Sin is the great spoiler of all God's works.

Sin is the great spoiler of all God's works. Sin turned an archangel into an arch-fiend, and angels of light into spirits of evil. Sin looked on Eden and withered all its flowers. Ere sin had come the Creator said of the new-made earth, "It is very good"; but when sin had entered, it grieved God at his very heart that he had made such a creature as man. Nothing tarnishes beauty so much as sin, for it mars God's image and erases his superscription.

Moreover, sin makes God's creatures unhappy, and shall not the Lord, therefore, abhor it? God never designed that any creature of his hand should be miserable. He made the creatures on purpose that they should be glad; he gave the birds their song, the flowers their perfume, the air its balm; he gave to day the smiling sun and to night its coronet of stars; for he intended that smiles should be his perpetual worship, and joy the incense of his praise. But sin has made God's favourite creature a wretch, and brought down God's offspring, made in his own image, to become naked, and poor, and miserable; and therefore God hateth sin, and is pressed down under it, because it maketh the objects of his love unhappy at their heart.

Moreover, remember that sin attacks God in all his attributes, assails him on his throne, and stabs at his existence. What is sin? Is it not an insult to God's wisdom? O sinner, God biddeth thee do his will; when thou doest the contrary it is because thou dost as much as say, "I know what is good for me, and God does not know." You do in effect declare that infinite wisdom is in error, and that you, the creature of a day, are the best judge of happiness. Sin impugns God's goodness; for by sin you declare that God has denied you that which would make you happy, and this is not the part of a good, tender, and loving Father. Sin cuts at the Lord's wisdom with one hand, and at his goodness with the other.

Sin also abuses the mercy of God. When you, as many of you have done, sin with the higher hand because of his longsuffering towards you; when, because you have no sickness, no losses, no crosses, therefore you spend your time in revelry and obstinate rebellhief? It is no small grief to the loving father to see his substance spent with harlots in riotous living; he cannot endure it that his child should be so degraded as to turn even the mercy which would woo him to repentance into a reason why he should sin the more against him. Besides, let me remind the careless and impenitent that every sin is a defiance of divine power. In effect it is lifting your puny fists against the majesty of heaven, and defying God to destroy you. Every time you sin, you defy the Lord to prove whether he can maintain his law or no. Is this a slight thing, that a worm, the creature of a day, should defy the Lord of ages, the God that filleth and upholdeth all things by the word of his power? Well may he be weary, when he has to bear with such provocations and insults as these! Mention what attribute you will, and sin has blotted it; speak of God in any relationship you choose, and sin has cast a slur upon him. It is evil, only evil, and that continually: in every view of it it must be offensive to the Most High. Sinner, dost thou know that every act of disobedience to God's law is virtually an act of high treason? What dost thou do but seek to be God thyself, thine own master, thine own lord? Every time thou swervest from his will, it is to put thy will into his place; it is to make thyself a god, and to undeify the Most High. And is this a little offence, to snatch from his brow the crown, and from his hand the sceptre? I tell thee it is such an act that heaven itself could not stand unless it were resented: if this crime were suffered to go unpunished, the wheels of heaven's commonwealth would be taken from their axles, and the whole frame of moral government would be unhinged. Such a treason against God shall certainly be visited with punishment.

To crown all, sin is an onslaught upon God himself, for sin is atheism of heart. Let his religious profession be what it may, the sinner hath said in his heart, "No God." Ruler. Is this a trifle? To be a Deicide! To desire to put God out of his own world! Is this a thing to be winked at? Can the Most High hear it and not be pressed down beneath its weight? I pray you do not think that I would make a needless outcry against sin and disobedience. It is not in the power of human imagination to exaggerate the evil of sin, nor will it ever be possible for mortal lips, though they should be touched like those of Esaias with a live coal from off the altar, to thunder out the ten-thousandth part of the enormity of the least sin against God. Think, dear friends! We are his creatures, and yet we will not do his will. We are fed by him, the breath in our nostrils he gives us, and yet we spend that breath in murmuring and rebellion.

Once more, we are always in the sight of our omniscient God, and yet the presence of God is not enough to compel us to obedience. Surely if a man should insult law in the very presence of the lawgiver, that were not to be borne with; but this is your case and mine. We must confess, "Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight." We must remember also, that we offend, knowing that we are offending. We do not sin as the Hottentot, or the cannibal. We in England sin against extraordinary light and sevenfold knowledge; and is this a light thing? Can you expect that God shall pass by wilful and deliberate offences? Oh, that these lips had language, that this heart could burn for once! for if I could declare the horrible infamy of sin it would make the blood chill in even a haughty Pharaoh's veins, and proud Nebuchadnezzar would bow his head in fear. It is indeed a terrible thing to have rebelled against the Most High. The Lord have mercy upon his servants and forgive them.

This is our first point, but I cannot teach you it, God himself must teach it by his Spirit. Oh, that the Holy Ghost may make you feel that sin is exceedingly sinful, so that it is grievous and burdensome to God!

--excerpt from Loaded Waggon, a sermon by C.H. Spurgeon

Vessels of Honor

2 Timothy 2:21-26

Verse 21. "Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work."

The "vessels" mentioned here and in the previous verse are intended by the Lord to be washed clean. In the work of God, we who have faith in Him were something like dirty dishes - caked with muddy sin; but we were thoroughly washed by what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross. But then like the drinking vessels in the cupboard of a typical home, if they are not used for a time, dust will settle upon them and they must be rinsed before additional use. The "dust" and other impurities that cover our lives and make us less fit for the Lord's purposes are seen in words and phrases we will encounter in the verses of this chapter. We are made clean by fleeing from youthful lusts (Verse 22), from foolish and ignorant speculations along with quarrels (Verses 23-24), and from worldly and empty chatter as we saw in Verse 16.

We need help, for just like the glass in our cupboard that needs to be rinsed clean, we cannot effectively wash ourselves. It is the Lord Himself who does it. Jesus said to His disciples, "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you" (John 15:3). And then He continued, "Abide in Me. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me" (John 15:4). Reading on from those verses reveals that we are not to do all of this alone, for the Holy Spirit of God has been given to us. Yes we are to make ourselves clean, but what we have to do is being done for us by the Spirit of God.

Verse 22. "Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart."

One of the disturbing aspects of our "modern" culture is that "youthful lusts" are actually being encouraged in most of the countries in the world. Outsiders could look at what are the latest "fads" and see that the world is becoming what many have called in the past a "decadent" civilization. And it's happening everywhere. Little concern is given to "righteousness, faith, love and peace," even though the actions associated with those words are valued highly by the Lord. Those words are included within a list of what is called "the fruits of the Spirit" in Galatians 5:22-23. Another word there is "self-control," a subject about which our "modern" culture seems to care little about.

It should be noted by those who purport to be a part of the church that people in other religions look seriously at us and believe our actions more than our words. If we have a reputation for being "Christians," we are under scrutiny. There was a time, early in the formation of the USA, when the European settlers in America were drifting away from Christ, and the Lord sent men like Jonathan Edwards, urging the people he called "sinners," to get right with "an angry God." Many were "born again" as Jesus called it in John 3:3,7, and it can be argued that certain countries only exist because some of its citizens trust in Jesus. Whoever we are, we need to turn our backs on the mentality of "youthful lusts" and instead repent, pursuing the "righteousness, faith, love and peace" He gives, calling out in prayer "from a pure heart."

Verse 23. "But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels."

The concerns noted in relation to Verse 22 are not the focus of most who say they are a part of the religious system called "Christianity." People want to look young, act young and do things that young people do, no matter how old they may be. Plastic surgery, cosmetics, hair replacement and more - people are choosing "youthful lusts" over "righteousness, faith, love and peace;" over hearts made pure by the Lord. Plastic surgery to repair a disfigurement is wonderful, but the process becomes ugly when it is done merely because of vanity. Our outward appearance is far less important than what we are inside.

We are at our best when we merely are what we are, using the gifts He has given us, and avoiding "foolish and ignorant speculations" which, as this verse so clearly states, only "produce quarrels." The world looks at the church and decides we are superficial, vain, deceitful and argumentative. The fact that "ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23) escapes their notice, for people like to point accusingly at others and try to avoid blame themselves. We in the church need to "examine (ourselves) as to whether (we) are in the faith" (2 Corinthians 13:5), for the world is looking and deciding we fall short of the glory of God.

Verse 24. "The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged,"

Sometimes Christians act like they think God is some sort of personal-assistant. We tell Him what we want, insist that He answers our need and become angry when He doesn't seem to do it. The word for "bond-servant" in this verse should be a wake-up call for us to recognize that most of us are badly mistaken about who we are in relation to the One who created us. The Greek word here is "doulos," which means we are the bond-slaves of God. He is the One who directs us and tells us what He wants, not the other way around. And He is the One who should be angry, not us, for humanity is in rebellion against Him.

A great deal of conversation among Christians remains superficial, because if we talked about deep things, a fight might break out. "Quarrelsome" here was a word generally used of armed combatants, those who engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Instead of such words, we are indeed to speak meaningfully, but we are also to be "kind to all," gently sharing with others in a spirit of loving honesty. We will be "wronged" by others, but those are moments when we pray, letting the Holy Spirit answer in and through us with the profound patience that comes from God.

Verse 25. "with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,"

There were many in opposition to the teachings of the Apostle Paul, the writer of this Second Letter to Timothy. Some just didn't like him and many had some kind of agenda they wished to present. Paul mentioned two men, "Hymenaeus and Philetus," earlier in this chapter. They went around telling people that "the resurrection has already taken place," for some reason, which shook the faith of many who listened to their words. They spoke something of the truth for there will be a resurrection, but assigned it to the past as though it had already happened, which was a lie.

Paul knew precisely how it felt to be lied about, to be slandered in a manner that would lead others away from "the knowledge of the truth." We are indeed to prayerfully correct those who are in opposition to the Word of God, but do it with "gentleness" when we can. Such a response is usually impossible for two obvious reasons: If we reply meekly they might not listen, and second, if we answer with strength, we can become "quarrelsome" as Paul warned about in the preceding verse. There is no formula about how to act, but rather we look to God in each situation, understanding that, "When I am weak, then I am strong" as Paul noted in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. It is God's words we need; not our own.

Verse 26. "and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will."

Sometimes, when we are attacked because we love the Lord, He will whisper into our hearts, "Say nothing!" and we should be quiet. As a general rule, whatever our response is, we are to respond "with gentleness" if possible, as Paul advised in Verse 25. In any case, we are to look to the Lord and not merely trust in some ability we might think we have. The hope is that "God may grant them repentance," that those who are deluded will be led out of lies and into the truth.

The youthful lusts, the foolish and ignorant speculations and the quarrels mentioned in the preceding verses, are, as Paul said, from the "devil." That doesn't mean that you can excuse bad behavior by saying, "The devil made me do it," for James observed that "each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires..." (James 1:14). We all would prefer others to like us, to listen to us and believe what we say, and unfortunately both sides in an argument are often wrong because they argue from selfish motives. We are to pray and look to the Lord, for His motives are infinitely good.

Lord, we come to You now, understanding that our motives tend to be poor. We ask, Holy Spirit, for Your strong gentleness to fill us, along with the love that comes from God. Keep us in truth. We pray that our words and actions will lead others and ourselves to repentance and to the Lord. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
Send comments: Ron@FridayStudy.org.
Visit: www.FridayStudy.org.
"While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)

The Sovereignty of God on 9-11

Shai Linne - Spread His Fame

All praise to the name of the Savior who reigns.
He’s taken our blame, embraced all our shame,
He’s raised from the grave so his fame we proclaim.
Salvation by grace through faith in his name.

All praise to the name of the Savior who reigns.
He’s taken our blame, embraced all our shame,
He’s raised from the grave so his fame we proclaim.
Salvation by grace through faith in his name.

Jesus, the beautiful and blessed Son,
Immutable, majestic one
Who was resurrected from the grave
for the depraved.
He paved the path for some
Place faith in His passion, son
Be saved from the wrath to come.

He’s fabulous, His status is immaculate
I’m lacking the vernacular to adequately capture His glory.
Incomparable, unconquerable, all powerful, unstoppable
Absolutely phenomenal.

No obstacle He can’t navigate.
He’s God and so He fascinates.
With Him it’s impossible to exaggerate.

Lord of all continents,
Source of all consciousness,
His compliments are the consequence of His accomplishments
Every sphere of life, He’s the Lord of it
And every other power is either fraudulent or subordinate.

At first we snubbed Him,
Now His vessels of mercy love Him.
Your highest thought is infinitely unworthy of Him.
Beyond vocabulary His actions vary,
His wrath is scary
All His adversaries are imaginary.

He has no competitors.
Ask Nebuchadnezzar, bro
He’ll mess you up, have you eating grass,
You can bet He’s amazing.

He takes in blatant, flagrant vagrants, breaks them, remakes them, and shapes them
to hate sin.

Jesus!
There’s no better name!
That’ll never change and He’ll forever reign while we spread His fame.

So all praise to the name of the Savior who reigns
He’s taken our blame
Embraced all our shame
He’s raised from the grave so His fame we proclaim
Salvation by grace through faith in His name!

All praise to the name of the Savior who reigns
He’s taken our blame
Embraced all our shame
He’s raised from the grave so His fame we proclaim
Salvation by grace through faith in His name!

Beautiful

Watch this video full screen! Click on the full screen button (bottom left corner of the video player).

Life transformation is rooted in mind transformation.

Where your mind goes, your actions follow. Whatever you think about will dictate your behavior, your attitude, and (ultimately) your direction in life. Your thoughts are sort of like a rudder—they steer the rest of your body.

Considering the influence of your mind on your life, it's no surprise Paul emphasizes that in order for our lives to be changed by Christ our thoughts must first be changed by Him: Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2). How are we to be transformed? By renewing (changing, refocusing) our minds so that they reflect the mind of Christ.

If our minds are so important, then it's quite understandable that the devil would fight to gain a foothold in our thoughts. Paul writes, in 2 Corinthians 4:4, The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

What better place for the devil to attack people than in their minds? As thunder follows lighting, so actions follow thoughts. And if Satan can turn your thoughts against God, your actions will assuredly follow.

Therefore, it's imperative that you set your minds on things above, not on earthly things (Colossians 3:2). And when you focus your mind on God, it's only a matter of time before your actions, your passions, your attitudes—your whole life—become focused on God.

[Weekly Wisdom - ChristNotes.org]

Psalm 86

 ¹ Bow down Your ear, O LORD, hear me;
         For I am poor and needy.
 ² Preserve my life, for I am holy;
         You are my God;
         Save Your servant who trusts in You!
 ³ Be merciful to me, O Lord,
         For I cry to You all day long.
 ⁴ Rejoice the soul of Your servant,
         For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
 ⁵ For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
         And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.

⁶ Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer;
         And attend to the voice of my supplications.
 ⁷ In the day of my trouble I will call upon You,
         For You will answer me.

 ⁸ Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord;
         Nor are there any works like Your works.
 ⁹ All nations whom You have made
         Shall come and worship before You, O Lord,
         And shall glorify Your name.
 ¹⁰ For You are great, and do wondrous things;
         You alone are God.   

  ¹¹ Teach me Your way, O LORD;
         I will walk in Your truth;
         Unite my heart to fear Your name.
 ¹² I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
         And I will glorify Your name forevermore.
 ¹³ For great is Your mercy toward me,
         And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

Psalm 86:1-13 (NKJV)