1 Corinthians 10:13
13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
You know what's funny? When you go to a theme park and you are waiting in line for sometimes as much as an hour or two to go on your favorite ride. I'm not going to lie I like roller coasters. It's exciting and the whole experience of hearing others scream and just realizing that I'll be upside down gets my adrenaline going. If you spend the entire time in line nervous though, you become more and more scared.
Did you ever notice at the end of the line there's a gate with a quick exit in case someone is so scared they're pulling their hair out? Of course at this point you're so close, but you take the exit because you're so scared; you back out and turn away.
Fortunately, this is a hopeful message to end a busy week, full of work and temptations. When we're tempted by Satan, God provides us a safe way to exit. It's a different kind of exit because you don't have to be ashamed that you're backing away from sin, unlike if you escape from a huge roller coaster. Nonetheless, when we're going to sin, sometimes we play out the situation in our head and we wait until the time is right. God's exit is there just before you make your final decision to hop on the ride. See it as a gift so that you don't have to face eternal consequences of sin. Be thankful! It's time to swallow your pride and take that "exit" off the ride of temptation which isn't worth it's huge cost.
Think about a time where God unexpectedly offered you a way out of your temptation. Notice that God promises that you will never face a temptation greater than you are in his name. Have the faith to make that quick exit when you see it. Lord, Thanks for rescuing us from sin and please help those who are still waiting in line about to be tempted.
Take a look at this "Temptation" message by Francis Chan. It's about 8 1/2 minutes long, but I promise you it's worth watching. I listened to Francis Chan at a conference in Washington D.C. last summer and he is a great speaker. You learn so much from him. This video is a nice recap on the week and he mentions some of the same things I discussed about temptation this week, especially about blaming others and how it looks attractive.
P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.
Showing posts with label We Sin...because?. Show all posts
Showing posts with label We Sin...because?. Show all posts
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
We're Shameless.
Genesis 3:7-8
7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
What happened after Adam and Eve committed the first sin known to man? They were naked. Still, they took a bite from the forbidden fruit expecting great things assuming that everything they didn't receive from God would be given to them now including wisdom. It's never good to assume and in this case that's certainly true. They were full of shame as a result. Oh, and that freedom that the couple wanted, was replaced by a constant state of fear and hiding.
The serpent tempted them with lies. After they opened their eyes, they learned the difference between good and evil. They didn't learn to be like God though.
Do the words of today's passage remind you of being caught in your own sins? It's an antagonistic feeling. It doesn't seem like such a bad idea to hide and stay away from God the creator of the universe just as Adam and Eve did. Realize that God forgives, however. Don't go to God with a shameful heart. God is the ultimate provider of hope.
Thank you God for forgiving our sins, even our most shameful ones, due to our faith. Keep us from wanting to sin.
7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
What happened after Adam and Eve committed the first sin known to man? They were naked. Still, they took a bite from the forbidden fruit expecting great things assuming that everything they didn't receive from God would be given to them now including wisdom. It's never good to assume and in this case that's certainly true. They were full of shame as a result. Oh, and that freedom that the couple wanted, was replaced by a constant state of fear and hiding.
The serpent tempted them with lies. After they opened their eyes, they learned the difference between good and evil. They didn't learn to be like God though.
Do the words of today's passage remind you of being caught in your own sins? It's an antagonistic feeling. It doesn't seem like such a bad idea to hide and stay away from God the creator of the universe just as Adam and Eve did. Realize that God forgives, however. Don't go to God with a shameful heart. God is the ultimate provider of hope.
Thank you God for forgiving our sins, even our most shameful ones, due to our faith. Keep us from wanting to sin.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
She Did, So I Can.
Genesis 3:6
6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
So it wasn't just Eve who sinned liked I've been discussing so far this week. Adam was tempted too, but why did he sin? He had all the trees to choose from in the beautiful Garden of Eden except for the one forbidden tree and he chose that one turning against God! As the husband of Eve, he was there listening to the whole conversation between her and the serpent so why didn't he intervene? There are many questions that accompany this story in its entirety.
Nonetheless, why do we sin? Many times it's because of others. We see others doing what "looks good" and we follow their ways. We do this because it is in our nature to hold others accountable for our actions. If she does it or he does it, then what harm will there be if I do it? The same can be said when he or she isn't going to do something. I'm not going to do it if they're not. However, as Christians, it is our responsibility to focus on our (spiritual) decisions. God holds us accountable for our own actions.
Think about ways in which you can make sure that you're not following someone else's choices; respect God. Remember, God should be the center of your life so follow him closely.
I realized yesterday that it was the first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday, but that was well after I wrote my post. This is the 40 day period leading up to Easter where you should give up something or take on a challenge to bring you closer to God. Perhaps this year, based on my discussions, think about your choices. When you see something attractive, for example, look at the big picture and ask yourself "Am I being obedient to God when I do this?" That is definitely something to think about over the next 5 or 6 weeks. Anyway, it's Thursday already. Have a wonder-filled rest of the week!
6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
So it wasn't just Eve who sinned liked I've been discussing so far this week. Adam was tempted too, but why did he sin? He had all the trees to choose from in the beautiful Garden of Eden except for the one forbidden tree and he chose that one turning against God! As the husband of Eve, he was there listening to the whole conversation between her and the serpent so why didn't he intervene? There are many questions that accompany this story in its entirety.
Nonetheless, why do we sin? Many times it's because of others. We see others doing what "looks good" and we follow their ways. We do this because it is in our nature to hold others accountable for our actions. If she does it or he does it, then what harm will there be if I do it? The same can be said when he or she isn't going to do something. I'm not going to do it if they're not. However, as Christians, it is our responsibility to focus on our (spiritual) decisions. God holds us accountable for our own actions.
Think about ways in which you can make sure that you're not following someone else's choices; respect God. Remember, God should be the center of your life so follow him closely.
I realized yesterday that it was the first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday, but that was well after I wrote my post. This is the 40 day period leading up to Easter where you should give up something or take on a challenge to bring you closer to God. Perhaps this year, based on my discussions, think about your choices. When you see something attractive, for example, look at the big picture and ask yourself "Am I being obedient to God when I do this?" That is definitely something to think about over the next 5 or 6 weeks. Anyway, it's Thursday already. Have a wonder-filled rest of the week!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
It's Attracting.
Genesis 3:6
6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
This is a very notable part of the passage with Adam and Eve. No matter how many times I read it, I still cringe. You know, the dramatic irony that you see all the time, such as when you watch a movie and know someone is going to do something stupid, yet all you can do is watch one suffer in utter agony?
Adam and Eve had until now to ignore the serpent and turn away. Most importantly, they could have trusted God. The serpent tempted Eve so that she'd disobey God. She didn't want to trust God. No...don't do it Adam and Eve!!!!!!!!
Why did Eve go for the forbidden fruit? It simply looked good. As I mentioned yesterday, we tend to be very curious people and don't know how far is too far. This is one of those scenarios. Sin looks so good which is primarily why it's so bad. We're lured into the tangled net.
In addition, Eve envisioned a beneficial experience if she ate the fruit even though it wasn't coming from God. Who wouldn't want to have wisdom?!?! Eve came to the conclusion that wisdom couldn't be obtained from God. Eve's delusional here because not all things look good after a while. Just because sin is wrapped in a nice present are you going to accept it? Remember that the truly good things come from the one and only God himself. Have you ever been tricked into believing that you can find good outside of your path with God?
Let us see past the beauty of sin and to its ugliness under the surface. A life with you is the way, Oh Lord.
6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
This is a very notable part of the passage with Adam and Eve. No matter how many times I read it, I still cringe. You know, the dramatic irony that you see all the time, such as when you watch a movie and know someone is going to do something stupid, yet all you can do is watch one suffer in utter agony?
Adam and Eve had until now to ignore the serpent and turn away. Most importantly, they could have trusted God. The serpent tempted Eve so that she'd disobey God. She didn't want to trust God. No...don't do it Adam and Eve!!!!!!!!
Why did Eve go for the forbidden fruit? It simply looked good. As I mentioned yesterday, we tend to be very curious people and don't know how far is too far. This is one of those scenarios. Sin looks so good which is primarily why it's so bad. We're lured into the tangled net.
In addition, Eve envisioned a beneficial experience if she ate the fruit even though it wasn't coming from God. Who wouldn't want to have wisdom?!?! Eve came to the conclusion that wisdom couldn't be obtained from God. Eve's delusional here because not all things look good after a while. Just because sin is wrapped in a nice present are you going to accept it? Remember that the truly good things come from the one and only God himself. Have you ever been tricked into believing that you can find good outside of your path with God?
Let us see past the beauty of sin and to its ugliness under the surface. A life with you is the way, Oh Lord.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Myth: God Can't Be Trusted.
Genesis 3:4-5
4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. 5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
The serpent becomes almost more daring as he has brought Eve into a conversation about God's commands. He questions the validity of God's words. After God said to Adam, "You will die," the serpent said, "You won't die." While that seems more hopeful, you can't buy into those words because they didn't come from God.
When we give into sin it often makes us question God's behavior and identity. Does he really love me? Can he be wrong, even if it's just this once? Is this "Almighty God" stuff just hype? If you've gone as far as being tempted by Satan, then it's not very hard to disobey God.
Doubt was rooted in the mind of Eve thanks to the serpent. He questioned God's actions saying that God knows what he can do to you to make you think he has power. In a nutshell, the serpent was saying that God is selfish and he doesn't care and love you. Man, is that a lie!!!
Has sin ever been okay for you by doubting God's power and love? Has something bad ever happened to you that caused you to take it out on him and disobey him?
Lord, let us be convinced of the truth. We know you let your unending power, love, and mercy flow through us all the time.
4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. 5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
The serpent becomes almost more daring as he has brought Eve into a conversation about God's commands. He questions the validity of God's words. After God said to Adam, "You will die," the serpent said, "You won't die." While that seems more hopeful, you can't buy into those words because they didn't come from God.
When we give into sin it often makes us question God's behavior and identity. Does he really love me? Can he be wrong, even if it's just this once? Is this "Almighty God" stuff just hype? If you've gone as far as being tempted by Satan, then it's not very hard to disobey God.
Doubt was rooted in the mind of Eve thanks to the serpent. He questioned God's actions saying that God knows what he can do to you to make you think he has power. In a nutshell, the serpent was saying that God is selfish and he doesn't care and love you. Man, is that a lie!!!
Has sin ever been okay for you by doubting God's power and love? Has something bad ever happened to you that caused you to take it out on him and disobey him?
Lord, let us be convinced of the truth. We know you let your unending power, love, and mercy flow through us all the time.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Look, Don't Touch.
Genesis 3:2-3
2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' "
All this week, I want to focus on why we sin. Our sinning is so wrong, but because we are humans, by nature we are apt to sin each and every day of our lives. Thank God for forgiveness. This week we'll look at everything from blaming our sins on others to how it look and/or feels good.
We're so on edge that we can easily be tempted and fall into sin. Eve's response to the serpent seems pretty intelligent. That is, it seemed good initially.
The thing is she added in the part about not touching the fruit. It seems smart for Eve to say that because you may not want to get too close to the forbidden fruit. Plus, why would you touch something you can't eat anyways? Let's go backwards here. Did God ever say you can't touch the fruit?
You may not have thought about it before, but adding to God's word of which he never said, is deceiving yourself. You're foolish and a liar because you're twisting the truth if you do this. Also, when we add our own commands of God, it is a false representation of his character. This is a failed attempt to understand God. Think about it: the snake lied to Eve about God's orders and Eve lied to herself about the issue.
Have you ever added rules to God's rules and made his kingdom more sophisticated than it really is for others? No matter if you're just trying to spread the good news, don't add commandments that God supposedly stated that aren't true.
2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' "
All this week, I want to focus on why we sin. Our sinning is so wrong, but because we are humans, by nature we are apt to sin each and every day of our lives. Thank God for forgiveness. This week we'll look at everything from blaming our sins on others to how it look and/or feels good.
We're so on edge that we can easily be tempted and fall into sin. Eve's response to the serpent seems pretty intelligent. That is, it seemed good initially.
The thing is she added in the part about not touching the fruit. It seems smart for Eve to say that because you may not want to get too close to the forbidden fruit. Plus, why would you touch something you can't eat anyways? Let's go backwards here. Did God ever say you can't touch the fruit?
You may not have thought about it before, but adding to God's word of which he never said, is deceiving yourself. You're foolish and a liar because you're twisting the truth if you do this. Also, when we add our own commands of God, it is a false representation of his character. This is a failed attempt to understand God. Think about it: the snake lied to Eve about God's orders and Eve lied to herself about the issue.
Have you ever added rules to God's rules and made his kingdom more sophisticated than it really is for others? No matter if you're just trying to spread the good news, don't add commandments that God supposedly stated that aren't true.
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