“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee” (Psalm 119:11 KJV). Perfect sentiment. Not just rule keeping — Thou shalt, Thou shalt not — but maintaining our sacred relationship with God. We often confuse rote memory of Scripture with hiding God’s Word in our heart because it helped us to encourage our children to memorize Scripture — which is still important. But, we always knew hiding God’s Word in our heart meant more. Our relationship to the person of God is our relationship with the Word of God. A physical Bible is not our relationship. An intellectual Bible is not the goal. A living relationship with the One Who Is the Word is our quest (John 1:1; Revelation 19:13). Only then can we achieve the Psalmist’s goal — “that I might not sin against Thee” (119:11). Sin prevention is only possible through absolute dependence upon God Himself. “Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth” (John 17:17). Father, You are worthy of our deepest love, for You care for us. You gave us Your Son. You know our relationship to You must be protected from the corrosiveness of sin. May we learn to cling to You harder than any abstract attempt of memorizing Scripture, hoping that will be enough to prevent sin. Break through the false assumptions of sin prevention by merely reading or memorizing Scripture. Cause us to have a living, vibrant relationship with You that prevents the presence of sin. Lord Jesus, return quickly. Amen.
Sin
My Servant Jōb
We don’t say it, but it’s hard not to feel, it wasn’t fair for Job, a “perfect” man (Job 1:8 KJV) by God’s own estimation, to be subjected to all the pain, suffering, and deprivation he endured at the hands of the satan. But, doesn’t God the Judge determine what is fair? The same kind of thinking was voiced about the blind man in the NT. “Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him” (John 9:2-3). The Almighty never apologized to Job and said, ‘I did it to win a bet with the satan.’ After the Almighty responded out of the whirlwind, Job could only say, “Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:3, 6). LORD, may we be as Your servant Job. Amen.
Cure for Fear
“What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee” (Psalm 56:3 KJV). Better than whistling a happy tune, because the One we trust is greater than anything that can harm us. David didn’t stop there, but went on. “In God I will praise His word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me” (56:4). In God We Trust may only sound like an advertising slogan minted on coins, but true confidence in God is deceptively powerful. Faith is so effective an antidote for fear, the enemy mocks and trivializes it in hope the godly will be lulled into a false sense of “maybe this is too simple to work.” Exactly. Because it is not about us, but about whom we are trusting. Almighty God. “Is any thing too hard for the LORD?” (Genesis 18:14).
Conscience: God Speaking in Our Thoughts
Conscience is God communicating with everyone’s thoughts. Of course, we can stifle and overrule conscience, but not without injuring ourselves and becoming less able to hear God. Perhaps the best way to understand the voice of God speaking to us is the promised Holy Spirit quickening our conscience. “And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on Me; Of righteousness, because I go to My Father, and ye see Me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged” (John 16:8-11 KJV). The Holy Spirit admonishes us about sin, righteousness, and judgment through our thoughts. Because we are loath to admit ourselves to be of so tender conscience, we resist. Thus, ourselves, our families, our churches, and society become hardened and jaded to our own hurt.
Antisemitism Is Not New
Antisemitism is hatred of the Jewish people, but even Jehovah hates His people, when they become arrogant and sin. “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward [or, perverse] mouth, do I hate” (Proverbs 8:13 KJV). Satan especially hates the nation of Israel because God set His love upon Israel to bless them as a people representing Himself to the nations. “I say then, Have they [Israel] stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them [Israel] to jealousy” (Romans 11:11 KJV).
Prayer and Fasting
Diogenes looked for an honest man, but can one be found without the baggage of past sins? Jesus diagnosed His disciples’ failure to cast out a demon. “This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting” (Mark 9:29 KJV). Forgotten wrongs by family members, church members, community members, or members of a nation, must be acknowledged, confessed, repented of, forgiveness given (if being withheld), and restitution made (where possible), before God can bless. “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?” (Isaiah 58:6 KJV).
We Need A Miracle 