“you are to bring out to your city gates that man or woman who has done this evil thing and stone them to death. ”
Deuteronomy 17:5 CSB
God is serious about fully removing sin. He does not allow a half hearted approach.
Lord, help me to be just as serious about removing sin and temptation from my own life. I want to follow You in every way!
“Then the servant girl who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you? ” “I am not,” he said.
Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. [The servants and officials] said to him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you? ” He denied it and said, “I am not.”
One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden? ” Peter denied it again.
Immediately a rooster crowed. ”
John 18:17, 25-27 CSB
Peters denial of Jesus is so hard to watch…Jesus tells him it would happen, to everyone’s disbelief. Peter swears it is not possible because he is all in! Then Peter denies even knowing Jesus 3 separate times…
It is so relatable to me, because Peter does what he “needs” to do to accomplish his plan to never leave Jesus. He never once thinks about it because it is “ just” little lies to insignificant people…they are all servants…but they could possibly get in the way of Peter’s goal.
It is not until the rooster crows that Peter even realizes what he has done is the very thing he was adamant could not possibly happen. So absorbed in his own goals, he does the very thing that he passionately swore was impossible.
Lord, You know I have been in Peter’s shoes and have been so distracted by my plans that I miss the significance of my own actions and choices. Help me to follow Your plan, and be focused on what You call me to!
“After this, Jesus traveled in Galilee, since he did not want to travel in Judea because the Jews were trying to kill him. So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples can see your works that you are doing. The world cannot hate you, but it does hate me because I testify about it — that its works are evil.”
John 7:1, 3, 7 CSB
Can you imagine having Jesus as your older brother? Even as a kid he did everything right…I bet they really wanted to see him finally get what he deserved. Someone to finally show him that he was not perfect! How frustrating would that be?!? But did they really want Jesus to be killed?
The reason Jesus states that people want to kill him is very relatable today. They hate Him because he tells the truth about how sinful they are living. Nobody wants to hear that their decisions are motivated by Satan when they are rejecting Gods way.
Lord, help me to speak clearly and lovingly. Full of compassion and tenderness but not shying away from your truth.
Read the following imagining the seductive woman as the world’s philosophy:
“My child, obey my words, and treasure my commands. Keep my commands and live, and guard my instructions as you would the pupil of your eye. Tie them to your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your relative. She will keep you from a forbidden woman, a wayward woman with her flattering talk.
At the window of my house I looked through my lattice. I saw among the inexperienced [you], I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking sense. Crossing the street near her corner, he strolled down the road to her house at twilight, in the evening, in the dark of the night. A woman [the world] came to meet him dressed like a prostitute, having a hidden agenda. She is loud and defiant; her feet do not stay at home. Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner [social media]. She grabs him and kisses him; she brazenly says to him, “I’ve made fellowship offerings; today I’ve fulfilled my vows [I am religious]. So I came out to meet you, to search for you, and I’ve found you. I’ve spread coverings on my bed — richly colored linen from Egypt. I’ve perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let’s drink deeply of lovemaking until morning. Let’s feast on each other’s love!
My husband isn’t home; he went on a long journey. He took a bag of silver with him and will come home at the time of the full moon.” She seduces him with her persistent pleading; she lures with her flattering talk. He follows her impulsively like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding toward a trap until an arrow pierces its liver, like a bird darting into a snare — he doesn’t know it will cost him his life.
Now, children, listen to me, and pay attention to the words from my mouth. Don’t let your heart turn aside to her ways; don’t stray onto her paths. For she has brought many down to death; her victims are countless. Her house is the road to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death.”
Proverbs 7:1-27 CSB
”Be gracious to me, God, according to your faithful love; according to your abundant compassion, blot out my rebellion. Completely wash away my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. For I am conscious of my rebellion, and my sin is always before me. Against you — you alone — I have sinned and done this evil in your sight. So you are right when you pass sentence; you are blameless when you judge.
Surely you desire integrity in the inner self, and you teach me wisdom deep within. Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Restore the joy of your salvation to me, and sustain me by giving me a willing spirit.
The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. You will not despise a broken and humbled heart, God.“
Psalms 51:1-4, 6-7, 10, 12, 17 CSB
This is king David’s prayer after he was exposed for his sin with Bathsheba and subsequent murder of her husband (one of his good friends). I think it is so powerful because it is actually the right way for us to think about how we sin as well. We don’t have to steal our friends wife, get her pregnant and then kill him to rightfully feel like David does here…this is the appropriate response to lying about something so that we look better, or anything against Gods best plan for us.
Lord, help me not have different levels of sin as I consider them…let me see sin from your perspective: any sin is evil and deserving of eternal separation from You. Even one white lie is enough to damage relationship with you. God, I am so grateful that you have saved me so that I don’t have to be fearful of this punishment, because you took away my sin, past, present and future!
Help me to live like that is true, hate sin and long for close relationship with You! Thank you for cleaning me as white as snow and giving me great joy!!!
”Mighty warrior, strap your sword at your side. In your majesty and splendor — in your splendor ride triumphantly in the cause of truth, humility, and justice. May your right hand show your awe-inspiring acts.“
Psalms 45:3-4 CSB
I read this one a bunch of times, and it was hard for me to find anything applicable. It is about a royal wedding and goes back and forth talking about how wonderful each person is. But this portion was helpful…truth, humility and justice are three things worth fighting for.
God help me to see when these are not happening so that I can spread your kingdom a little further by stepping into hard situations to bring truth, humility and justice!
”Lord, who can dwell in your tent? Who can live on your holy mountain?
The one who lives blamelessly, practices righteousness, and acknowledges the truth in his heart — who does not slander with his tongue, who does not harm his friend or discredit his neighbor, who despises the one rejected by the Lord but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps his word whatever the cost, who does not lend his silver at interest or take a bribe against the innocent — the one who does these things will never be shaken.“
Psalms 15:1-5 CSB
This description of what a person who is qualified to live with God, is a high bar… some of the things are simple for me, while others take some significant effort, but doing all of them, perfectly, every time seems impossible.
Lord, thank you for holding a high bar and not lowering it to something achievable. Instead, You show me just how impossible Your standard is, cementing my inability to meet it…then meet it for me. That is the incredible news of the Gospel, we can live with You, know You and have perfect relationship with You through Jesus sacrifice on the cross.
Lords help me to run to You whenever I see my inability to meet Your standards. Help me rest in Your finished work that qualifies me for the blessing of being Your son!
“God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.”
C.S. Lewis
”You, Lord, will guard us; you will protect us from this generation forever. The wicked prowl all around, and what is worthless is exalted by the human race.“
Psalms 12:7-8 CSB
This Psalm is talking about how all the people are holding down the believer. Then winds up with this confident statement of Gods faithfulness to care for them. The last line is very interesting, “what is worthless is exalted by the human race.“. This feels so real today…this happens everywhere I look, by everyone.
We no longer have to seek out sin…it finds us when we are least expecting it. When I was younger, some sins required planning and sneaking and knowing the right person to help you out…now it seems like you don’t have to sneak or plan or cajole and sin finds you. Our efforts no longer are invested in finding ways to sin, but much energy must be used to avoid it!
Lord, strengthen me to actively follow You. Give me the ability to choose right when sin is thrust in my path. You tell us that You will guard and protect us from this generation, and that is what we need! We need You Lord!!!
”So I asked, “What is it?” He responded, “It’s a measuring basket that is approaching.” And he continued, “This is their iniquity in all the land.” So I asked the angel who was speaking with me, “Where are they taking the basket?” “To build a shrine for it in the land of Shinar,” he told me. “When that is ready, the basket will be placed there on its pedestal.”“
Zechariah 5:6, 10-11 CSB
Zechariah continues to see visions and this one is shocking! A basket, which is normally used to measure out their produce and see how profitable their harvest is, is flying toward them. A strange sight indeed…but even more interesting is that the Angel (who is explaining the vision) tells him it represents all of their sin. The work of their hands (what they work at producing, what they toil to make) is literally sin!
Then it gets worse! They are working diligently to sin, intentionally doing more against God, and then worshiping the sin itself!!! This is horrifying and tragic…
But the question I must ask is, how are we like this? How do I behave in a similar way?
I know that I have worshiped my work. What I mean is that the work that I did seemed more important than family commitments. I spent years traveling away from family. I spent seasons dragging my kids and wife to event after event weather it was good for them or not…that sounds a lot like worshiping sin.
What made this tricky, is that those things seemed like they were good. I was able to convince myself and others that these were the right choices.
I look around and see the same thing in society, we desire something. so we convince ourselves and everyone around us that what we want is actually good! Then we are willing to do the sinful things that we want and get angry if anyone does not join us in admiring the “goodness” of our sin. How tragic!!!
Lord open my eyes to see where I still do this today. I am so weak that I can fall into this trap again…but I desperately want to avoid it! I want to worship You only and recognize my sin for what it is, repent and run away from it! I want my life, my words, my actions and motives to bring You glory. I want to hate sin and love Your ways. That is the opposite of natural for me, I need You to empower me! Give me the strength to hate evil and surrender my desires to You!!!
”For the Lord says to the house of Israel: Seek me and live!
The one who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns darkness into dawn and darkens day into night, who summons the water of the sea and pours it out over the surface of the earth — the Lord is his name.
Pursue good and not evil so that you may live, and the Lord, the God of Armies, will be with you as you have claimed.
Hate evil and love good; establish justice at the city gate. Perhaps the Lord, the God of Armies, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. But let justice flow like water, and righteousness, like an unfailing stream.“
Amos 5:4, 8, 14-15, 24 CSB
Good vs evil…it is a repeated theme as God is highlighting what is not going right for His people. This chapter emphasizes the destruction that they deserve, but follows each statement with reminders of who God is, and very clearly lays out what He desires from us.
It is surprising that they needed the simple reminder to flee from evil and chase after that is good! That seems like it should be a no brainer! But when I reflect on my own choices I find that there is often a mixture of good and evil, even if only in my motivations. Sometimes I want something for the simple reason that it makes me feel good even if it is worse for someone else, or it is the opposite of what God wants me to do.
Lord, You have blessed me in so many ways, You have loved me through foolish decisions and You have SAVED ME! Help me to live every aspect of my life prayerfully seeking you and what you want from me. Help me to see where I am being selfish and strengthen me to choose good over evil…even when it seems less enjoyable. Give me your eternal joy in my obedience to you in every part of life and thought!
