30 Day Jesus Challenge - Day 8 The Sin Problem

We don't like that word, "Sin".  It's too absolute, too judgmental, too ugly.  It's hate speech.  You know - you are right.  Sin is ugly, absolute, and hateful and that is exactly what we look like to a pure and perfect God.

We all sin, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."  Romans 3:23.  In 60 AD, the apostle John wrote, "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."  1 John 1:8

"Humanity is tainted by sin and is therefore separated from God. As a result, we cannot know God's wonderful plan for our lives." Romans 3:23

We rationalize and make excuses, we don't think we are bad people.  What we fail to realize is that we sin everyday, in thought, word, and deed - by what we have done but also by what we have left undone.

Prayer - Jesus, I would ask you today to show me the sin in my life.  Amen.

Weight of Sin

30 Day Jesus Challenge - Day 5 No Excuse

We all have excuses.  If we are honest, we make excuses every day.  We get away with not doing something we were supposed to do if we have a good excuse.  God knows that about us and He warns us against thinking that we can make excuses to Him.

"For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."  Romans 1:20

Pray - Lord, I make excuses all the time.  Help me.  Show me your invisible qualities and don't let me make an excuse to explain away what you show me.  Amen

A Cross Section of a Pine Needle

Guilty

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.  Romans 1:20

Consider this word:  Guilty... We all know what that word FEELS like.  Some only feel guilty after they have been caught, some feel guilty when they shouldn't but we are all have been guilty.  Remember what it was like to stand before your parents, trembling with the knowledge that you were guilty of something or other.  The flush to the face, the quiver inside your wame, and the shame you feel.  Think of standing in front of a perfect, omnipotent, and holy God - guilty.  

For God's justice demands perfection and because mankind was unable to achieve that perfection he did it for us through the death and resurrection of his Son.  He pursues you, He reveals Himself to you, He loves you, He gives you every chance.

If you have no desire for God, you are indeed in a desperate place.  If you scoff at the notion, it may already be too late because you "have no excuse for not knowing God".