2 Chronicles 7:14 says, "If my
people, which are called by my name, shall humble
themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from
their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and
I will forgive their sin, and will heal their
land."
Have you humbled yourself?
Can you humble yourself?
Have you sinned?
What is sin?
The number one definition in the dictionary says,
"The breaking of religious law or moral
principle through a willful act" (inequities).
Isaiah fifty three verse 5A says, "But
he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised
for our iniquities:". Have you sinned?
Paul said in Romans 3:23 that, "All
have sinned and come short of the glory of God".
And in 1 John 1:10 it says, "If we say
that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His
Word is not in us". This tells us that
"none are righteous, no not one." So what
is our response to this? To live carelessly or
responsibly? If we desire GOD'S best we will live
responsible by doing HIS Word. IT IS WRITTEN
I believe that except for God's grace through
Jesus Christ we all deserve to be stoned according to
the law, but Jesus extended grace to us. One example
is when He said to the women taken in adultery, "Neither
do I condemn thee, GO AND SIN NO MORE".
HE didn't say "try not to sin" or " if
you sin…" HE made it plain that she could
"sin no more". This is also commanded in
the verse "Be ye perfect, as I am
perfect". We know that scripture says
all have sinned but that is not an excuse to sin or
live in sin just because we are not ready to repent
and turn from our wicked ways. It is a reason to
press on toward the high calling the LORD has placed
on our lives.
In Deuteronomy, Moses is instructing the children
of Israel, that they sin not against the LORD and
what will happen to them and to you and me? Because
we sin against God's Word, It Is Written. He says to
them in chapter 28, verses 58 through 62, "If
thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law
that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear
(reverence, honor) this glorious and fearful name,
the Lord Thy God; (59) the Lord will
make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy
seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance,
and sore sickness, and of long continuance.
(60) Moreover, HE will bring upon thee all
the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and
they shall cleave unto thee. (61) Also
every sickness, and every plague, which is not
written in the book of this law, them will the LORD
bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed.
(62) And ye shall be left few in number,
whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude;
because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the Lord
thy God." These consequences include
sickness and disease anything from the "common
cold", (not a biblical term that's for sure) to
aches and pains in many places throughout our bodies.
There are also plagues such as droughts, floods, and
pestilence. In Genesis GOD gave us dominion over all
the fowl of the air, the beast of the field and fish
of the sea, the cattle, and every creeping thing that
creepeth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:26) We have to
first know our authority before we can use it and sin
in our lives can hinder the use of that authority and
cause us to become fewer in number.
Paul wrote to Timothy and admonished him in 2
Timothy chapter three, verses one through seven, "This
know also, that in the last days perilous times shall
come. (2) For men shall be lovers of
their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud,
blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful,
unholy, (3) Without natural
affection, trucebreakers, despisers of those that are
good, (4) Traitors, heady,
high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of
God; (5) Having a form of godliness,
but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
(6) For of this sort are they which creep
into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with
sins, led away with divers lusts, (7) Ever
learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of
the truth."
After reading this verse and looking at the world
today it is very evident that some people seek the
pleasures of the world, especially those who do not
know GOD. Let's walk through this verse and see where
it might convict us of sin in our own lives.
Men shall be lovers of there own selves
- there are many out in the world that are so
consumed with their own success they have no time to
help others, there seems to be a mind set of
"what is the next new thing on the market and
how can I get it?" It used to be called
"keeping up with the Jones," in some cases
we are the Jones.
Covetousness - always wanting what
someone else has and not being happy with what you
have.
Boasters - Highlighting the good
points and exaggerating to make one self look better.
Proud - means to think more highly
of ourselves than we should Are we guilty?
Blasphemy - to curse (to bring evil
or injury on) or revile (to use abusive language) How
many times do we curse instead of bless our family,
friends, and co-workers?
Disobedient to parents - this is
evident in the school shootings that have happened as
well as the rebellion in the homes all across
America.
Unthankful - America in general is
not truly thankful for the freedom we live in daily
and that is just one thing we take for granted.
Unholy - are we keeping our bodies
holy and sacred before the LORD? Our bodies are a
Temple of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Are we keeping
it clean and sin free?
Without natural affection - GOD
never intended for children to be molested, people to
be raped, or homosexuals to serve in churches, it is
not a natural affection that these abusers display
when demonic acts like this happen.
Trucebreaker - someone who can't
keep their promise. Do we keep ours, or do we make it
right when we break a promise or a vow?
Despisers of those that are good -
Have we ever met anyone who seems "to good to be
true" and they really are as good as they
appear, and been jealous of them or despised them for
what they have? It may be what they have is a direct
result of their obedience. The LORD blesses those who
are obedient.
Traitors - a person who betrays his
county, cause or friend. Are we loyal to our friends
to help them succeed or do we betray their confidence
and curse them by talking about them to others? This
is sin!
Heady and High-minded - haughty,
proud, arrogant This would conclude that we do things
our way not GOD's way. I say REPENT and be sorry for
your SINS.
Lovers Of Pleasure more that Lovers OF GOD
- lust of the flesh, lust of the eye, and the pride
of life
Do we love GOD more than pleasure? What could there
be in our lives that we have made a god? Things that
look good or feel good or just appeal to our flesh?
Do they separate us from GOD? It could be children or
parents or food or …. the list goes on. We must
judge ourselves and repent!
Having a form of Godliness but denying the
power - Do we talk about GOD and pray to GOD
but not expect what we pray for? If we are like this
we need to repent and work out our salvation with
fear (reverence) and trembling.
In Revelation chapter twenty-one, verse eight
Jesus says, "But the fearful, and
unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and
whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all
liars, shall have their part in the lake which
burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second
death." This verse tells us plainly the
consequences of sin, unless you repent.
Again in Revelation chapter twenty-two and verses
thirteen through fifteen, "I AM the
Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first
and the last. (14) Blessed are they
that do MY commandments, that they may have right to
the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates
into the city. (15) For without are
dogs (homosexuals), and sorcerers,
and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and
whosoever loveth and maketh a lie." Here
it tells us the benefits of obedience and it repeats
those things GOD does not allow in Heaven.
With the understanding that these are sins and
that all have sinned are you guilty?
Remember 1 John chapter one and verse nine that, "If
we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all
unrighteousness."
In Conclusion, we, the church and body of the LORD
JESUS CHRIST, need to judge ourselves individually,
search our hearts and thoughts and cleanse ourselves
(by repenting of sin) through the precious blood of
JESUS. Don't be left out of GOD's perfect plan for
your life. I Chronicles twenty eight and verse 9
"And thou (your name)
___________________ My Son (or
daughter), know thou the GOD of thy father
and serve HIM with a perfect heart and with a willing
mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and
understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts:
if thou seek HIM, HE will be found of thee: but if
thou forsake Him, he will cast thee off
forever." LORD Jesus, I am a sinner -
forgive me of my sins and wash me I your Blood. I
pray in your name, LORD Jesus. Amen. America must
humble themselves, pray, and turn before the healing
can come. IT IS WRITTEN!
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to May/June 2002 Voices