Are you playing around with some sinful thought or thinking about something from your past that you shouldn’t? Sin is not something to be played with. In our pride, we think we can handle it and it won’t get a hold on us. But sin has invisible hooks that can drag us down and take us places we never intended to go.
And sin doesn’t just hurt us personally. It always affects others, especially those closest to us. Today we’ll see the effects of polygamy and a lack of parental and priestly discipline. But we’ll also see the faithfulness of God in the life of one godly woman.
Today the battle for truth is raging. Truth itself has become relative and God’s Word carries no authority for the majority of people in our nation and much of the Western World. Some Christians find it difficult to work in their chosen fields without compromising their religious convictions. In many arenas, those who speak up for what is morally right are called bigoted, intolerant, or worse.
But we need to be careful about putting our hope in the government to change and protect us. While there might be a temporary slowing of the process, I believe in the long run these trends will continue, perhaps faster than we think possible. So, how can we prepare ourselves for the continuing battle?
“Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me” (Ruth 1.20). Mara means “bitter.” Can you imagine meeting an old friend after a long absence and when she calls you by name, you say, “Don’t call me Donna or Diane or David … call me Bitter.”
But Naomi isn’t the only one who deals with bitterness. Sometimes we do and if we give in to it, it doesn’t only affect us. Because it will, eventually, spill out on everyone around us, it’s important to deal with it biblically. So, what is the antidote for bitterness?
The effects of rejecting God’s authority and its resulting spiritual darkness are not pretty. As one sin leads to another, the results are sad, costly, and damaging. The book of Judges ends with some truly bizarre examples.
But as bizarre as those true stories are, in reality, they could be taken from today’s headlines. Our news is full of murder, even mass murder, sexual immorality, sex trafficking, abortion rights, and demands that we give approval to every sinful lifestyle. I’m not sure where the bottom of it all will be, but just as He did in Noah’s day and just as He did with the Israelites, God will one day say … enough! In the meantime, what should we be doing?
When a society heads down the moral spiral, is it the women who suffer the most?
Today men and women believe they can do anything and live any way they want without consequences. Yet, the Bible presents a very different picture.
And one way or the other, every one of us proves the Bible to be true. We can choose to sin, but we don’t get to choose the results. Sometimes the consequences are built-in and other times the God who will not be mocked chooses them for us. But is it possible that it’s the women who suffer the most when sin has free rein?
Have you ever wondered, “Does God really use imperfect people like me?” “How could He use me with my past?” “I don’t know enough,” “I don’t have the right gifts,” “I can’t do anything great for God”?
If your knowledge of God’s Word is primarily what you heard in Sunday school stories, you may not know how flawed some of God’s people really were.
While it’s true that David killed a giant with a slingshot, he also committed adultery and plotted to have the woman’s husband killed. Gideon led the Israelites to victory over the Midianites with just 300 men, but at times he was full of doubt and fear. Jonah was in the belly of a great fish because he was in rebellion against God’s calling. And mighty Sampson … well, you’ll have to read about it for yourself in today’s post.
It’s hard to imagine that anyone would intentionally set their children up for failure. But sometimes, we can do so without even realizing it by trying to give them everything they want. When we do, instead of being genuinely happy, they often become petulant, spoiled children. The added danger is that they can grow up to be selfish adults and even get a wrong view of God.
How does your parenting help or hinder your children’s understanding of God? How does it prepare them for marriage, work, and family relationships later in life?
“Why did God allow polygamy in the Old Testament?” I’ve heard that question many times. The truth is, it has always been sin, but it was what many considered an acceptable sin, if they viewed it as sin at all. What sins has our society come to consider acceptable? What sins do you and I consider acceptable?
Also, today, what keeps you from sharing your faith? Fear? Intimidation? Not having the right answers? What is hindering you from being a faithful witness for Christ at a time when many people are fearful and possibly considering eternal things?
Loving a prodigal can be heartbreaking and confusing. It’s hard to know what to do. When should we help? And when should we stay out of the way? Perhaps we should ask ourselves, are we really helping or could we merely be helping them stay comfortable in their pigsty, the very place God wants them to feel uncomfortable, even hungry?
If you have a prodigal, I hope you’ll read today’s post and share your thoughts.
And from our other readings:
What is death? Why do we call an unbeliever spiritually dead? What is the second death?
Finally, some questions we should ask ourselves. James tells us we are to be doers of the Word and not hearers only. But I think we could also say that we should be doers and not just talkers when it comes to doing. Do we talk a lot about God or actually live for Him? Do we talk about winning souls or do we share the gospel? And do we talk about prayer or do we pray? I know these are convicting questions for me. How about you?
