only there for you the time you came to Christ? Is that “it” for your love from Christ story?

I don’t believe that at all! Love from God can be shown to you as He sees your heart. If you continue to pursue His ways He blesses you because He sees Himself more and more in your life so He will glorify Himself.

God is amazing! I “see” Him as a big, always-burning light. It will do what it can to impact you, change you from the inside out, and bless your path if you live for Him through Jesus Christ and to know He died for your sin.

If you live or want to live for Christ, Whom shall you fear?

It’s too easy to fear. It’s hard to not to sometimes! It’s also easy to be uneasy and discouraged. Sometimes we will try or do our best and it feels like there are no results…

But we must hold fast and continue to live well. As good as we can be! And give God the glory and praise. Also to show his love. Not show “love” the way a certain path can be, but just show Godly love. There is a real love out there but if you know Him it’s in the heart and you might feel it too!

Will finish this later… to be continued

Devotions Psalm 3-5/30/21

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I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around. Psalm 3:5-6 NKJV

Ever had people get, for complicated reasons, mad at you? Ever realize that those people were because of the result of spiritual warfare?

Over the years it partially gave me a lot of emotions. And one time those emotions were getting way too much and were overwhelming.

When you have people coming after you and you just want to live for God, in a way it is a good thing to have spiritual warfare. It means you’re not sitting at home and doing nothing!

God loves when we have something like Satan rivaling what we are trying to do. He’d rather we be that way than to in our hearts and actions be seen as “lukewarm.” (Revel. 3:15-16)

Just because of that, it is secretly a good thing that God blesses.

I’ve had scary stuff happen as a result of spiritual warfare. About fifteen years ago after stopping taking my meds I took the full dose. I should have weaned myself onto them because after I took them again, hallucinations came back tenfold!

Though I may not have looked frightened I was because there were horrible things happening and I felt I couldn’t even speak to my own mother during them!

I just suffered. Yet though my mother was with me during one, I felt alone in my problem. I somehow, emotionally and as if she weren’t there, felt I was completely alone. And that was so disheartening….!

From then on things just quietly got exponentially worse, it seemed. But through it all I knew God was still there. He still loved me!

He knew what was on my heart. He also knew that I was still kind and caring even while my own church had doubts about my intentions about things.

Satan even wanted a wedge between me and people I loved and cared about too!

So what I am saying believer reader is that in any circumstance we may be facing, there might seem to be thousands that are fighting against us, but if we have the confidence in God through Christ, amazing and wonderful things could happen.

We must trust (Wow, that word hit me again last night talking to a believer!). Not trust in our own circumstances but trust in Christ.

Amen.

Devotions Psalms 23

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The famous Shepherd Psalm. What is so beautiful about this passage, the entirety of the chapter is it not only paints a beautiful picture of calmness and serenity in the peace of God but that it is written during times of trouble.

The writer David was being pursued to being murdered by King Saul. But in all of this he was at peace in knowing that his heart was with the Lord no matter what.

To live wholeheartedly for Christ isn’t just practice per se it’s actually not even “practice” in a way at all. It’s giving up on what we expect and putting complete and total faith in Jesus Christ. Trust and to remember He is good no matter what should happen even if it might end up tragic.

Let’s break it down verse by verse!

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. What could this mean??

It means to desire the world or at least desire things in the world at all times. We should even if we may or may not be believers not be enslaved to either our old selves and only want old sins or to live not in Christ but have a heart that reflects a person that is in the world.

We shall not want. We should desire at least wanting to live for the Lord.

He (has) me lie down in green pastures. Doesn’t that sound peaceful? It sounds like the pastures are almost like a calm bed to lie in after a day’s work and the lying down makes one feel so good. Like a bed of relief! Or a place of peace.

…”Leads me beside still waters.” In the original version of my text it says “the” still waters.

In case all of this imagery is making one wonder David was a shepherd. He here is talking about being like a sheep and all of these things being as if he is being guided by a “Shepherd’ only this Shepherd being described is God.

So much being described is what a shepherd does for not only the flock but the care towards each individual sheep of that flock.

Could these still waters mean that the great Shepherd is guiding people towards a peaceful place. A place to be restored by the water. The water that is needed for living life? Here it could be that not only is it good for physical restoration but spiritual.

“…restores my soul; (and) leads me in the paths of righteousness“

What is your belief in that? Can God actually take a person who merely believes with all their heart and lead them in righteousness. It can only be by one way!

“…for His name’s sake.“ Wow this feel’s prophetic in a way! I don’t think I rarely ever hear a book of the Old Testament say that God has a name. That is astounding! But David probably didn’t know that that name was (Jesus. The good shepherd).

David was talking also about how He is restored in Him. But we could say we can apply this to now. Living for goodness that is God through the Lord.

“Truly, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death” Whoa, is this about hardships or is this just some imagery? “I won’t fear evil for You’re with me.”

Was David facing possible death from King Saul’s hands? Then why was he at such peace in the midst of all those circumstances?

I used to be afraid of many things. I didn’t know how to deal with them until I started to be a stronger person in faith. This was not really because of any specific ritual or thinking patterns… I started to pray to the Lord and then scares about things as seemingly little as very stormy weather had me over time experience the peace and living while keeping my soul focus off those storms and praying that He would keep me safe. That is kind of like Peter from the bible only he took his eyes off of someone to trust and then sunk like a stone in the water because of the stormy terrors around him.

Are you afraid of the circumstances going on around in this world? Pray. Maybe God will open something for you in your life.

Devotions- 5/20/21 Proverbs 1:7-9 and Psalm 7:9

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The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction. My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother; For they will be a graceful ornament on your head, And chains about your neck. Proverbs 1:7-9 NKJV

Sometimes instruction is very tough on us even if we know that people have the right heart in mind.

Anyone who has ever had tough yet dedicated parents in their lives in lifting up their “child” over the years (as in “you”) might think about them.

It is good to have parents who have the best intentions. Who hope the person in their life who they want success in life not only has knowledge but shows fear towards doing bad or having committed wrong and thinks what their parents might do to punish them. They may also hope you have that applied knowledge as a part of your own life.

But notice I said “best intentions” because I mean parents who aren’t the reflection of deep and harsh abuse. I digress so let me go back to what I said earlier.

It is actually good to fear parents who punish when you have done wrong. Or fear if they know their parents will do something that is normal in punishment if they got straight D’s or F’s in school!

I wonder if fear is something us as people had to learn after the fall: The fall of men (and through man, women).

After Adam and Eve we had to experience and still do an awful thing called Sin. Adam was completely responsible, a person to run things in life but instead of that, he chose to eat the fruit. He has had such an awful impact on this world that Eve isn’t even accounted, it seems, to sin entering the world. (“Sin entered the world through one man…” a paraphrase and part of beginning of Romans 5:12). What a sad legacy to leave the people following everyone who wants to worship something, let alone people who might have to live in God’s sight that sin is now a part of. To live for something but because of a tainted body, a sin-filled body, is now a part of people who were and are created, unfortunately.

Now that we are accountable to sin where death is spiritually an absolute for the physical body we need to fear God in order to live for goodness.

What can we do? We must follow His instruction. Either to be saved, to learn to fear Him about right and wrong, and also to live life since one day we won’t get the chance to live on in this earth but will be accountable at the end to how we have all these years lived!

That is a great reason to live for God through Christ.

And we should not forsake our parents or parent figures with good intentions’ “rules” to live life.

We must in life show love towards all people, not just the ones we already care about. Just be careful about the wicked because they have not good hearts even if we might witness or share things that are good with them with a good heart.

Here’s a partial verse, note some is paraphrased. It says basically: “Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, But establish the just; God (in His righteousness) tests the hearts and minds.” Psalms 7:9.

Let us live wholeheartedly for goodness and love in Christ. Or live for ones who are hurting and needy. Let’s live for the goodness that Is God!

Let us live to be “tested” so that we will be without blame as we live in Jesus through the Holy Spirit as new creations.

Amen!

Sin Undone-6/5/16

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I have too much of a busy schedule, it feels like to me. I am grateful to work but sometimes I can’t even rest. I’ve got work on the weekends and plus at church I couldn’t even stay because of duties so I had to up and exit the sanctuary. I hope this all doesn’t overwhelm me! Sigh*~

 

Hello. I hope you have had a relaxing Memorial Day of reflection as well as just time off to have fun and enjoy life.

You know sometimes we take it for granted this thing called life. We think we have all the time in the world so we turn to back things that we were rescued from and get ourselves stuck into the “pit” again and again.

What is the “pit” you wonder? It is the trap that we sometimes ensnare for ourselves. At first it is temptation leading to giving in to the sin. But if we are not serious about repentance, the telling to God that we are sorry and we turn away and will go back to Him, we get ourselves led back into falling again.

Falling and getting out. Repeat.

That struggle can be so discouraging. A person I know unfortunately has turned that way and ended up not in this world anymore. It’s sad to see someone that knew the truth be in a situation that they did not want to leave.

But our sin sometimes gets us in a loop.

I’ve been in that “loop” many times. Saying “I’m sorry God, forgive me…” then doing that deed again.

Sometimes we may get deeper, knowing that we shouldn’t but that want to turn from God is just too good, like a piece of your favorite dessert.

Then you partake and realize you are not satisfied. You can never be satisfied.

Yet it is so seemingly enjoyable to get into again… we’ll think maybe this time we will get it right and it will be so “good”!

But it never is. Why is that?

Because we live in a fallen world and we desire something but the thing that was our first want was to sin. After the fall of the world through one man who had the responsibility to say no there was sin that entered the world.

And sin is evil!

It is the world: it is all bad, it is fallen, the reason we have death and so much bad in this place here on earth.

But if you know Christ, should you keep heading down this path? As in getting into tons of stuff you shouldn’t?

Paul has said something about that. Should we keep sinning harshly just because we have a savior to turn to that will have God forgive us?

Yes or no?

What do you think?

I think that we are free to do what we want but if we want to serve God we have to realize we should make more decisions for the Lord.

That means though our sin nature fights it at times, we have to look to God in all circumstances if we want to serve Him.

A servant of Jesus should not be turning to ways of the world as a daily ritual. That makes our hearts unclean when they should be filled by the Holy Spirit.

That makes us less like a lover of Christ and more like a person of solitude because of sins.

Or a person that just wants to neglect all that God’s will has for them and will be provided to them.

That means not looking to other ways for truth and instead keeping your eyes on the mount and our feet firmly on solid ground. The ground of the Rock, the solid place of Jesus Christ.

We can continue on and live with prospering lives if we deny ourselves and seek His will. But God still does want us to make our own choices.

We don’t have to do that because God wants us to follow Him. There is no way but Jesus. God’s word says: Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.”

And Jesus made that way, did the penalty for us and our sin. He died on the cross, rose again, and lives in Heaven one day coming to do the final things this earth has yet to see.

Would you want your friends to fall into those days? I don’t think so. We should live as pure hearts of Jesus’ love, sacrifice our time, give our lives so that people would learn of the truth, and just be love to them.

Just showing love is the first step. How do you want to do it?

That is the one step where there is the undoing of sin. If your heart is clean because of forgiveness or because you show His love to others around you, what does that say to your life?

You are a new creation in Christ. Your old self died with Him on the cross. That person is now no longer a part of you… isn’t that exciting???

To have no more sin to account against you and make you dead to the world and to go to hell… because of Christ that is no longer a part of you.

Amen! We should share this news and love and mercy to others because He makes all things possible. And He will undo so much bad stuff in others lives as a result. It is His power. We must know that love can sweep it all away, move and change hearts, and give people a brand new purpose!

How sweet is that news?

Let’s as Christians (or if you are a new Christian or interested, message me on comments) see God undo the chains we sometimes let ourselves get shackled with and serve with lives pleasing to Him…

🙂

 

 

 

Man Vs. God’s Glory- 10/21/14

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I almost forgot to post today something that has been on my heart to talk of for awhile  though I was planning it. I read a brief devotion from Max Lucado that basically said to do something for God now. That was enough nudge from the Holy Spirit, thank you God.

What do you think of when you hear of glory? Do you think of the Lord? Do you think of the glory after a win in a major football game? Do you think of a Lady Gaga song…?

Well, what is glory? I looked up the word a bit of a while ago and it described it as “exalted honor.” Hmm, interesting.

I used to think if it was God’s glory it was like a big and amazingly bright light that was always shining day after day and forever. Because through all things when they are done in God’s love or passion He glorifies Himself all the time.

It’s sad when people think they know what is good for others. I mean that as if some places have gone beyond the separation of church and state and lawmakers are now making the church do things that are violating the law, in their effect (though they claim they are in right and the church is being unlawful). What they are doing is wrong and is basically equivalent to me going to an atheist convention and preaching the word of God and if they bring on the cops I sue and automatically collect the damages. Because they just wronged my right to tell them that what they were saying in that congregation of people was against my belief.

Now I know that people think “what are you talking about?” Sound ridiculous? It seems in the USA a country that has been stated once as a Christian nation is being pulled out of being that because of people. It’s funny when ones say churches are wrong to say certain things. That opinion can be taken in and pondered about. Okay, sometimes there are people who have off beliefs and should be labeled as cults but the church should never be given restrictions for what they can and cannot say. Restrictions as in a law that is active in the huge state of New York stating what churches in that entire area are being forced to not say.

What happened to freedom of religion? It seems in left-wing politics they can say whatever they want against others and justify it but once you try to tell your freedoms they bring out the constitution (which they apparently don’t even follow themselves what with forcing medical care on the entire public or else people pay a fine) and say “You should follow the law! Unconstitutional.”

Now I did not try to start a flame war with people strong on politics because I wanted to talk about something actually important.

I want to go beyond all beliefs in the political field and pierce though it with God.

What does God really want for us? Extreme left-wing, right-wing who cares?!!

What does the god of the universe who could have focused on anywhere else in this world but wants a relationship with us here down on earth? Who wants us to choose to be more like Him who wants to dwell within us?

You know during times of the Old Testament people were given laws. Did these laws save the people? By no means!

It was God who would do the saving, they depended and focused directly to Him!

God spoke to the people, had the Word for the people because knowing what God wants for us by reading His word has no way in our heart if they are just laws or “rules.” What God’s word and the Gospel is are from His principles.

God wants what is best for us. His plans for all and each of us is not meant to harm us but to give us a future.

People think they are doing good by forcing churches, bodies of God who gather to directly know, be honoring of, and be blessed by Him to tell them what is “right.”

That may be right to the ways of the “man’s” perspective but that is not good for earthly purposes on what is right. What people think is convenient to man is not beneficial ultimately to the adding to God’s Kingdom.

People can struggle with sin and problems but they must know that there is love by Jesus that forgives it. God forgives all! His blood by Jesus. It paid for everything this world may think is both good and bad.

I’m still not ready to give my testimony on a subject but we must trust in God’s way. His way by the pure holiness that gave us the bridge to heaven is the only way.

We must give our exalted honor to Him not by what man’s perspective perceives as “right.”

If you are giving glory to man you are living for the wrong reason. Let’s say the Greeks in ancient times did that (don’t let me get into that one…!). Did the ancient games add up to much ultimately and spiritually? Well there was a lot of bloodshed for sport and those deaths were pretty much in vain as far as I am concerned (murder was pretty much the game, make them die or die!).

How does one add to God’s kingdom? Do you believe in Jesus? Have you told others about Him without using the “I am just a Christian” attitude where you either judge everyone around you and not share His love or you make your statements the gold; being a true believer in Christ is not to boast of your thoughts or what you think the bible says versus what is does say.

A believer in Christ boasts in what Christ has does solely on what God has done in their life. Do you think sharing Jesus is a burden or do you take it as a wonderful chance to love in God and be love by telling ones what goodness it is to know Him?

Do you think that you can get better in your works or do you know the truth that Christ work on the cross is complete? His death on the cross gave us freedom from our punishment from what we deserved. We are free from the powers of hell and your friends around you can be to so please…

-Let’s give for His glory!