Isaiah 40:8 "The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but THE WORD OF OUR GOD ENDURES FOREVER.”
The BIBLE is:
LIGHT -- Psalm 119:105,
FIRE -- Jeremiah 23:29,
SEED -- Luke 8:11,
BREAD -- Dueteronomy 8:3,
MILK -- 1 Peter 2:2,
HONEY -- Psalms 19:7,
MEAT -- Hebrews 5:14,
GOLD -- Psalm 19:10,
SWORD -- Hebrews 4:12,
HAMMER -- Jeremiah 23:29,
Romans 12: 4-5
For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
Ephesians 4:4
There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling
Ephesians 2:19-22
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, .in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:13
For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit
1 Corinthians 12:25-26
So that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
Ephesians 4:25
Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another.
Romans 12:6-8
Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
Ephesians 4:11-13
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
Unity and Diversity in the Body
1 Corinthians 12: 12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Disclosure: Much of what is in my posts are things I have
compiled through the years and I do not know if they have copyrights. What I do
know about origin or website I give credit and have tried to always post a link
to the origin. I do not market anything in any way on this blog -- I merely hope
it will encourage and inspire
others. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Taking Mother's Hand"
When a boy or girl thrusts his small hand in yours, it may be smeared with chocolate ice cream, or grimy from petting a dog, and there may be a wart under the right thumb and a bandage around the little finger.
But the most important thing about his hands is that they are the hands of the future. These are the hands that someday may hold a Bible or a Colt revolver; play the church piano or spin a gambling wheel; gently dress a leper's wound, or tremble... wretchedly uncontrolled by an alcoholic mind.
Right now, that hand is yours. It asks for help and guidance. It represents a full-fledged personality in miniature to be respected as a separate individual whose day-to-day growth into Christian adulthood is your responsibility.
author unknown
Isaiah 41:10 - Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Proverbs 31:31 - Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
Johnny Cash "These Hands" Live in Asbury Park NJ Oct 1985
Wrinkled Hands
In a school there was a class
Of twenty eight-year-olds
They were given a task to find... The most beautiful thing in the world
Two weeks to search for that thing
Five days to paint it well
Two days to prepare a speech about it
To explain during Show-and-Tell
All the students had their ideas
All that is, but one.
One little boy who tried to do
What no one else had done
He tried to find a special thing
That no one else could find.
Something of beauty yet still unique
But could this be found in time?
Three weeks have gone by
Everyone was excited for class
Each explained his beautiful work
And the little boy went last.
When he showed his little painting
The boo's didn't seem to end
For what beauty can you find
In two pairs of wrinkled hands?
The teacher encouraged the little boy To explain his work of art With tears in his eyes, the boy recalled The people in his heart. "These are my parent's hands, The hands they use to earn These hands worked to send me here So that I could learn "These hands have guided me When I was still a babe These hands showed me much Of love that wouldn't fade "One late night while I was asleep A great fire broke out Two strong arms carried me While the people ran about. "Then, another pair of hands Shielded me from the heat These pair of hands saved me And were damaged for this feat. "I know they seem so ordinary And ugly, they may be But these wrinkled hands I painted Are still beautiful to me"
When the little boy sat down
Silence filled the place
Then, the teacher started to clap,
Tears running down her face
For that day she saw much splendor
Much more than she had planned
But she found beauty beyond compare
In the painting of wrinkled hands.
author unknown
Isaiah 49:16 - Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
Grandpa's Hands
by Melinda Clements
Grandpa, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench. He didn't move, just sat with his head down staring at his hands. ...
When I sat down beside him he didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if he was OK. Finally, not really wanting to disturb him but wanting to check on him at the same time, I asked him if he was OK. He raised his head and looked at me and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking," he said in a clear strong voice.
"I didn't mean to disturb you, Grandpa, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK," I explained to him. "Have you ever looked at your hands," he asked. "I mean really looked at your hands? I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down.
No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point he was making.
Grandpa smiled and related this story: "Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled, shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life. They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor. They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child my Mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special. They wrote the letters home and trembled and shook when I buried my Parents and Spouse and walked my Daughter down the aisle. Yet, they were strong and sure when I dug my buddy out of a foxhole and lifted a plow off of my best friend's foot. They have held children, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand. They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well, these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer. These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of my life. But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home. And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ."
I will never look at my hands the same again. But I remember God reached out and took my Grandpa's hands and led him home.
When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my children and wife, I think of Grandpa. I know he has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God. I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my face.
At first it sounded like a Thanksgiving story, but the more I reflected on it, the more appropriate it seemed for any time of the year. The way I heard it, the story went like this:
Thanksgiving Day was near. The first grade teacher gave her class a fun assignment -- to draw a picture of something for which they were thankful.
Most of the class might be considered economically disadvantaged, but still many would celebrate the holiday with turkey and other traditional goodies of the season. These, the teacher thought, would be the subjects of most of her student's art. And they were.
But Douglas made a different kind of picture. Douglas was a different kind of boy. He was the teacher's true child of misery, frail and unhappy. As other children played at recess, Douglas was likely to stand close by her side. One could only guess at the pain Douglas felt behind those sad eyes.
Yes, his picture was different. When asked to draw a picture of something for which he was thankful, he drew a hand. Nothing else. Just an empty hand.
His abstract image captured the imagination of his peers. Whose hand could it be? One child guessed it was the hand of a farmer, because farmers raise turkeys. Another suggested a police officer, because the police protect and care for people. Still others guessed it was the hand of God, for God feeds us. And so the discussion went -- until the teacher almost forgot the young artist himself.
When the children had gone on to other assignments, she paused at Douglas' desk, bent down, and asked him whose hand it was. The little boy looked away and murmured, "It's yours, teacher."
She recalled the times she had taken his hand and walked with him here or there, as she had the other students. How often had she said, "Take my hand, Douglas, we'll go outside." Or, "Let me show you how to hold your pencil." Or, "Let's do this together." Douglas was most thankful for his teacher's hand.
Brushing aside a tear, she went on with her work.
The story speaks of more than thankfulness. It says something about teachers teaching and parents parenting and friends showing friendship, and how much it means to the Douglass of the world. They might not always say thanks. But they'll remember the hand that reaches out.
I have used them mostly for good and not for wrong.
Jesus has forgiven me from the times they have done evil,
by open or secret sins when I obeyed the devil!
I intend to use them until my last day
For blessing others and to pray.
The MANUFACTURER'S HANDBOOK (AKA THE BIBLE)
IS FILLED WITH SCRIPTURES ABOUT HANDS
Acts 11:21 - And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.
Luke 24:50 - And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
Luke 4:40 - Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.
Mark 10:16 - And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.
HANDS -- THEY CAN BLESS AND THEY CAN CURSE ONESELF AND OTHERS
Mark 9:43 - And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
Matthew 18:8 - Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast [them] from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
WHAT ARE YOUR HANDS BUSY AT?
Tending others in need or lifting a jug and wallowing in self pity?
Isaiah 59:1 - Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
1 Timothy 4:14 - Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
Hebrews 6:2 - Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Acts 19:6 - And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
Mark 16:18 - They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Disclosure: Much of what is in my posts are things I have compiled through the years and I do not know if they have copyrights. What I do know about origin or website I have tried to always post a link to the origin. I do not market anything in any way on this blog -- I merely hope it will encourage and inspire others.
“I never cut my neighbor's throat;
My neighbor's gold I never stole;
I never spoiled his house and land;
But God have mercy on my soul!
For I am haunted night and day
By all the deeds I have not done;
O unattempted loveliness!
O costly valor never won!”
―Marquerite Wilkerson
I Knelt to Pray
I knelt to pray as day began And prayed, "Oh God, bless every man. Lift from each weary heart some pain And let the sick be well again."
And then I rose to meet the day And thoughtlessly went on my way I didn't try to dry a tear Or take the time a grief to hear.
I took no steps to ease a load Of hard-pressed travelers on the road; I didn't even go to see The sick friend who lives next to me
But then again when day was done I prayed "Oh God bless everyone" But as I prayed a voice rang clear Instructing me to think and hear
"Consult your own heart as you pray; What good have you performed today? God's choicest blessings are bestowed On those who help him bear the load."
And then I hid my face and cried, "Forgive me, Lord, For I have lied. Let me live another day And I will live it as I pray."
- Sterling W. Sill
THE SIN OF OMISSION
It isn't the thing you do dear, It's the thing you leave undone That gives you a bit of a heartache At setting of the sun.
The tender word forgotten, The letter you did not write, The flowers you did not send, dear, Are your haunting ghosts at night.
The stone you might have lifted Out of a brother's way; The bit of heartsome counsel You were hurried too much to say;
The loving touch of the hand, dear, The gentle, winning tone Which you had no time nor thought for With troubles of your own.
Those little acts of kindness So easily out of mind, Those chances to be angels Which we poor mortals find-
They come in night and silence, Each sad, reproachful wraith, When hope is faint and flagging, And a chill has fallen on faith.
For life is all to short, dear, And sorrow is all too great, To suffer our slow compassion That tarries until too late;
And it isn't the thing you do, dear, It's the thing you leave undone Which gives you heartache At the setting of the sun.
by Adelaide Proctor
Romans 7:15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
1 John 3:16-18New International Version (NIV) 16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
Deuteronomy 22 New International Version (NIV)
22 If you see your fellow Israelite’s ox or sheep straying, do not ignore it but be sure to take it back to its owner.2 If they do not live near you or if you do not know who owns it, take it home with you and keep it until they come looking for it. Then give it back.3 Do the same if you find their donkey or cloak or anything else they have lost. Do not ignore it.
4 If you see your fellow Israelite’s donkey or ox fallen on the road, do not ignore it. Help the owner get it to its feet.
Proverbs 3:27New International Version (NIV)
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.
Proverbs 21:13New International Version (NIV)
13 Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.
List of some of the Sins of Omission mentioned in Scripture
compiler of this list unknown
Not Forgiving (Matthew 6:15)
Failing to honor others (Romans 12:9)
Failing to keep your Fervor (Romans 12:9)
Failing to serve or give (Romans 12:9)
Failing to live at peace (Romans 12:18)
Failing to love God (Mark 12:30)
Failing to love your neighbor (Mark 12:31)
Failing to trust God (Isaiah 26:4)
Failing to trust Christ (John 14:1)
Failing to worship God (Deuteronomy 6:13)
Failing to honor God (John 5:23)
Failing to honor the Son (John 5:23)
Failing to believe in Jesus (John 3:16-18)
Failing to honor one’s parents (Exodus 20:12)
Failing to give thanks to God (Romans 1:21)
Failing to glorify God (Romans 1:21)
Failing to fear the Lord (Deuteronomy 6:13)
Failing to test new teachings by Scripture (Acts 17:11)
Failing to discern and guard against false teachers and prophets (Matthew 7:15-20)
Failing to learn and believe Scripture (2 Timothy 2:15)
Failing to guard life and doctrine (1 Timothy 4:16)
Failing to repay debts (Romans 13:7)
Failing to care for orphans and widows in distress (James 1:20)
"Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin."--James 4:17
James has done the spiritual minded a favor. He has warned us about something that we may have neglected. He has warned us about our sins of omission. So, what are sins of omission anyway?
One thing that we can be sure that James is not saying is that a person's sins depend upon their knowledge of sin. He is not saying that what we don't know can't hurt us. James is not saying that. Sin is always sin whether we know it is sin or not. Ignorant thieves are thieves nonetheless. Though those that knew their masters will were punished with more stripes than those who knew it not, they all received stripes(Luke 12:48).
Sins of omission are the opposite of sins that we commit - like breaking one of the ten. That is the way we normally think of sin-when we do something we should not do. But sins of omission are neglecting, or just downright refusing, to do something that God has shown us we should do. And these are just as much sin as the sins of commission!
These sins involve our refusal to walk in the light that God has personally given us, as individuals. If God has given us light upon something good that we should do, and we do not do it, we have told God, "No, I will not obey you." This is what the text means.
This is taught in other places in scripture. When the man buried his talents in the ground and refused to use them he was guilty of a sin of omission. God gave him something by grace, and he refused to use it. The Lord took his talent away and gave it to someone who would use it. Then He punished the man quite severely (Matthew 25:28).
Sins of omission are very deceitful. After all, if we are not doing something, how can we offend God? How can we sin by doing nothing? And if we offended God by doing nothing, it can't be all that bad. So the tempter whispers in our ears. That is why this sin is so deceitful, and causes the righteous to miss out on many blessings and opportunities.
In one sense, this sin can be different in every person's life because God deals with His people as individuals. That is why James uses the phrase, "To him that knoweth to do good." It concerns him that God has shown what to do. Just like our children. We may ask one to sweep the yard, and another to dust the shelves. Everyone can't do the same thing. God gives us all different gifts to use in His house. He calls us all to different duties. He calls us all at different times. He didn't call Paul when He called Peter. What He called Paul to do, Peter could not do. What Peter should do in his life, Paul may have already done. Peter was to preach to Cornelius, Paul was to go to Rome. Yet, had they not done these things, they would have been guilty of sin by omission.
Jonah's sin was a prime example of a sin of omission. Jonah refused to do something that God had called him to do. You know the story. The Lord told him to go to Nineveh, and prophesy. Instead of going to Nineveh, he took passage on a boat going in the opposite direction. Then he was swallowed by a whale.
Without the Lord's commentary on Jonah's life, we would have all thought he just had a bad day on the cruise. But there was a sin of omission lurking in his life. He suffered for it. Most sins of omission are hidden from the eyes of our peers. They do not know what God has revealed to us personally. You see, Jonah was the only one that knew what God wanted him to do. The other men on the boat did not know what was going on, yet they were involved in the collateral damage of Jonah‘s rebellion. So they cast their problem into the sea. From this we learn that our sins of omission affect everyone around us…every time.
There are many sins of omission that are quite common to God's people that are not as personal as a call to the ministry. I would do you an injustice if I did not give them to you so I will give you five of the most common.
The most common of all is the refusal of God's people to be in the Lord's house on Sunday when they know they should. A subcategory to this is refusing to be faithful in attendance, or a refusal to perform an office as we should. This is a grievous omission that affects not only the person, but their whole house, their church…and possibly many generations. Collateral damage! The un-churched population in our nation today is a sad testimony to this popular sin of omission.
A close second to this omission would be the refusal of some to submit to gospel baptism. That is why the scriptures tell us that Peter "commanded' them to be baptized. It was their duty. We can not look on the heart, so we do not know those to whom Christ has been revealed. But we do know that those who believe in Christ for their salvation are supposed to confess Him by baptism. Jesus said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." That is pretty strong language. Though the emphasis of salvation is on the belief, the expectation of God upon the sinner is confession by baptism.
The third sin of omission that is quite common in God's house, is the omission of offerings in God‘s house. The word for this sin is covetousness. Covetousness is not a sin of commission, but a sin of omission. This sin was the curse of the Old Testament saints. There is nothing new under the sun. This omission is so common that some are offended when the personal duty of giving is so much as mentioned in God‘s house. Yet, the subject of offering to God is mentioned more often in scripture than election, and predestination. I have learned in my ministry that people are most offended at those sins they are guilty of.
Another sin of omission has to do with our duties to those less fortunate than ourselves, those that God has placed in our path who are in need. The priest and the Levite were guilty of the sin of omission when they passed by the wounded man. But the good Samaritan was faithful. He cared for the less fortunate. Sad to say, some Christians have never helped anyone in need. This is one of the duties of any church. Paul said he was always careful to remember the poor.
I will give you one more and leave you to your own thoughts. Another sin of omission that is quite common to God's people is the refusal to forgive those who have offended us. Even Peter had a problem with this one when he asked our Lord to confine his pride to only 70x7. Surely if God has forgiven us for all the sins we have committed we can forgive our brethren…our husbands…our wives. If we come to church with unforgiving spirits, we can't rejoice because we can't forgive. We omit, God omits.
There are a host of other sins of omission that I have not touched upon. Fathers are supposed to bring their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Mothers are supposed to teach the younger women to love their husbands, and their families. There are duties of pastors, deacons, and church members. Children are supposed to obey their parents. Many scriptures fall into the category of omission.
These are all common sins of omission. We have all suffered from them. If the Lord has given us light on something that we should do, and we do it not then we are as guilty as the person who commits an open sin. Yes, these are very deceitful.
From here, I must leave it with you. I do not know what the Lord has revealed to you, nor do I know what the Lord has burdened your heart to do. But this is do know, "to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin."
-NMP
My Friend
author unknown
My friend, I stand in judgment now And feel that you're to blame somehow While on this earth I walked with you day by day And never did you point the way You knew the Lord in truth and glory But never did you tell the story My knowledge then was very dim You could have led me safe to him Though we lived together here on earth You never told me of your second birth And now I stand this day condemned Because you failed to mention him You taught me many things, that's true I called you friend and trusted you But now I learned, now it's too late You could have kept me from this fate We walked by day and talked by night And yet you showed me not the light You let me live, love and die And all the while you knew I'd never live on high Yes, I called you friend in life And trusted you in joy and strife Yet in coming to this end I see you really weren't my friend.
New American Standard Bible Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary Matthew 19:16-22 Christ knew that covetousness was the sin which most easily beset this young man; though he had got honestly what he possessed, yet he could not cheerfully part with it, and by this his want of sincerity was shown. Christ's promises make his precepts easy, and his yoke pleasant and very comfortable; yet this promise was as much a trial of the young man's faith, as the precept was of his charity and contempt of the world. It is required of us in following Christ, that we duly attend his ordinances, strictly follow his pattern, and cheerfully submit to his disposals; and this from love to him, and in dependence on him. To sell all, and give to the poor, will not serve, but we are to follow Christ. The gospel is the only remedy for lost sinners. Many abstain from gross vices who do not attend to their obligations to God. Thousands of instances of disobedience in thought, word, and deed, are marked against them in the book of God. Thus numbers forsake Christ, loving this present world: they feel convictions and desires, but they depart sorrowful, perhaps trembling. It behoves us to try ourselves in these matters, for the Lord will try us.
John MacArthur
Jesus' exposition of the law is a devastating blow against the lie that image is everything.
Our Lord taught repeatedly that sin bottled up on the inside, concealed from everyone else's view, carries the very same guilt as sin that manifests itself in the worst forms of ungodly behavior. Those who hate others are as guilty as those who act out their hatred; and those who indulge in private lusts are as culpable as wanton adulterers (Matt. 5:21-30).
So Christians are not to think of secret sins as somehow less serious and more respectable than the sins everyone sees. Here are three reasons secret sin is especially abhorrent:
1. Because God sees the heart.
Scripture tells us "God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7). No sin--not even a whispered curse or a fleeting evil thought--is hidden from the view of God. In fact, if we realized that God himself is the only audience for such secret sins, we might be less inclined to write them off so lightly.
The Bible declares that God will one day judge the secrets of every heart (Rom. 2:16). He "will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil" (Eccl. 12:14).
Not only that, secret sins will not remain secret. "The Lord [will] bring to light the things hidden in the darkness" (1 Cor. 4:5). Jesus said, "There is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms shall be proclaimed upon the housetops" (Luke 12:2-3). Those who think they can evade shame by sinning in secret will discover one day that open disclosure of their secrets before the very throne of God is the worst shame of all.
It is folly to think we can mitigate our sin by keeping it secret. It is double folly to tell ourselves that we are better than others because we sin in private rather than in public. And it is the very height of folly to convince ourselves that we can get away with sin by covering it up. "He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper" (Prov. 28:13).
All sin is an assault against our holy God, whether it is done in public or in secret. And God, who beholds even the innermost secrets of the heart, sees our sin clearly, no matter how well we think we have covered it.
2. Because sin in the mind is a fruit of the same moral defect that produces deeds of sin.
When Jesus said hatred carries the same kind of guilt as murder, and lust is the very essence of adultery, He was not suggesting that there is no difference in degree between sin that takes place in the mind and sin that is acted out. Scripture does not teach that all sins are of equal enormity.
That some sins are worse than others is both patently obvious and thoroughly biblical. Scripture plainly teaches this, for example, when it tells us the sin of Judas was greater than the sin of Pilate (John 19:11).
But in His Sermon on the Mount Jesus was pointing out that anger arises from the same moral defect as murder; and the one who lusts suffers from the same character flaw as the adulterer. Furthermore, those who engage in thought-sins are guilty of violating the same moral precepts as those who commit acts of murder and adultery.
In other words, secret sins of the heart are morally tantamount to the worst kind of evil deeds--even if they are sins of a lesser degree. The lustful person has no right to feel morally superior to a wanton fornicator. The fact that she indulges in lust is proof she is capable of immoral acts as well. The fact that he hates his brother shows that he has murder lurking in his heart.
Christ was teaching us to view our own secret sins with the same moral revulsion we feel for wanton acts of public sin.
3. Because hidden sin involves the compounding sin of hypocrisy.
Those who sin secretly actually intensify their guilt, because they add the sin of hypocrisy to their offense. Hypocrisy is a grave sin in its own right. It also produces an especially debilitating kind of guilt, because by definition hypocrisy entails the concealing of sin. And the only remedy for any kind of sin involves uncovering our guilt through sincere confession.
Hypocrisy therefore permeates the soul with a predisposition against genuine repentance. That is why Jesus referred to hypocrisy as "the leaven of the Pharisees" (Luke 12:1).
Hypocrisy also works directly against the conscience. There's no way to be hypocritical without searing the conscience. So hypocrisy inevitably makes way for the most vile, soul-coloring, character-damaging secret sins. Thus hypocrisy compounds itself, just like leaven.
Beware that sort of leaven.
No matter who suggests to you that appearances are everything, don't buy that lie.
As a matter of fact, your secret life is the real litmus test of your character: "As he thinks within himself, so he is" (Prov. 23:7). Do you want to know who you really are? Take a hard look at your private life--especially your innermost thoughts. Gaze into the mirror of God's Word, and allow it to disclose and correct the real thoughts and motives of your heart.
KNOCKED DOWN TO THE GROUND To those endorsing any form of sinful behavior.
You are blaspheming God and reality may smack you to the ground just as it did Paul in the New Testament when "Acts 9:4, 5 He fell to the ground and heard a voice. It said to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you attack me?’ ‘Who are you, *Lord?’ Saul asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are attacking’, he replied." ... blasphemy noun : great disrespect shown to God or to something holy : something said or done that is disrespectful to God or to something holy
This just might be you and your own conversion journey. Remember Paul was pretty against God before he was with God.
Acts 22:3-4 I searched for Christians so that men could kill them. I arrested both men and women and threw them into prison.
Acts 22:20 Stephen died because he was a Christian. I was there when he died. I stood there. I approved of this. I guarded the clothes of those who killed him.
Acts 9:1, 2 Meanwhile, Saul was still planning to murder the *disciples of Jesus. He went to the most important priest and asked him for letters to the rulers of the *synagogues in Damascus. If he found any Christians there, whether men or women, he would take them to Jerusalem. There he would put them in prison.
Acts 26:10-11 And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the most important priest, I put many Christians in prison. When men killed them, I voted against the Christians. Often I went from one *synagogue to another to punish them. I wanted them to speak against God. I was so eager that I even went to foreign cities to find them.
1 Corinthians 10:13 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.
HOW ABOUT CHANGE BEFORE YOU GET SMACKED TO THE GROUND
Take warningfrom those who fell away in unbelief:
•Some no longer have faith at all (II Thessalonians 3:2). •Some have shipwrecked their faith (I Timothy 1:19). •Some have left the faith for the doctrines of devils (I Timothy 4:1). •Some have denied the faith by not providing for their family (I Timothy 5:8). •Some have cast off their first faith (I Timothy 5:12). •Some have turned aside after Satan (I Timothy 5:15). •Some have erred from the faith for the love of money (I Timothy 6:10, 21). •Some will overthrow the faith of others (II Timothy 2:17-18). •Some are reprobate [disqualified] concerning the faith (II Timothy 3:8).
Holy Bible "Romans 1: 32 and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them."
Galatians 5: 15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. 16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
"Love is the one treasure that multiplies by division. It is the one gift that grows bigger the more you take from it. It is the one business in which it pays to be an absolute spendthrift. You can give it away, throw it away, empty your pockets, shake the basket, turn the glass upside down, and tomorrow you will have more than ever." author unknown
"A lie of omission is a method of deception and duplicity that uses the technique of simply remaining silent when "speaking the truth would significantly alter the other person's capacity to make an informed decision". Let's define "lies of omission".
A lie is simply defined:
1) To make a statement that one knows to be false, especially with the intend to deceive. 2) To give a false impression. 3) Anything that gives or is meant to give a false impression.
Different varieties of less obvious lies:
1) Derail: To change the subject of discussion in order to avoid the truth (for example, one might pretend to be offended in order to stop a conversation about one's questionable actions). 2) Confuse: quibble or confuse the issue, or deliberately use ambiguity in order to deceive or mislead. 3) Misinform: To invent or perpetrate a false story with the intent to deceive or mislead.
The Lie of Omission
Less obvious than the others, a "lie of omission" is to remain silent when personal morals, ethics, professional or even legal responsibilities call for one to speak up.
A lie of omission is a method of deception and duplicity that uses the technique of simply remaining silent when speaking the truth would significantly alter the other person's capacity to make an informed decision.
The biggest lie about lies: a lie of omission Is not a lie!
A lie of omission is the most insidious, most pervasive, and most common lie on the entire planet. Commonly, those who use this type of lie, have conned themselves into believing that to intentionally remain silent when ethical behavior calls for one to speak up is not a lie at all. In spite of overwhelming evidence that their silence deceives, misleads, and often causes untold grief and misery, they refuse to speak the truth.
Lies of commission (telling a lie), and Lies of omission (withholding the truth)
are both acts of intention deception."
author unknown
Proverbs 27:5-6 Better is open rebuke Than love that is concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.
Proverbs 27:9 Oil and perfume make the heart glad, So a man's counsel is sweet to his friend.
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