A
daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and
exhortation.
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
Monday,
January 13,
2020
(Last week
our friend, Lamar Dourte, took this photo of swans that
blended in nicely with the pure white landscape. Lamar is
a gifted musician who leads the choir at Pleasant View
Retirement Community and shares his ministry talent with
senior care homes in our area and other venues as well.)
"Sin's
Crouching"
Message summary: Stand firm, my brothers and sisters. Resist the enemy who seeks to do evil and engage the Holy Spirit who seeks to mature us in the faith.
Listen
to this
message on your audio player."Then the LORD said to Cain, 'Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it'" (Genesis 4:6,7).
Last
evening I, Brooksyne, had a long distance phone
conversation with a godly mother whose daughter, Sue*,
has been an alcoholic for many years resulting in her
being cut off from any contact with her former husband
and three children over the last decade. I had met Sue
in the context of our chaplain service at a local
hotel where she served as a housekeeper.
But over
the past two years she was on a good track and was
experiencing the good things that come from choosing
abstinence and once again was visiting with her
children and now her grandchildren. I had learned
about this change in her life some time back but had
overall lost touch following her move to another
state.
Sadly, I
learned during my lengthy phone conversation with her
mother that Sue is once again caught up in the agony
of alcoholism, even attempting suicide, and once again
in bad relations with her children. Her mother, ever
hopeful that Sue will once and for all lay down the
poison, grieved aloud that her daughter has never made
a confession of faith though she attended church from
childhood into her young adult years. She even
attended Christian schools growing up.
Sue had
told me the same thing during our counseling sessions
years ago. Somehow she just can't bring herself to
acknowledge that she needs the Lord to guide her life
and show her how to overcome the evil one. Not only is
there forgiveness when one comes to Christ, but the
Spirit teaches us how to discern that which is from
God for our good and that which comes from Satan who
is bent on destroying our lives, along with those we
love most.
I prayed
over the phone with this dear mother believing God to
remove the strongholds in Sue's life so that she will
finally come to a place of repentance and acknowledge
her need for Christ in her life. That would be a great
start for dealing with the wiles of the enemy.
This
first record of temptation and sin among Adam's fallen
descendants is our daily text. It provides a pattern
of how sin works in the lives of all of Adam's
children and reveals the tragic consequences for the
transgressor, Cain.
As we note the progression we see a caution for our own lives as redeemed believers. We are again so powerfully reminded of the need to stand firm in our faith. We must call on God for His sustaining grace to resist the sin that results when we give into the daily temptations Satan hurls at us.
"If you do what is right" - God has revealed His will for our lives so we can know the right way. We have many other Scriptures telling us the right way, "He hath showed thee" (Micah 6:8); "This is the way, walk ye in it" (Isaiah 30:21); "This is the will of God" (1 Thessalonians 4:3). Truly His "Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105).
"Will you not be accepted?" Foundationally being accepted by God begins by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. This is God's appointed means of beginning to "do what is right." Then we pursue the things of God, growing in His grace and knowledge. "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good" (Titus 2:11-14).
"But if you do not do what is right." God's warnings are expressions of His love. When we violate God's will as revealed in His Word, we give the enemy a foothold in our lives for further activity and progression of sin. A grim outcome is revealed in Ephesians that describes the latter stages of this progression: "Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more" (Ephesians 4:19). With the flood of evil, pornography and sexual perversions of all sorts sweeping through our world many are at this stage. Deeper and deeper depths of depravity can be expected and the evil acts that accompany it.
"Sin is crouching at your door." The word for "crouching" conveys the posture of a four legged animal as it prepares to attack its prey. That's the nature of sin and its crouched position is persistent. We must ever be alert, practice self-control, and stand firm, for our "enemy prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8).
"It desires to have you." Sin continues its desire to enslave you and me. A foundational step in overcoming sin is realizing this. You do well to recognize the enemy's tactic since he desires to have you as well.
"But you must master it." In the New Testament Paul wrote, "For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace" (Romans 6:14). In the pursuit of godliness we must, by God's grace, master our sinful nature, something as descendants of Adam we all share.
We often hear the phrase, "No one is perfect" and, yes, that is true. Only God is perfect. But we can be a righteous people if Christ lives in us, if we apply the Scriptures to our lives, and if we resist the "charm" or deceit of our enemy. Stand firm, my brothers and sisters. Resist the enemy who seeks to do evil and engage the Holy Spirit who seeks to mature us in the faith.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Jesus, thank You for Your
indwelling Spirit that replaces my sinful nature
with that of a spiritual nature. I no longer
desire the temporary pleasures the world offers,
but even as I walk in Your ways year after year,
I'm keenly aware that sin is crouching at the
door of my heart, always ready to make
habitation if invited to come in. Alert my eyes
to the strategic warfare of Satan. I want to be
vigilant in guarding my heart against his
cunning assault. I want to heed the many
warnings You give us in Scripture as well as
godly messengers who keep watch over my soul.
With Your blood applied to the doorpost of my
heart, I am purified by Your holiness, and want
to stand firm to the end! Amen.
As we note the progression we see a caution for our own lives as redeemed believers. We are again so powerfully reminded of the need to stand firm in our faith. We must call on God for His sustaining grace to resist the sin that results when we give into the daily temptations Satan hurls at us.
"If you do what is right" - God has revealed His will for our lives so we can know the right way. We have many other Scriptures telling us the right way, "He hath showed thee" (Micah 6:8); "This is the way, walk ye in it" (Isaiah 30:21); "This is the will of God" (1 Thessalonians 4:3). Truly His "Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105).
"Will you not be accepted?" Foundationally being accepted by God begins by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. This is God's appointed means of beginning to "do what is right." Then we pursue the things of God, growing in His grace and knowledge. "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good" (Titus 2:11-14).
"But if you do not do what is right." God's warnings are expressions of His love. When we violate God's will as revealed in His Word, we give the enemy a foothold in our lives for further activity and progression of sin. A grim outcome is revealed in Ephesians that describes the latter stages of this progression: "Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more" (Ephesians 4:19). With the flood of evil, pornography and sexual perversions of all sorts sweeping through our world many are at this stage. Deeper and deeper depths of depravity can be expected and the evil acts that accompany it.
"Sin is crouching at your door." The word for "crouching" conveys the posture of a four legged animal as it prepares to attack its prey. That's the nature of sin and its crouched position is persistent. We must ever be alert, practice self-control, and stand firm, for our "enemy prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8).
"It desires to have you." Sin continues its desire to enslave you and me. A foundational step in overcoming sin is realizing this. You do well to recognize the enemy's tactic since he desires to have you as well.
"But you must master it." In the New Testament Paul wrote, "For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace" (Romans 6:14). In the pursuit of godliness we must, by God's grace, master our sinful nature, something as descendants of Adam we all share.
We often hear the phrase, "No one is perfect" and, yes, that is true. Only God is perfect. But we can be a righteous people if Christ lives in us, if we apply the Scriptures to our lives, and if we resist the "charm" or deceit of our enemy. Stand firm, my brothers and sisters. Resist the enemy who seeks to do evil and engage the Holy Spirit who seeks to mature us in the faith.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Jesus, thank You for Your
indwelling Spirit that replaces my sinful nature
with that of a spiritual nature. I no longer
desire the temporary pleasures the world offers,
but even as I walk in Your ways year after year,
I'm keenly aware that sin is crouching at the
door of my heart, always ready to make
habitation if invited to come in. Alert my eyes
to the strategic warfare of Satan. I want to be
vigilant in guarding my heart against his
cunning assault. I want to heed the many
warnings You give us in Scripture as well as
godly messengers who keep watch over my soul.
With Your blood applied to the doorpost of my
heart, I am purified by Your holiness, and want
to stand firm to the end! Amen.*Sue
is a fictional name but a very real person.
Today's
Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"Rescue Story"
Video
Zach Williams
Finally today:
This
morning Sadie decided to tear
open the package of New Year's
napkins and set up a party for
her and Mollie. Either she's
decided to have a late New
Year's party for 2020 or a
very early one for 2021. She
may have also been hinting at
receiving a few dog treats in
the middle of her napkin
spread!
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
© Copyright 2020 Stephen C. & Brooksyne
Weber - All Rights Reserved
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA