Cover Up 4

As I was thinking about this theme of “Cover Up” I began to recall many people in the Bible who are guilty of this very thing.  Abraham asked Sarah to conceal her identity in order to save his life (so he thought).  This pattern continued in the family too.  Adam and Eve tried to cover up as we have already seen.

How about Ananias and Sapphira?  Their cover up was deadly to both of them.  Remember they lied about the amount of money they gave in the offering.  They wanted people to think they gave more than they really gave.  Their deceit cost them their lives because they lied to God the Holy Ghost.

Some of us might know of or remember a man named Achan.  His cover up is recorded in Joshua 7:21, “When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it. ”  Because of his cover up his sons, daughters and animals were taken into the valley and burned.

These are all serious consequences from what people today would consider a “minor offense”.  Wrong!  When you look at it from God’s perspective you see it totally different.  You see it as sin against a Holy God.  This cannot be.  Sin will be dealt with  It might not bring the house down upon you at that moment; but, rest assured it will come back one day.  Then you will regret it possibly for eternity.

So, how are you doing?

Sexual Sin And Consequences

A few days ago while I was reading my Bible I came across Genesis 34.  As soon as I began to read it I remembered this account.  I began to think about sin.  More importantly I began to think about sexual sin.  Yes, there is a topic that is not often breached.  I am not taking about the onslaught of sodomites and lesbians.  I am talking about people that are so driven by sexual pleasure that they will do anything to fulfill their lusts.

When I was a police dispatcher I was told of an incident where officers responded on the report of a man exposing himself to children.  The man had mental issues.  He would wait until someone was watching and then pour a can of creamed corn down the front of his pants.  I know you think this is sickening.  So do I.

The fact remains that we are facing sexual sins in the Church.  The even bigger problem is that we refuse to admit that these problems exist.  We walk in on Sunday morning smiling like nothing is wrong.  Yet, we are so bound in sin.  Look at this account in the book of Genesis 34:1-2, “And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.  And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her.”

This man forced himself on this woman.  While he received what he wanted at that moment later down the road he received what he deserved for that moment.  Dinah’s brothers convinced these men that if all the men in their country would be circumcised then the Israelites would intermingle with them in marriage and trading.  This was a plan to render these wicked men unable to fight well.  Then the relatives of Dinah went and made war against them and killed them.  This brought reproach on the family because a promise was made.

You see, there is no good that comes from sexual sin.  It just drags you down deeper and deeper.  Get out of the pit and get back to Jesus.  Maybe you struggle because Jesus is not yet your Saviour.  He can be and wants to be if you will receive Him today.

So, how are you doing?

Embelishments

In the world of sewing embellishments are a welcome thing.  Sometimes in the world of music embellishments are welcomed.  I don’t care for much in either arena.  In the world of the Christian there is no room for embellishment.  We are called to be people of the Truth.  If we add to or take away from the Truth then it ceases to be the truth.

It does not matter if you or I think that nobody will be hurt by it.  We must be people of the truth.  We need truth in every aspect of our lives.  The problem is that today people of all walks of life think it is okay to stretch the truth or to out and out lie.  God says in the ten commandment that we are not to lie.  Yet, you cannot tell the Christians from the lost world a lot of times in this area.  This ought not to be!

A young man was asked by King David about what happened to King Saul.  The young man embellished the story and it cost him his life.  You can read the account in the Word of God in II Samuel 1:1-10.

So, how are you doing?

Pride Problem

I remember one time growing up and spending time with a friend.  He had a motorcycle and I wanted to ride it so bad.  I told him that I knew how to ride.  I ended up in a blue spruce as I remember.  It is funny now; but, then it was humiliating and slightly painful.

I had a problem then and on some other occasions.  It is called pride.  I am not the only one who suffers with this horrible disease.  King Saul also had a problem with pride.  As they used to say, “He got the big head.”  Look at the warning of remembrance from Samuel in I Samuel 15:17, “And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?”  King Saul came to the place that he thought he could do things his own way in spite of the clear commands of God.  Look at what Samuel told King Saul later in the conversation in I Samuel 15:26, “And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.”

If we are not careful in America we will find our nation in the same place as King Saul.  God is a gentleman and will not go where He is not invited.  This is true.  There is also this thing of sin and breaking the law of God.  Rightfully so, He takes great offense to this and America is on a crash course to elimination from the earth if the nation does not return to Christ.  God save America!  Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”

So, how are you doing?