Sin Always Costs Something

Sin always comes with a cost…it divides, destroys, & sometimes ends in death. These things are expected when we let sin reign, but here’s the thing that’s unexpected:

The people who die as a result of sin are not always the sinners.

I read today of a time when King David’s sin brings death to many in his nation. We’re not told why, but the anger of the Lord burns against Israel, & He allows Satan to tempt David to demand a census be taken

Satan is the active mover of David to sin, while God only withdraws His supporting grace, allowing the enemy to prevail against the king. Our holy God is not the author of sin. Sin is a result of our rejection of Him.

So, what’s the big deal with a census? It’s a subtle expression of pride. David writes countless Psalms about trusting the Lord, but here he seeks to determine the strength of his army.

After David learns he has over a million warriors, his conscience begins to bother him. He finally confesses his sin & the result is a plague that sweeps through the nation, wiping out 70,000 people in 3 days!

A prophet tells David to build an altar to the Lord at the threshing floor of Araunah. Araunah freely offers his oxen, yokes & wood for the sacrifice, but David’s reply stopped me in my tracks:

He says, “ I will not present burnt offerings to the Lord my God that have cost me nothing.“

We have a sacrificial Savior Who gave HIS life to cover OUR sin. AND here’s the thing…once we accept him as Savior & allow Lordship, life this side of heaven becomes a continued death of our will & way.

There were be many people in our lives whose sin provides perfect opportunity for us to die. Sometimes THEIR sin provides a pivotal place that costs US something. Our flesh may want to angrily rise & retaliate, but instead we can offer a sacrifice that costs us something. We can praise & thank Jesus for what He’s done, & willingly declare, “Have Your way with me!”

Jesus, you embraced death for our lives! May we allow other’s sin that impacts us, become a catapult for praise, allowing it to defeat our flesh reactions even unto death! Jesus you ARE The Way! Lead us to death of self so that Your resurrected life might reign!

#OneYearBible

June 5th One Year Bible Readings

2 SAMUEL 23:24-24:25

ACTS 3:1-26

PSALM 123:1-4

PROVERBS 16:21-23

Cultivating an Unbreachable Heart

Have you ever been offended in such a way that you just want to stay hurt? Like the wound was so deep that it feels impossible to dig your way out?

I’ve had lots of opportunity this past year to learn what happens when my gut reaction leads, vs. what unfolds when I let my spirit follow the Holy Spirit when I've been hurt.

The 1st feels good in the moment, but is usually followed by hollow regret. The 2nd sometimes stinks initially, but letting the Holy Spirit lead always brings a harvest of inexplicable good, even amidst the hard.

David writes about Jerusalem, the well-built City of God whose “seamless walls cannot be breached.” The root for breached means connection of things knitted close together.

In the same way that the city walls could not be breached, we TOO as little cities who house the indwelling Holy Spirit, can have unbreachable walls if we choose.

Almost every day this week, my husband & I’ve had opportunity for division. The subject doesn’t matter, what DOES matter is how we’ve responded. When we take offense & react to each other’s reaction, a nuclear fusion seems to happen, igniting a larger reaction.🥲

When we allow the walls of our hearts, however to be like oily feathers on a duck’s back, hurtful words become impenetrable & simply slide back down to hell where they belong.

We do not war against flesh & blood. Yes, there are moments when I’d like to draw blood with a good kick in the shin😳, but it’s THOSE moments when we can choose to be 1 with our flesh or 1 with The One Who can lead us through the conflict unharmed.

If you’re married, remember you’re not in it to win, but to be one. We can’t fully BE one until we give God #1 place in our hearts.

It’s when we turn to God & say, “Thy will be done. Bless them & change my heart to love like You love me,” that our hearts become unbreachable. When we allow the Lord to reign as  #1, we experience oneness with the people we want to love AND with the ones who are sometimes hard to love!

Father, lead us to be of one mind with You! Deprive the enemy of any opportunity to breach our walls by knitting our hearts close together with the Holy Spirit. Create in us unbreachable hearts, O God!

#OneYearBible

June 4th One Year Bible Readings

2 SAMUEL 22:1-23:23

ACTS 2:1-47

PSALM 122:1-9

PROVERBS 16:19-20

Facing a Mountain That Blocks Your View of The SON? Let It’s presence Remind You of His!

When I was little, I remember a t-shirt saying, “Look up! Things are gonna get better!”

I think the intent was to look beyond our current circumstances, but sometimes we have mountains before us that block our view, making it hard to feel hopeful.

Psalm 121 begins with, “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?”

Some commentaries, say this may have been written when the Israelites were held captive in the plains of Babylon. As they walked in chains, they looked beyond the desert horizon, straining to see the mountains of their homeland, the place their God resided.

Others say that the mountains logistically represent a place of safety, a shield of defense for those who dwell in the valley.

As I read through the commentaries, however, I wondered something different...Today as I write, there are many mountains before me - things that seem firmly planted on bedrock immovable. Some of them feel so big that they block my view of what’s ahead…& yet, here’s the thing:

Maybe it’s these moments, when the mountains loom large on the horizon, that serve to let their presence prompt us to ask about HIS!

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?

My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.“

Y’all, maybe you’re facing a mountain of your own this morning…it looms large, blocking out view of The Son?

Well, I invite you on a journey with me to remember what His Word promises Even when all hope seems lost, we have a Living Hope Who promises this:

I will not let you stumble; when I watch over you, I do not slumber nor sleep.

I watch over you & stand beside you as your Protective Shade.

The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. I, the Lord, keep you from all harm & I watch over your life. I keep watch over you as you come & go both now & forever” (Psalm 121:2-8)

Praise you, Jesus, that You are our Protective Shade! May the mountains that loom large serve to remind us of our Lord! You are Lord over the heavens, the earth, the mountains before us & the mole hills in our hearts. Regardless of what we face, we look up & face You, The One Who will not let us stumble over the mountains before us!

#OneYearBible

June 3rd One Year Bible Readings

2 SAMUEL 20:14-21:22

ACTS 1:1-26

PSALM 121:1-8

PROVERBS 16:18