I’ll never forget a trip I took with my older son to shoot the rapids at the Rogue River in Oregon. While we were receiving instructions from the guide . . . , I began to study the canoes with my eyes.
Read MoreCategory Archives: Sin
The Tune of Self-Interest
After Adam and Eve disobeyed God for the first time—and sin entered the world—it didn’t take long for them to begin looking out for number one. Enter self-interest.
Read MoreDon’t Get Burned!
Compromise never works. We always get burned. Even though we rationalize around our weak decisions and tell ourselves that wicked associations really won’t harm us (“they’ll get better, our good will rub off their bad!”), we get soiled in the process.
Read MoreThe Tailor’s Name Is Change, Part Two
As I mentioned yesterday, as stimulating and invigorating as change may be—it is never easy. And when it comes to certain habits that haunt and harm us, change can be excruciating. But it isn’t impossible. I warn you, the number one enemy of change is the hard-core, self-satisfied sin nature within you. Like a spoiled child, it has been gratified and indulged for years, so it will not give up without a violent temper tantrum.
Read MoreHealing, Part One
“Have you heard of the Four Spiritual Laws?” That question, found in a small booklet, has been asked and answered thousands—perhaps millions—of times in our generation. These “laws” have been used by God to introduce His plan of love and forgiveness to countless numbers of people who had no idea how to have a meaningful relationship with Him. I have a similar question.
Read MoreCan’t . . . or Won’t? Part Two
If you haven’t read yesterday’s reading, I’d like to ask you to do that. It’s crucial that you understand that God has given Christians an extra inner reservoir of power that is more than a match for the stuff life throws at us. In the verses we studied yesterday (Philippians 4:13; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Ephesians 3:14, 16; 2 Peter 1:4; 1 Corinthians 10:13), it’s called several things: strength, power, divine nature, ability.
Read MoreIn Times of Warfare
Psalm 149 is not only a call to praise the Lord in times of blessing, and encouragement to praise Him in times of suffering, it’s also a call to arms. Praise the Lord in Times of Warfare: Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand, To execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, To bind their kings with chains
Read MoreBecoming Numb
Solomon’s anatomy of sinful behavior concludes with a look at the evildoer’s feet. Not a pretty sight under any circumstances! 5. Feet that run rapidly to evil: This figure of speech actually has more to do with the heart than the feet. First of all, it refers to habitual sin, and old habits are hard to break. Furthermore, because we have gotten away with the sin before, the skids are greased.
Read MorePride and Deception
Solomon’s fatherly advice to his son begins with a focus on parts of the body, starting from the head and working down: eyes, tongue, hands, heart, and feet. Today, we take it from the top. Haughty eyes: As the old saying goes, “The eyes are a window to the soul.” Did you know that five facial muscles are dedicated to each eye? Those ten muscles serve no other purpose than to express emotion around the eyes.
Read MoreAnger against God’s Enemies
As David thought about God’s intricate design of humanity in Psalm 139, and he pondered the Lord’s loyal love for each individual He took such care to fashion and endow with purpose, the king grew angry at the enemies of God. How ungrateful. How disloyal! How outrageous that they should rebel!
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