Devotionals from Dad

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Everyone wants to be chosen. I have vivid memories from my childhood gym class. We would playing a game and needed to divide up and choose teams. First captains had to be chosen. Then one by one the captains would pick those that wanted on their team. Those who were the most physically gifted always got picked first. I was never the first one to be chosen, but I usually wasn't the last. I must say it was brutal for those who were the last to be chosen. One by one the captains would pick their teams until there were only 2 children standing side by side. Once the there was only one person left you could hear the disappointment in the captains voice and he or she would say, I guess I will take Johnnie. It is not much different for adults. Sometimes as adults we are seeking awards for a job well done or maybe it is a promotion at work that we just must have. So what does the bible say about being chosen.

Matthew 22:14 NKJV For many are called, but few are chosen.

This verse is the conclusion to the Parable of the Wedding Feast. Jesus spoke this parable to show what the kingdom of heaven will be like when the end of the age comes. In the parable, the king sends his servants out to gather the wedding guests to the wedding feast. But those invited refused to come, some because they were too busy with their own worldly pursuits and some because they were positively hostile toward the king. So the king commands his servants to go out and invite anyone they find, and many come and fill the wedding hall. But the king sees one man without wedding clothes, and he sends him away. Jesus concludes by saying that many are called/invited to the kingdom, but only those who have been “chosen” and have received Christ will come. Those who try to come without the covering of the blood of Christ for their sins are inadequately clothed and will be sent into outer darkness, or hell. Many people hear the call of God But only a few will respond because they are the ones who are truly hearing. If you have placed your faith in God it is because he chose you first, before the even the foundations of the earth were created. You weren't God's last choice. He did settle for you because there were no other options. 

Ephesians 1:4-6 NIV For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to son-ship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 

How do we know if we are among the few that chosen? By responding to the call from the Holy Spirit. If we listen with our spiritual ears and respond to the invitation, there will be fear and trembling in our souls as we recognize that it was God’s work in us that caused our salvation. God is still calling us to be His. He has called us from the ends of the earth and has chosen us and not rejected us. God sent His son Jesus to die for us so that we would be redeemed and become his children.

John 1:12 NIV Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

We may be forgotten by others, not chosen, but we are not forgotten by God. No matter what we’ve done, Jesus has already paid the price and has given us an opportunity to live a new life. No matter what you have done in your past God can still use you. Paul used to kill Christians but God still chose to use Paul. 

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I think it goes without saying sometimes life is so difficult, it may even seem impossible. When I was a single father one day I decided I just didn't have the energy to fix my 3 girls dinner so I took them out to eat at Subway. The older two girls Samantha and Sophia were standing on their tip toes looking over the countertop trying to decide what toppings they wanted on their sandwiches and Sara was in my arms. I looked at Sara and I asked her what she wanted and she looked at me and said, Daddy I don't feel good. Then she puked all down the front of my shirt. I learned that day just exactly what those glass shields were for at Subway. I took Sara and myself to the bathroom and cleaned us up the best I could then went back out and finished ordering our dinner. Needless to say our order was to go that day. 

When I was 23 years old I had a little boy named, Jerry Craig. When he was born he had a very rare genetic birth defect that caused him to have no platelets so he was a bleeder and he also had nearly no immune system. He lived 3 months before passing away. Eighteen months later I had another little boy, Levi Blake, who was still born. I was so overwhelmed with all the details of arranging the funeral services and caring for the rest of my grieving family that I didn't even realize that my still born son had been born on fathers day. At times life can seem so impossible! Abraham was 75 years old and had no children yet God told him that he would be the father of many nations. If that didn't seem impossible enough when his son Isaac was born God asked him to offer his son as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah. 

Genesis 22: 1-2 NIV Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”

So what are we to do when God seems to be giving us a mission impossible task? Trust and Obey! When God calls you to an impossible assignment, the first response you need to have is trust. You need to trust, that God will carry you through the assignment to completion. You need to trust that he will be with you each step of the way. The second response is obedience, doing what God has called you to do. Trust that doesn’t move can’t be trusted! Obedience without trust leads to grumbling. But trust that wears the shoes of obedience is powerful. 

Luke 1:37 NKJV For with God nothing will be impossible. 

Maybe one of the greatest, “Mission Impossible” moments happened more than 2,000 years ago, a young woman from the town of Nazareth named Mary was visited by an angel named Gabriel. The Angel Gabriel told her that she would have a son named Jesus, who would be God's Son. Mary wondered how this was possible since she had not been with a man. 

Luke 1:34-36 NIV How will this be, Mary asked the angel, since I am a virgin? The angel answered, The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month.

So how did Mary respond to her Mission Impossible moment? She was obedient and said, I am the Lord’s servant.

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Have you ever wondered what the greatest miracle ever recorded in the bible might be? The greatest miracles in the bible would be different depending on who you ask. Is the greatest miracle in the bible the day the sun stood still for Joshua? Is it the parting of the Red Sea in Exodus? Is it the movement of the sun’s shadow backward ten steps in Isaiah? The resurrection of Christ recorded in Matthew must be in the top 5 at least. Is it the feeding of 5,000 in Mark? Or maybe the greatest miracle in the Bible is the creation of the world, in Genesis. Here is a miracle I bet you have never even considered a miracle. The divine inspiration of the bible itself. If I hand picked 10 people and told them that together we were going to write a book. Each one of us is going to be responsible for a chapter. None of us are allowed to speak to each other about our writings and none of us are told what topic we are to write about. Then I tell you that you have 1 year to write your chapter, then turn it into me and I will assemble our book. I guarantee you that our book would be nothing more than helter skelter ramblings that make absolutely no sense at all, but not so with the bible! Ultimately, the Bible was written by God. Second, Timothy tells us that the Bible was “breathed out” by God. God inspired the human authors of the Bible so that, while using their own writing styles and personalities, they still recorded exactly what God intended. The Bible was not dictated by God, but it was perfectly guided and entirely inspired by Him!

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 

Humanly speaking, the Bible was written by approximately 40 men of diverse backgrounds over the course of 1500 years. Isaiah was a prophet, Ezra was a priest, Matthew was a tax-collector, John was a fisherman, Paul was a tent maker, Moses was a shepherd, Luke was a physician. Despite being penned by different authors over 15 centuries, the Bible does not contradict itself and does not contain any errors. The authors all present different perspectives, but they all proclaim the same one true God, and the same one way of salvation, Jesus Christ. Over centuries, billions of people have read the Bible. Scholars have spent their lives studying it. Rabbis, ministers and priests have focused on interpreting, teaching and preaching from its pages. The Bible has also influenced architecture. This can be seen in the design of churches and cathedrals, where elements such as height, light, and arrangement of space are used to symbolize the transcendence of God and heavenly. Many churches and cathedrals are famous for their beautiful stained-glass windows that show stories from the Bible. The Bible has also had an unmatched influence on literature. It has been translated into nearly 700 languages, and while exact sales figures are hard to come by, it’s widely considered to be the world’s best-selling book. There’s another miracle that we must include in the list of the greatest miracles of the Bible. It’s a miracle that happens every day, as God takes a rebellious sinner, forgives his sin, grants him life, lavishes him with grace, adopts him as a child, and seals him for all of eternity, all because of the death and resurrection of Christ. Praise the Lord for the miracle of salvation! 

 Ephesians 1:13-14 NIV And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. 

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Are you aware of God's presence in your daily life? The reality is that God is always with us. But we don't always recognize Him. We see Him when we read the Bible or go to church, but we overlook His presence in the small details of our days and we never think God is present with us when we are compromising our faith. In those moments when you are viewing something on the internet that you shouldn't or your laughing with your friends at that inappropriate joke or when your listening to the latest juicy gossip about someone how would you react if you looked over your shoulder and you saw Jesus looking at you? What expression would be on his face? 

Jeremiah 23:24 NIV Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the Lord. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord. 

Whether we want to accept it or not, God is omnipresent, meaning he is everywhere all the time. I like to use the KISS method when explaining things and I think the sign in our church nursery bathroom best explains what it means to be omnipresent it says; “Jesus and germs are everywhere, so wash your hands and say your prayers!” Every aspect of our lives should be impacted by the omnipresence of God. Your thoughts, your decisions, your words, your actions, your relationships, absolutely every thing you do, say and even think! God is always present with us. When we put our faith in Jesus, God gives us His Spirit, who dwells with us and in us.

 John 14: 16-17 NIV And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 

This verse tells us that God, through the power of the Holy Spirit is not just standing behind you - looking over your shoulder, He is living inside you! He is inside your head and he knows your thoughts before even you do. I don't know about you but that scares me to death, the fact that God knows my every thought not only scares me, it embarrasses and humbles me! Knowing now that God is not just there looking over your shoulder, He is inside your head, shouldn't that change everything we do? Unfortunately in the stress and rush of everyday life it is easy for us to forget God's omnipresence and it can be difficult for us to remember or even recognize God's presence. Satin uses the chaos of our lives to drown out the voice of God, and he is very subtle and good at it. The Holy Spirit isn’t just some wimpy, mystical idea. He is God Himself, and He comes to live in us when we put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ. As believers, we have direct access to God’s presence. We can speak with Him like speaking to a friend any time we want to, because He’s right there with us and inside us! You don’t have to depend on your own effort to get closer to God, because He’s already made the effort to get as close to you as He can get, He is inside you! So when life seems chaotic and turbulent, just remember that the God that spoke all of creation into existence is living inside you!

Isaiah 43:2 NIV When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. 

Wherever your are, whatever you are doing, whatever your are thinking just remember God is right there with you!

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Let's use our imagination for just a few minutes. Imagine you are on an overnight business trip. Your employer puts you up for the night in a very nice motel. The room is on the fourth floor. You settle int, watch a little TV then decide to turn in early for the night because you know your going to have a full day tomorrow. In the middle of the night you are startled awake by an ear piercing loud alarm. You instantly sit straight up in bed. You rub your eyes and try to figure out what is going on. You make your way to the door, open it up and look out into the hallway. In the hallway are strobing lights in addition to the blaring alarm. With each strobe of light you see that the hallway is filling up with smoke. You go back into your room put on your shoes and grab your essentials. Once back out in the hallway, you make your way down the hallway towards the elevator and staircase. As you look around the corner towards the exit you realize it is blocked and you see it's fully engulfing in flames, both the staircase and elevator, so you make your way back to your room. Once in your room again you go over to the balcony, slide the glass door open and look outside. As your surveying the situation you see that the building is fully engulfed in flames. Emergency vehicles are gathering on the street below, which looks like organized chaos. Using your cell phone you call 911 and tell the operator the floor and room your in. The 911 operator tells you to remain calm help is on the way. A few minutes pass by, which feel like an eternity, when finally a fire fighter on a ladder shows up at your balcony. He tells you to make your way to his ladder that he is going to get you down. You go to the edge of the balcony and the space between the railing and his ladder to you seems to be to great and your tell the firefight you can't get to him. He assures you that you can. As your climbing over the railing you look down at the street below and your are overwhelmed with fear because of the height. So you begin arguing with the man who is there to save you. You ask is the only way! He assures you that this is the one and only way to salvation and that if you do not follow him you will perish in the flames! Finally after much fear and trepidation you yield your will to the one who has came to save you. 

John 14:6 NIV Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 

This story illistrates the way the lost world approaches receiving salvation, there simply must be another way! A survey conducted by an Arizona Christian University found that a majority of people who describe themselves as Christian (52%) accept a works-oriented means to God’s acceptance. The study found that huge proportions of people associated with churches whose official doctrine says eternal salvation comes only from accepting Jesus Christ as savior believe that a person can qualify for Heaven by being or doing good. That includes close to half of all adults associated with Pentecostal (46%), mainline Protestant (44%), and Evangelical churches (41%). A much larger share of Catholics (70%) embraced that point of view. 54% of U.S. adults believe they will get to Heaven after they die and only 2% believe they are going to hell. As Americans we are abandoning our moral standards and traditions, and replacing them with inclusive and conditional preferences and practices in an effort to not offend anyone who may not believe the truth of the bible. 

Matthew 7: 13-14 NIV Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. 

There is only one way to heaven, Admit, Believe and Confess that Jesus Christ died for your sins!

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The Ten Commandments. Every major religion embraces them. Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, Jehovah’s Witness, Catholics and Christians. Even people who are not religious acknowledge the ten commandments. The phrase written in stone is a reference to Exodus 38:18 where God gave Moses the 10 Commandments on two tablets of stone. The Ten Commandments are a basic moral code that most people would say they agree with. So how many of the commandments can you name? Gotcha.... Most of you are thinking, don’t murder, don't steal, something about adultery, I think God's doesn't like that, obey your parents, I think that is one, maybe God helps those that help themselves. The Ten Commandments is the most influential document of all time that no one really knows. I can name all 7 of the castaways from the sitcom Gilligan's Island; there is the Skipper, Gilligan, the Professor, Mary Ann, Ginger, Thurston and Lovey Howell. So what has had more influence on my life, Gilligan's Island or the Ten Commandments? We would all agree that the ten commandments are a great moral compass that we should follow, but somehow they have slipped off our radar screen. Let's focus on just two of them, how about we start with the very first one. You shall have no other God.

Exodus 20: 3-5 NIV You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me.

When we read in the bible about the Israelites making a golden calf it’s easy to think, “I’m off the hook on this one. No golden cow in my backyard. What really is an idol? An idol is anything you look at and say, If I have that, then I’ll feel like my life has meaning. I will feel secure. Or from the other side of the coin. That thing in my life that is so valuable if I lose it, my life would not be worth living. So you may not have a golden cow in your yard, but what about money? Is it that one thing that if you had it you would feel like your life had meaning or you would feel more secure or the opposite without money you feel insecure, like life is not worth living. So let' move on to one more commandment. 

Exodus 20:14 NIV You shall not commit adultery. 

This is one that is so overlooked. Most people would frown on someone having an affair with another married person, but adultery is much more than the physical act, or should I say it is much less than the physical act. It is the lustful look, the leering glance, the secret lustful thought, the imagined act. Of all the commandments you might break, the sin of adultery, is the most slippery. So how do we obey the Ten Commandments if we can't even remember them? Very simple, just love God and love your neighbor!

 Matthew 22: 36-40 NIV Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.

If you love God you won't have any idols or use God's name in vain, you will keep the sabbath holy and you will honor your father and mother... If you love your neighbor, you won't kill anyone, commit adultery, steal, bear false witness, or covet your neighbors stuff. So just love God and your neighbor and the rest is easy!

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Nearly every year in the fall, after the leaves have fallen I rake them up into a large pile and burn them. This year I had an especially large pile of leaves. It was about 6 foot wide by 20 foot long and 3 foot deep. I set the leaves on fire and stood by with a garden hose and a shovel to ensure the fire didn't get away from me. The fire was especially hot and I had to back away because I got to close and singed my eyebrows. In the beginning the pile of leaves looked very large but it was consumed by the flames in just under 30 minutes. Burning leaves marks the end of a season for me and a transition into a new season. The bible tells us that the heavens and earth are being reserved for a day when it will be cleansed by fire marking the beginning of an new season.

2 Peter 3:7 NIV By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 

The very God Who created the world is the same Almighty God who has promised a great, final, fiery judgment upon this fallen world. This fire will be a cleansing, purifying flame that will sweep across the earth and heavens, and bring an end to all wickedness. It is hard for many to imagine that a day is coming when the world as we know it, will be utterly destroyed. Many scholars believe that the earth as we know it will be destroyed by nuclear weapons. What happened in Hiroshima during World War II is only a microcosm of what could take place in the future. Today’s nuclear weapons are far more powerful than their World War II era weapons. In addition, enough nuclear weapons now exist to destroy the entire planet several times over. Our God is all powerful and if He chooses to use man to destroy himself then that is what will happen. I personally believe that God will destroy the heavens and the earth with an atomic explosion but I don't think it will happen because man started a nuclear war and here is why I believe that. All of creation is made up of atoms. An atom is made of 3 parts, positively charged protons, negatively charged neutrons and electrons which hold the atom together and keep the balance between the positive and negatively charged particles. A strong nuclear force holds together the protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom. That force overcomes the repulsive force between the positively and the negatively charged particles. When the bond between particles in the nucleus is broken, a large amount of energy is released, a nuclear explosion. The bible clearly tells us the God holds all things together, even the atom.
 
Colossians 1:16-17 NIV For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

In my humble opinion when God decides to destroy the heavens and earth with fire he won't need to rely on man, He will just release his hold on creation and it will destroy itself. God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But for those who do not come to repentance, who do not come to surrender their lives to the Lord, judgment will come. 

2 Peter 3:10 NIV But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. 

The Bible does not specifically mention nuclear war by name, but this certainly sounds like it. The judgment of God could come in cosmic fashion. It could come as a result of human war or it could come as a direct divine judgment from God Himself!

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The Biblical account of David and Goliath is one of the most popular stories from scripture. It is a lesson of courage, faith, and overcoming what seems impossible. The nation of Israel was called to fight the Philistine army. The two armies gathered on opposite sides of a deep valley. A giant named Goliath, came to the front of the battle line every day for forty days and mocked the Israelites. Goliath called to them to fight, but King Saul and the Israelites were scared and did nothing. David was sent by his dad Jesse to visit the front lines and bring back battle news from his brothers. David heard Goliath mocking Israel and God, so David volunteered to fight Goliath. He persuaded King Saul to let him go fight and decided not to wear any of King's armor. David carried his sling and gathered five smooth stones. Goliath laughed at David. David put a rock in his sling and threw it at Goliath's head. The rock sank into the giant's forehead, and he fell. David then picked up Goliath's sword and used it to cut off his head. I tell you this bible story to ask you an important question. What do you think was the most difficult moment for David? Was it gathering the five smooth stones? Maybe it was telling Saul he did not want to wear his armor? Was it slinging the rock or maybe it was running up to Goliath in front of the Philistine army and using Goliath's sword to cut off his head? That had to be the most difficult moment, right?... No, in my humble opinion the most difficult moment is the moment right before you decide to place all you faith in God and follow the Holy Spirit with all your heart and soul. The moment just before David placed the stone in the sling had to be the most difficult moment! Up until that moment David could have had a change of heart and likely Saul and all the soldiers of the Israelite army would have not have been surprised by his running away. Once David fully surrendered to the Holy Spirit the rest was easy.

 1 Samuel 17: 48-49 NIV As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground. 

This bible story reminds us of the courage we can have when our faith is placed entirely in God. At some point we all face giants. Have you ever identified the giants in your life? Fear, doubt and temptation are giants. Worry is a big giant for many of us. So is depression, bitterness and pride. I could go on but I think you get the point. That moment you stand face to face with the giant in you life, that is that most difficult moment! Will you place you faith fully in God, will you try to face down your giant in your own strength or will you try to ignore it, run and hide. For every giant there is a solution. The solution is the Lord. Jesus is bigger than any giant that will ever come your way. The devil tries to makes us forget how big our God is so he can magnify the giant you are facing. David used 5 stones to defeat Goliath. God led Him to do that. Your giants can also be defeated. God will show you what “5 stones” to use. One of them is definitely prayer. The Word of God is another stone. Push that giant out by using the Word of God. Gratitude is another stone that strengthens us and helps us stay in God’s will. Another stone could be praise and worship. Praise and worship are powerful and can bring us into the presence of the Lord and fill us with his Holy Spirit.

John 16:33 NIV I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

The moment you stand face to face with the giant in your life and you seem to be holding on by thread just make sure that the thread is in the hem of the garment of Jesus, and you will be able to overcome your giant.

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I have to admit there are few things I enjoy more than “Fair Food!” Even though the cuisine created at the local fair may be a heart attacking looking it's next victim it is oh so good! Few things are better than a good old fashion corn dog on a stick or caramel apple or deep fried Twinkies. But it is hard to beat the classic cotton candy. In case you were wondering, machine-spun cotton candy was actually invented back in 1897 by dentist William Morrison and confectioner John C. Wharton, who debuted it at the 1904 World's Fair as “Fairy Floss.” Everyone has there own favorite way to eat this sinfully sweat delicious treat, but I like to grab a large handful, open my mouth as wide as humanly possible and just shove it in. Cotton candy give me and instant sugar high and that large handful of spun sugar melts so fast in your mouth that is leaves you wanting more and more. So I continue just stuffing it in my mouth. It never seems to fully satisfy me, I just want more and more. Then finally after over indulging my desire for this sweet treat, I suddenly start feeling sick to my stomach. Sin is a lot like cotton candy. In the moment sin can be very sweet and satisfying, but the momentary satisfaction never lasts. 

Hebrews 11: 25-26 NIV He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 

Sin can feel good for a time. Whether it be eating what we shouldn’t, gossiping or looking at stuff on the internet, there can be a temporary thrill involved that obscures the true nature of the what we are doing. It can feel good even pleasurable for a short time, but since it is sin there are always consequences. Sin can taste sweet to our flesh for a season, but the Bible promises the wages of sin is death!

Romans 6:23 NIV For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Sin often seems awesome for a time. It can be shiny, tasty, attractive and sweet, just like cotton candy, sin can tastes good initially to get us hooked. It uses its power to try to get us to ignore the warnings of the Holy Spirit prompting us to flee for our lives. To run from the sweet temptation of sin. We have a choice we can either keep on going past it or dive headlong into it. Once we taste the sin, it is hard to turn away….it is just so sweet. Just like cotton candy we know to much sugar is not good for us, but we just cant stop because it tastes so good. Yet, no matter how good it tastes, sinful behavior is always filled with poison. It is a trap meant to kill us.

 Galatians 5: 19-21 NIV The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

Sin is enticing, Sin can taste good initially, Sin can be intoxicating but it always kills in the end. The good news is we can turn away at any time. Jesus died to give us that freedom. God always provides us a way to escape. 

1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 

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I really enjoy playing practical jokes on my wife and once in a while she tries to do the same to me as well. Joyce frequently likes to hide the bath towel from me while I am in the shower. Once she thought it would be funny to fill a pitcher full of cold water and then dump it over my head while I was in the shower. As she was laughing out loud at my demise I informed her that if you mess with the big dog you will get bitten every time. So I began planning my revenge. I told her that she needed to sleep with one eye open because when she least expected it I would exact my revenge. About a week later I seized my opportunity. The garden hose was connected to the hydrant on the front of the house. I turned it on and let it run until the warm water was out of the hose and it was running ice cold. Then I drug the hose through the living room, hallway and into the bathroom. I climbed up on the toilet so that I would be sure not to miss my target and then I unleashed the cold water. Joyce screamed at the top of her lungs and did her best to get out of the stream of cold water but I kept it coming until my revenge was complete!!! Revenge for most of us is almost like an involuntary reflex reaction. You’ve got to admit, it’s almost automatic. If someone pushes you, the natural response is to immediately push back. Of course, some don’t respond immediately. You’ve heard the saying, "Revenge is a dish best served cold.” If they did it to you, you should do it to them worse! The Bible tell us to deny our automatic, natural response to get revenge. Needless to say, this is very hard to do. 

 Romans 12: 18-19 NIV If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 

The Apostle Paul says in Romans chapter 12, bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Do not take revenge. On the contrary: If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. Paul’s plea here is not to pretend that it doesn’t hurt, or to convince yourself it’s not that big of a deal. No, it does hurt, and it is a big deal. It’s one thing to not plan your revenge against that person that has hurt you, but the Bible says to takes it one step further: not only don’t get your revenge, but actively bless those that have hurt you. If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

Romans 12: 20-21 NIV On the contrary: If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

It’s one thing to forgive someone and not seek to get your revenge, but can you imagine doing something that will bless or help the person who hurt you? To repay evil with evil is to immediately lose the battle to evil. The only way to defeat evil is by doing good to the one who has done you harm. In other words, if you hate a person who has wronged you, then that person has won! I have to admit that I don't do a good job and blessing those how have hurt me. I struggle. To be honest, that’s why I go to church, to be reminded of these things, and to encouraged. As Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. God causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. So the next time your plotting your best revenge, stop instead and pray a blessing over those who have hurt you. The best revenge is no revenge at all!!!

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