Hoity-Toity About Sin

When the people kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." John 8:7

Have you ever caught yourself being snobbish or self righteous when it comes to sin? I am not ashamed to say I have. It is easy to start thinking you are better than others because you don’t do such and such or do this or that. That is a very wrong attitude to possess. Be honest with yourself and examine your heart to see if thoughts like that ever enter in. This could even transfer over to your thinking your church or denomination is the only way to Heaven. Ouch.

Today’s verse is from the familiar account of the woman caught in the act of adultery where onlookers were prepared to stone her to death. Jesus utters these word in the verse above, “let he who is without sin cast the first stone” and obviously none of us without sin. If you say you are then you just told a lie. Another ouch.

Pray and ask God to help you not be a spiritual snob. It is easy to slip into that mode if you don’t watch out and believe me Satan is jumping in his little red boots when you get like that as you are easily lead to think more highly of yourself than others. Watch out and keep yourself from thinking you are better than others. Pray for those you don’t agree with or have problems with and learn to let things go.

PRAYER: I do not want to be a spiritual snob thinking I am without fault and have all the answers. It is only with your help Lord that I live and move and exist. I thank you for using me in the lives of those I come in contact with. Help me not blow it by being a snob.  In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Stinking Rags!

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags. We all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind, our sins sweep us away. Isaiah 64:6

Sometimes in life we can possibly become pretty high and mighty and less than humble. Maybe we think 'our' church is best or we are 'too good' to do thus and such. This is called being self righteous. The word 'self' alone should set off alarm bells. Self is not to be on the throne. When self takes over then it is hard to find God.

Each of us need to be careful to not fall into the sin of self righteousness. Back in the 80's I was called self righteous by someone and it hurt my feelings so bad. I called a Christian toll free number I saw on TV to ask what it meant. What an awakening. I hoped to learn from that and try to not fall into a pattern of acting better than others ever again.

Every day when you awaken, try to go to God before the television or other distractions. Spend time in prayer and ask God to reveal what in your life needs to be tweaked. Stinking, filthy rags are something I want no part of anymore.

PRAYER: Forgive me Lord if I ever unintentionally acted better than someone. Help me to be your humble servant and shine for you. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Holy Superiority

The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector.Luke 18:11(NIV)

I am writing this after getting out of church and the message was about Pharisees and the tax collector. This gave me a brilliant idea for a devotion. There are so many different denominations of Christian churches and various ways to worship. To feel our Christian domination is THE way or the only way is wrong. First of all, everyone who names the name of Jesus should be on the same team. If l become prideful  like "my way or the highway" then that is sort of Phariseeish. I am pretty sure there are not going to be denominations in heaven because I feel we will be unified in praising and worshipping God as the Spirit leads us. 

There is not a person I know that does not need Jesus. Churches are not for perfect people because none of us are. No one has "arrived" so beware having that attitude.  Also church membership does not save you. Satan just loves to have Christians arguing about who knows best. Why not just concentrate on praising Jesus and not condemning the unsaved or your brother and sister in Christ?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus I thank you that I know I have not got all the answers. I learn more each day. I want to strive for holiness as you are Holy. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

DON'T SHOOT YOUR WOUNDED

We all are sinners. Sin is sin is sin. Today in the world we are told to accept some sin as an alternate lifestyle or tolerate sin. But sin is still sin. Since we are all sinners though, we are not to act holier than thou and kick certain types of sinners out of the church. We are all wounded in some way but certain "worse sins" may appall some and people in the church may not be able to deal with things and so stick their noses up in the air and want nothing to do with 'certain people.' Jesus would not do this. Remember the woman caught in the act of adultery? He did not throw her into a pit but said " go and sin no more". Many churches are making up their own rules. Yet again other churches are make believing sin does not exist and are afraid to even preach sermons against certain ones to bring conviction on people of their need for a saviour.

In the Bible there are some pretty imperfect people. Many messed up and seemingly today if these types of people came into some churches they would be shunned. What about King David for instance? Yikes!! He seduced and slept with a married woman but was forgiven and used mightily by God. Corrupt Saul became Paul. Change can occur. Satan loves to drive wedges in churches or within Christians and make us seem we are so wonderful and "oh my gosh can you believe so and so and what they did?" Self righteousness is sinful in itself as it sets you up to think highly of yourself and condemn others. Romans 12:3 says "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you." Isaiah 64:6 says "All of us have become like one who is unclean,  and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf,  and like the wind our sins sweep us away." 1 Corinthians 10:12 says "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!"

Jesus does want us to repent of our sin. Repent means to turn away from. Many are blinded to their sin especially in today's society where you just do not want to offend anyone or speak up. Tolerance is the buzz word. "If they are not hurting you leave them alone" some people exclaim. Like a frog in a pan of water on a stove where the heat is slowly increased and before you know it the frog is cooked and dead, is how we are in the world we live in. Once you compromised your values and convictions it is easier each time to not think something is really all that bad. Look at Sodom and Gomorrah. I think of television when I was growing up and now. The things that are on some commercials would have made people blush at one time but we have been so exposed to garbage that now we have become immune and desensitized to it. Romans 3:23 tells us "we have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory." Just because you are not a murderer does not mean your sin is better to God. I could list sins here right now but may offend lots of my readers. All of us have done something bad at one time or another. Our society is accepting of certain sins now like divorce, fornication, homosexuality, and adultery but they are still in the Bible listed as wrong but the point here being that they are not the worse sins. If you gossip that is just as bad according to God. Do not start thinking " oh I am pretty good."

When folks like this come to be in church, we are not to condone and overlook their sin but we too are not to act like they have no right to sit in the church pew. Each of us needs healing and salvation. God does not wish any to perish it says in 2 Peter 3:9. Everyone needs forgiveness.

So Mr., Miss, and Mrs. Christian watch that attitude you have towards others. Be careful not to get too high and mighty or you too might take a tumble off your holy pedestal and need the help, love and comfort of those around you.  Luke 19:10 reminds us "Jesus Came to Save the Lost." Without Jesus we are all lost. If you have not asked him into your heart do so today. And if you are doing something you know displeases God repent and turn away from it and sin no more. Luke 13:3 says "I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."

PRAYER: Lord help me to remember to reach out to those who are wounded. You want us to comfort those in pain. Help get rid of any attitude within me that certain sins are worse than others because all sin is bad in God's eyes. He wants us to reach out to Him so He can save us and set us free. Change any attitude in me that looks down on people with sins that the world seems to put in a worse category. Forgive me of any self righteousness I may have. In Jesus name. Amen!
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