Daily Encouragement

The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
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Tuesday, June 4, 2024

Shenk's Mill Covered Bridge
(Click on photo to enlarge)

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Sensitivity"}}

Message summary: Today, as God’s standards of morality are mocked and shrugged off by defiance or indifference, many have lost all sensitivity to evil. Let us not lose our sensitivity to evil.

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"They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. That, however, is not the way of life you learned" (Ephesians 4:18-20).

Brooksyne bought an interesting plant aptly named "sensitive plant" (Mimosa pudica). It's also known as sleepy plant, action plant, humble plant, touch-me-not, or shame plant. If you touch the leaves the leaves on the stem you touch immediately droop down and sometimes the entire stem drops down from an uplifted position. It is that sensitive to touch. But leave it alone for a few minutes and return to their proper position (see video below).

Although we should be sensitive to others and normally appreciate those who are, we've also met people who are overly sensitive and are easily offended. I recently heard a story about a man who was leading a group and saw several unfamiliar faces. He said "I see we have several strange faces with us this morning". He was using the word "strangers" for newcomers but as I understand the newcomers took it to mean he was saying they had strange faces and were personally offended!

In reality we can err in being too sensitive or not sensitive enough both in regard to how we treat others and how we respond to others.

Today let us consider a verse that speaks of losing sensitivity to God's moral standards, a condition that is pandemic in our age.

"Having lost all sensitivity" Other versions use phrases like:

"They have become callous" (ESV)

they no longer have any sense of shame" (GWN)

Their sense of right and wrong once dulled" (NJB)

"being past feeling" (KJV)

Pastor Steven Cole describes the gradual loss of sensitivity,

The first time a person commits a sin, he thinks, “I’ll just do it this once.” But, after he does it, his conscience bothers him. He feels guilty. But, the next time, it’s a bit easier. He rationalizes it by thinking, “Well, others do worse!” Each time, it becomes easier to sin as his conscience develops a spiritual callous. Finally, he gives himself over to sin with abandon. He has no shame about it.

The verse continues, "they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed". Today, as God’s standards of morality are mocked and shrugged off by defiance or indifference, we see this spiritual insensitivity and callousness toward evil growing at a fevered pitch. Thus we frankly ponder what the next frontier will be when that which is presently considered deviant becomes socially acceptable and then celebrated (although not by all). It may be something we can hardly imagine but just think about where we are now and that which was unimaginable only a few years ago, by Christian and non-Christian alike.

Just consider the moral anarchy in our own lifetime. More will always be needed, a new way of doing evil will have to be invented. This can be seen in so many of Satan's vices such as gambling, alcohol, drugs, pornography, and sexual immorality. Brooksyne recently heard on the Christian news about a drag queen in Australia invited to an elementary school who not only promoted her lifestyle as a drag queen but went on to introduce bestiality to the young students. Parents were up in arms, but who knows what's next around the pike.

Each vice so often begins with a "harmless", scaled down introduction but will so often become the master to many and take them where they never intended to go, keep them much longer than they ever intended to stay, and change them in ways they never expected.

Do people actually set goals for themselves to live in the gutter? No, of course not, but remember Satan distorts his evil plan so that, if we're not careful, even those who profess to follow Christ will be brought down.

"That, however, is not the way of life you learned". This is the last part of our Scripture selection today. Let's be on the look-out, avoid evil and walk in the path of righteousness. Let us not lose our sensitivity to evil.

Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, we're warned in Proverbs 4:27 that we must avoid evil and walk straight ahead, not taking one step off the right way. Help us to be sensitive to Your Holy Spirit that keeps us on track helping us to avoid that which would lead us astray from the righteous path laid out for us. We want to be sober and alert, never hardening our hearts but always seeking to be sensitive to that which You want to teach us so that we will fully conform to Your will for our lives. Amen.

Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources

Sensitive Plant (Mimosa pudica) short video

Yesterday I took another bike ride through the countryside along with a ride on the Lancaster Junction rail trail.
(Click on photo to enlarge)

Along the rail trail is an Amish farm and the children have a small stand selling seasonal veggies, plants, cut flowers and cold drinks, all on the honor system.

The tiger lilies are blooming!
(Click on photo to enlarge)

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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 and a variety of other versions.

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