ALL HALLOWS EVE

ALL HALLOWS EVE!

Rom 13:7

7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

           Halloween, or All Hallows Eve, can’t be found anywhere in the Bible. It was a festival celebrated by the Greek Church the week after Whitsuntide, and by the Roman Catholics on the 1st of November, in honor of all saints and martyrs.

‎           It was introduced into the Western Church in the beginning of the seventh century by Boniface. The number of saints being excessively multiplied, it was found too burdensome to dedicate a feast-day to each, there being, indeed, scarcely hours enough in the year to distribute among them all. It was therefore resolved to commemorate on one day all who had no particular days. By an order of Gregory IV, it was celebrated on the 1st of November, 834.

(from McClintock and Strong Encyclopedia, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

           Christians adhering to All Souls’ Day practices commonly used soul cakes; these cakes were given to those individuals that were poor so that the poor would, in turn, offer up prayers for the deceased.  This tradition also stems back to ancient pagan practices where foods would be left out for the deceased to either satiate “hungry ghosts” or to appease and/or honor the deceased that would return on Samhain to visit their living relatives.  In addition, poor people would practice the tradition of “souling” where they would go door-to-door in wealthy neighborhoods in order to get soul cakes, alms, and fruit.  This was the origins of the modern day practice of "trick-or-treating" where children in costumes go from door to door to get Halloween candy.  - See more at: http://historyofhalloween.net/page1.html#sthash.r54R8s9o.dpuf

           That Halloween has pagan roots is undeniable. Whether we should participate in the festivities is a matter of some controversy. The Bible is silent about Halloween because it is a man-made holiday.

Rom 14:5

5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

HIGH TIME

HIGH TIME!

Matt 16:3

3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

Luke 12:54-56

54 And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.

55 And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.

56 Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?

1. THIS TIME!

           Both Matthew and Luke write about Jesus’ rebuke of the Pharisees’ ignorance. Here in North Central Texas the weather patterns can be read easily. A red sun in the morning means to take warning while a red sun at night is “a sailor’s delight.” The preaching and the miracles performed by Jesus along with the writing of the prophets foretold this perfect storm. They should have been aware that Messiah was coming!

           While “no man knows the day or the hour” (Matthew 25:13), we can discern the signs of Christ’s coming. As it was in the days of Noah so it is again in our time. We see political unrest, economic collapse and religious confusion. Our hearts faint and our minds struggle to grasp the significance of it all. Like the words of the old gospel song, it is time to “secure whatever ill be tied.”

2. THE TIME!

Eph 5:14-17

14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

           The time, our time, is the tiny period we call life. The past yields its clues and the future presents its mysteries but THE TIME fast slips away. The time, our time, is opportunity and responsibility. Like the five wise virgins, we need to be sure there is oil in our lamps. Redeeming the time means that we should be buying up those moments which others seem to throw away! It is time for concentrated effort at living the Christian life and understanding His will.

           I have reached the time of life when I should be slowing down but instead I find myself still and again enrolled in school. I am driven to learn, to know and to do, as if there were few tomorrows left to me. I am covered with a blanket of seriousness and I struggle not to become morose in my musing.

           Friend, your life slowly slips away and time seems so very unimportant until it is almost gone. Do you sense the urgency of knowing and fulfilling your purpose? This is THE TIME.

III.    HIGH TIME!

Rom 13:11-12

11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

Adam Clarke, in his commentary, puts it this way: “We have now many advantages which we did not formerly possess. Salvation is nearer-the whole Christian system is more fully explained, and the knowledge of it more easily to be acquired than formerly; on which account a greater progress in religious knowledge and in practical piety is required of us. And we have for a long time been too remiss in these respects.”

Dear Lord, without being gloomy, let me be serious regarding my time. Help me to buy up precious moments today. AMEN

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN!

Heb 11:24-26

24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;

25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

           Choices! We make them all the time without much regard for the outcome. But each choice sets in motion the machinery that produces an outcome that is peculiar to that choice. Perhaps none has explained it better than Robert Frost in his poem The Road Not Taken.

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;	5
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,	10
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.	15
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Dear Lord, let us consider the roads which lay before us today and follow the path you have beaten out with your own footsteps. AMEN

WEEPING FOR YOU

WEEPING FOR YOU!

Ps 56:8-9

8 Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?

9 When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.

1 Cor 12:26

26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

Job 30:25

25 Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor?

           As an under-shepherd, I often see the distress of my people and feel a strong desire to rescue or repair the damage done to the sheep whether it is a wound from an enemy or pain caused by foolishness. It is a strong desire that sometimes brings tears. But I am not the good shepherd. I am only an underling. No, the good shepherd gave His life for the sheep – and for me.

           Do you weep for yourself this morning? Are the circumstances of life causing you grief and tears? You need to understand that, unseen to you, there are others weeping for you as well. Parents, co-workers and friends may be brought to tears because of your plight. Certainly your pastor may weep for you but God is touched by your situation as well.

           Do you weep for others? Who weighs so heavily upon your heart that tears are squeezed from your eyes? You wish that you could salve and solve their problems but often you can’t. When a remedy is absent tears are present. We cry out to God for those we care deeply for. Such is our great High Priest who constantly prays for us to His Father.

Heb 4:15-16

15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Dear Lord, the need of others push aside my own concerns and causes me to weep for them. Behold my tears and mark them. Put them into your bottle. Help those I cry for today. AMEN

IF WE ONLY KNEW

IF WE ONLY KNEW!

1 Cor 2:14-16

14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

           If we only knew what God knows about our life and path we would be less anxious about the future. We are sheep and all we have been given is a profile of the Shepherd. He is both good and kind. He has our best interest at heart. In fact we know that the Good Shepherd “gives his life for the sheep.” Yet we want to know what He knows and we want to see what He sees.

           Paul’s question is asked again to the Roman church (Romans 8:27 and 11:34). Here we learn that the Holy Spirit prays for us according to the will of God because we do not know what to pray for as we ought. God understands that we do not understand!

           If we only knew what God knows we would not resist the plans He has for us. When Peter learned that Jesus was to be crucified he loudly said: “not so Lord!” Peter could not imagine how the crucifixion might be beneficial. He was sure it was a tragic mistake! Because he did not know – he resisted the very thing that would purchase his redemption.

           If we only knew what God knows we would welcome the lion’s den and the fiery furnace because we would see the Lord shut the lions’ mouth and join us in the flames. But we do NOT know and that is what trust is all about. Trust does not need to know all the details of how God will resolve a difficult situation. Trust only needs to know the good nature of God. So we walk resolutely forward not because we see the way clearly but because we can still see the hem of his garment as He leads.

Dear Lord, we still desire to know what you know. We are hardwired as stubborn people! But let it be enough to maintain sight of you as you lead us. AMEN

TOO FAST

TOO FAST!

Job 7:6

6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.

James 4:14

14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

           The weaver of fabric sent a wooden shuttle swiftly sliding from one side of the frame to the other. The single strand would become part of the whole fabric and at the end would be cut off. Job complained that his life was moving too swiftly to a conclusion.

           I am told that I don’t look as old as my age. I am glad for that because I would not want to look like I some days feel. I believe that I think like a young person – some would say childish. I still like to play with toys and I love to be around other kids. I think a playground with adult-sized equipment and toys would be a wonderful thing!

         A. W. Tozer once said: “We can look backward in time until the dim past vanishes, then turn and look into the future until thought and imagination collapse from exhaustion and God is at both points, unaffected by either.”

I expect to fill my book with ink until the well runs dry and the quill’s point is dull. I expect my last chapter will be written by another. Be kind in your writing and let there be continuity in the whole. Let my story be a warning for the careless and a guide for the traveler.

Ps 90:12

12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Dear Lord, let me use my days as capital to be spent in Thy service. AMEN

DIVERSITY

DIVERSITY!

1 Cor 12:4-7

4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

           The fall decorations will often include Indian corn. This is the corn that is not all yellow and uniform but speckled with brown and even black kernels. This reminds me of my wonderful church family and how different one member is from another. They differ not only in color and kind but in their various talents and gifts. It’s amazing when we work together!

The various gifts are named in 1 Cor 12:8-10 and 28, and also in Eph 4:11 and Rom 12:6-8. When you combine the lists, you end up with nineteen different gifts and offices. Since the listing in Romans is not identical with the listing in 1 Corinthians, we may assume that Paul was not attempting to exhaust the subject in either passage. While the gifts named are adequate for the ministry of the church, God is not limited to these lists. He may give other gifts as He pleases. We should not be so fascinated by the individual gifts that we forget the main reason why Paul listed them: to remind us that they unite us in our ministries to the one body. (Warren Wiersbe)

           Seek to learn and apply your own gifts and talents. Find your place in the body and be content with it. Don’t be envious of another’s abilities but strive to fully develop your own so that the church might be built up.

1 Cor 12:27

27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Dear Lord, help me to find my place in the body and fill it well that the church may be strong. AMEN

THE JUSTIFIER

THE JUSTIFIER!

Rom 3:21-26

21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

           Apart from God’s intervention, we are hopelessly and helplessly lost! One can’t say to the other “I am better than you” because verse 22 tells us that there is no difference. There may be some differences in WHAT we have done but clearly we are all sinners.

           Moreover, we have no resources to correct the problem of sin. We are not righteous. We have no store of righteousness from which to draw. We are bankrupt and there is a great debt owed.

           The word “freely” in verse 24, is the Greek word dorean and it means “gratuitously; without cause.” God in us no cause to warrant forgiveness or the gift of mercy. Salvation is drawn from the deep well of God’s own storehouse.

           God is just in declaring us righteous who believe in Jesus. Justice has been served and the debt has been cancelled because Jesus took the punishment and paid the debt. The guilty are set free to sin no more.

           Guilt remains in our mind until we are able to believe and receive the righteousness of God by faith in Jesus. It continues until we are able to set ourselves free. Too many times we sit in the cell with the door wide open. Let us walk out into the sunshine of God’s love and mercy.

Lord, today my guilt is gone through your righteousness which is by faith in Jesus Christ. All I can say now is thank you. AMEN

PURSUE HOLINESS

PURSUE HOLINESS!

Heb 12:14-17

14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

           The word holiness is from two Greek words, ho hagiosmos. The first little word is a definite article and is equivalent to our word “the.” The other word is literally “purifier.” Once we learn the meaning of the words we can read it this way: follow the purifier. Now I see that I am not being commanded to produce holiness but to follow the one who is able to make me holy.

           A holy life is no accident. We do not carelessly or casually stumble upon holiness. We pursue it as a goal! Following peace with all men, and holiness, is intentional. This means that we make the pursuit of holiness a conscious aspiration. It requires diligence to run the race successfully lest we "fail of the grace of God" (Heb 12:15). God's grace does not fail, but we can fail to take advantage of His grace.

Esau certainly failed to act on God's grace. The account is given in Gen 25:27-34; 27:30-45. Esau was "a profane person," which means "a common person, one who lives for the world and not God." (Our English word literally means "outside the temple," or not belonging to God.) Esau despised his birthright and sold it to Jacob, and he missed the blessing because it was given to Jacob. Afterward, Esau tried to get Isaac to change his mind, but it was too late. Even Esau's tears availed nothing. (Warren Wiersbe)

The lives of individual Christians; even the worship of modern churches; have become more common than holy. Common pursuits give rise to common themes and produce only common results. Because personal holiness is a product of gradual development, the Bible is always encouraging us to be holy.

Eph 4:22-24

22 … put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

I Lay My Sins On Jesus

I lay my sins on Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God;
He bears them all, and frees us from the accursed load;
I bring my guilt to Jesus, to wash my crimson stains
White in His blood most precious, till not a stain remains.

Holy God, I am not holy! Please make me so by Thy grace. AMEN

LOYALTY

LOYALTY!

Prov 3:3-4

3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

Col 3:9-10

9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Phil 2:19-22

19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.

20 For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.

21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.

22 But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.

           You won’t find the words loyal or loyalty in the Bible. You will, however, find its cousins “mercy, truth, and faithful.” The concept of loyalty is sprinkled everywhere! In the Bible the word “faithful” means not only full of faith but also full of trust or “trustworthy.” You can count on the person who is faithful!

           Loyalty is hard to find these days unless we search for it in our love for ourselves. Marriages are on the decline because we are always trading partners. Many do not hold a job for very long because they are always searching for a better position.

           Josiah Royce in his 1908 book The Philosophy of Loyalty presented a different definition of the concept. According to Royce, loyalty is a virtue, indeed a primary virtue, "the heart of all the virtues, the central duty amongst all the duties". Royce presents loyalty, which he defines at length, as the basic moral principle from which all other principles can be derived. The short definition that he gives of the idea is that loyalty is "the willing and practical and thoroughgoing devotion of a person to a cause". Loyalty is thoroughgoing in that it is not merely a casual interest but a wholehearted commitment to a cause. (Source: Wikipedia)

           Christianity rejects the notion of dual loyalty. In the Gospel of Matthew 6:24, Jesus states "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon".

           In Naomi’s time of great need, Ruth displayed a loyalty that is a model yet today! In the book that bears her name, Ruth says: “Stop asking me to go back home! Where you go, I will go and whatever lodging you find, it is there I will pillow my head as well. Your people will be my people. And I will worship your God. In fact, I will die where you die!” (Ruth 1:16, 17)

           Today your church needs your loyalty! Your spouse needs you to be loyal. Your friends may now be in urgent need of your loyalty. God deserves your loyalty – because He is loyal to you.

I would be true, for there are those who trust me;
I would be pure, for there are those who care;
I would be strong, for there is much to suffer;
I would be brave, for there is much to dare;
I would be brave, for there is much to dare.

Dear Lord, let me be true and faithful in my relationships and causes. AMEN

THEIR VOICES PREVAILED

THEIR VOICES PREVAILED!

Luke 23:20-23

20 Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.

21 But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.

22 And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.

23 And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.

           The religious leaders could stomach no more of Jesus! They knew that the Romans cared noting for Jewish law so they presented a political indictment against Jesus with three charges: he perverted the nation, he refused to pay the poll tax, and he claimed to be a king.

           Pilate privately interrogated Jesus and determined he had committed no crime. This began a period of bargaining with the Jews and the volume of their voices elevated. Pilate decided to pass Jesus to another jurisdiction and sent him unto Herod but even Herod found Jesus to be harmless and returned him to Pilate.

           Jesus had been exonerated by two courts and yet the voices of the religious rose to a furious height. The exasperated Pilate finally succumbed to the voices!

           Looking at our own political landscape we see truth and righteousness shouted down by those who have no good argument. They win solely by their persistent shouts. So goodness is crucified on the cross of political correctness.

           Be careful of those things about which you are passionate. Use great caution when your position grows weak and must be bolstered by loud voices. You may discover you are on the wrong side of the argument.

James 3:16-17

16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

Dear Lord, when my passion causes me to shout let me give careful study to strength of my position. I would rather be quietly right than loudly wrong. AMEN

FLEE TO THE MOUNTAINS

FLEE TO THE MOUNTAINS!

Mark 13:14-19

14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:

15 And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house:

16 And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment.

17 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.

19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.

           The events described here take place in the future during the last half of the Great Tribulation. After the rapture and the departure of Christians, the world will produce a great world leader who will soothe the nerves and restore order after the chaos that the rapture will surely produce. The first three and a half years will be peaceful but this world leader will turn mean in the last half.

Dr. Harry Rimmer used to say, "Coming events cast their shadows before. Straight ahead lies yesterday!" The warnings in Mark 13:14-18 do not apply to believers today, but they do remind us that God's people in every age must know the prophetic Word and be prepared to obey God at any time. (from The Bible Exposition Commentary)

           Jesus warned us to be prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice. This warning has both current and future implications and is good advice at any time. Our troubling times cause us to wonder if we may need to implement emergency plans. It is a fearful thing for the weak and the elderly.

But there is also a spiritual preparation that must be considered. We must be sure of our salvation and we must stay close to Jesus because we may soon see Him face to face.

Matt 24:44

44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Dear Lord, give us wisdom to properly prepare for those things that are coming soon. AMEN

GOD LOOKS AT THE HEART

GOD LOOKS AT THE HEART!

1 Sam 16:6-12

6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD's anointed is before him.

7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.

11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.

12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.

           When the sons of Jesse passed in parade there were some pretty boys in the company. Eliab, the eldest was probably presented not only first but privately, ahead of the others. He must have been quite a specimen because Samuel concluded he must be the very chosen of God. But God doesn’t see as men.

           Dr. Mark Wessel observes this about God’s choices for His twelve apostles: “It was a strange group of men our Lord chose to be his disciples. Four of them were fishermen, one a hated tax collector, another a member of a radical and violent political party … all were laymen … Yet it was with these men that Jesus … disseminated his good news to the end of the earth.” (The Expositors Bible Commentary, volume 8, page 643)

Tradition says that Paul was a short man with an oozing eye disease. Paul comments on his own appearance in the following verse in which the word tapeinos is rendered base and signifies lowly or short of stature.

2 Cor 10:1

10:1 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:

           Little, red faced, David was the last son that Jesse considered to be of kingly quality but God did not look on his outward appearance. His heart was ready for a crown!

Dear Lord, I am neither tall nor handsome by most appraisals. Let me instead have a courageous heart and a beautiful spirit. Let me be pleasing in your sight. AMEN

WHO MAY ABIDE

WHO MAY ABIDE?

Ps 15:1

15 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?

           You may be aware that you are a traveler in life. The landscape is constantly changing as you move steadily toward your destination. You are also surely aware that travel is a wearying thing. There are hills to climb and valleys to descend and more potholes than anyone needs. We long for a place to camp.

           The Psalmist asked, “O LORD, who may stay in your tent?” The image here is describing a traveler who turns aside from the road to seek hospitality; like at a roadside rest stop. “Lord, who may rest in Your presence?”

The next question is: “Who may dwell in thy holy hill?” This speaks of permanent residence. Note that the first question is about abiding while the next question is about dwelling. One asks “can I spend the night” while the other asks permission to move in. The rest of the Psalm lists the qualifications.

Personal integrity -- “The one who walks with integrity, does what is righteous, and speaks the truth within his heart.”

Relational Faithfulness – “The one who does not slander with his tongue, do evil to a friend, or bring disgrace on his neighbor.”

Moral Strength – “The one who despises those rejected by God but honors those who fear the LORD.”

Sacrificial Dedication – “The one who makes a promise and does not break it, even though he is hurt by it.”

Financial Honesty – “The one who does not collect interest on a loan or take a bribe against an innocent person.”

Dear Lord, I am weary of traveling and need a place to stop and rest in your presence. Though I am unworthy, open your tent flap and allow me to enter. Change my destination so that my journey ends at your Holy Hill. AMEN

WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD SIN

WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD SIN?

Prov 30:20

20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.

Rom 7:22-25

22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

           Paul gives a tormented explanation of the inner struggle of the two natures of the saved man. On the one hand, he is still a fallen creature and the old sinful nature wars for dominance. On the other hand, he now has a new nature given to him by the infusion of the Holy Spirit at the time of his conversion. These two natures, or attitudes, remain in conflict throughout life.

           Paul uses the Greek word talaiporos, which literally means “miserable,” to describe the wretchedness of his struggle. He delights to do what is right. He enjoys agreeing with God in principle and in daily practice but he is constantly being challenged by the law of sin. One law seeks to liberate him and the other seeks his captivity.

           Many people use the device used by the adulterous woman in Proverbs 30:20. They sin and then simply claim that nothing wicked has been done. That is called denial and eventually it makes one’s conscience insensitive. “Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron” (1 Tim 4:2). In this case the sin remains but the sorrow because of it has departed.

           Sin is self-centeredness! Bill Temple puts it this way in his little book, Christianity in the Social Order, He says, "I am the center of the world I see. And where the horizon is depends on where I stand. Education may make my self-centeredness less disastrous by broadening my horizon of vision. It's like a man climbing a tower who sees further in terms of physical vision while remaining himself the center and the standard of reference. I am the center of the world I see." But God's order is that we love him with all our being, and then that we love our neighbor and put ourselves last. Sin is the reversal of that order.

           You are a sinner and so am I. How we “feel” about our sin reveals our relationship to God. Be very careful that you do not lose the “wretchedness” that sin produces.

Dear Lord, every day I struggle with sin. I can never lessen my vigilance against it. It is troublesome. It grieves me. May I always agree with You regarding sin. Cleanse me. Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. AMEN