Tag: Sin

We cannot succeed in making our name greater than the Lord’s.

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

After man was expelled from the garden for rebelling against God, man’s rebellion did not cease. Even after a worldwide flood wiped out everyone on the face of the planet except Noah’s family, man continued to rebelled against God. In Genesis 11:4 we read,

“Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis 11:4)

We are not sure how many years, but several generations (see Gen 10) removed from Noah, man has a new technology. They are able to make bricks and put them together in such a way as to build stronger and grander structures. Instead of spreading out on the face of the earth exercising dominion for God’s glory, they decide to stay and build a city that will bring them glory. 

Man has been after their own glory since the beginning. Adam and Eve desired to determine what was right and wrong according to their own judgment. Lamech killed a man for wounding him and bragged to his wive’s that his justice would be greater than the justice God promised Caan (Genesis 4:23-24). In Noah’s day, men did what was right in their own eyes so much so that God regretted making man (Genesis 6:5-8). They had no care for God at all. Whatever glory they had earned for themselves was taken in a worldwide flood (Genesis 6-9).

Mankind is still doing the same today. Armed with newer technologies, man seeks to carve out a name for themselves. Man, however, will never succeed in making a name for themselves. Death comes to us all. None will live forever. 

As we have seen recently, even those who succeed in making their way into the history books, have schools named after them, and statues erected in their honor, face the real possibility of being cancelled, erased from the history books and the public eye forever. 

Try as we might, we cannot succeed in making our name greater than the Lord’s.

Sin is deceitful. We need one another.

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

“But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (Heb 3:13)

We need one another. Not just to help with physical matters, but to help us grow spiritually. Sin can be deceitful. It can trick us into believing that our thoughts and actions are right and good when in reality they are sinful. We need others who are willing to speak into our life to point out our wrong thinking and wrong doing.

Spiritual growth occurs in community. If we are not in community with other believers, we hinder our own spiritual growth. As believers we should want to grow to be more like Christ. He is the One who has provided us with salvation after all. He is the One who provides us with rest.

If you are not prioritizing Christian community, you need to make it a point to do so. You need to plug in with a solid Bible believing, gospel-centered church in your area and begin fostering community.

Sin is deceitful. We need one another.

Believe it or not, God puts his grace and mercy on display by pointing out sin

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn PastoralLeave a comment

Believe it or not, God puts his grace and mercy on display by pointing out sin. In Jonah 4, God comes to Jonah and says,

…“Do you do well to be angry?””

(Jon 4:4)

In other words, God asks Jonah: What right do you have to be angry at Me saving the Ninevites? Do you see what God is doing? He is pointing out Jonah’s sin. He is revealing his heart.

Not the first time

This isn’t the first time God has pointed out the sin of another. Way back at the beginning of the Bible is the story of Cain and Abel. Cain and Abel both brought God a sacrifice. God accepted Abel’s instead of Cain’s. This made Cain angry. God seeing Cain’s anger comes to him and says,

“The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

(Gen 4:6–7)

God is extending grace and mercy to Cain by pointing out his sin and the consequences of it. If you continue through the story, you find Cain doesn’t rule over his sin. He allows it to attack and rule over him. He eventually rises up against his brother and kills him. Cain ends up banished from his people forever. I’d like to think God’s words to Jonah would have made a connection back to this story in Jonah’s mind, just as it should for us.

When God points out sin, it is an act of grace and mercy.

God could have left Jonah to stew in his own sin but God doesn’t do that. Instead, He extends grace and mercy by pointing out Jonah’s sin.

God could allow us to stew in our sin, but He doesn’t. He brings others into our lives to point out our sin, so the next time your spouse, neighbor, coworker, or friend points out your sin, praise God for His grace and mercy instead of getting angry with them. The next time you are reading a book and God’s uses its message to point out your sin, praise God for His grace and mercy and keep reading instead of throwing it down. The next time a song or sermon reveals your sin, praise God for His grace and mercy and keep listening instead of tuning out.

Our God is a gracious and merciful God and He puts His grace and mercy on display when He points out our sin.

We don’t have a pretty past, praise God for our present

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

“he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,” (Titus 3:5)

We do not have a pretty past. Before Paul pens these words he paints a picture of us. Telling us we were foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to all kinds of passions and pleasures. If that wasn’t bad enough, we learn we were full of malice, envy, and hate for one another. The picture of our past is not pretty.

It is important we understand who we once were. If we forget, we might believe we were worth saving. That it was our righteousness that wooed God into giving himself for us. But then again those who are righteous don’t need saving. Those, however, who are unrighteous do — that’s you and me. We are unrighteous people who need the righteousness of Jesus. We need to be changed, to be washed, to be renewed, to be regenerated. We need saving, not because we are righteous but because we are unrighteous.

We have not gained salvation any other way and for any other reason than our God is a God of mercy who doesn’t give us what we deserve. When we think of salvation like that, we should be driven to worship and praise God for what He has done for us.

Jesus came to save sinners — that’s you and me.

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” (1 Tim 1:15)

Jesus did not come as a good example or to blaze a trail to the afterlife that we can now follow. No, Jesus came to save. He came to save because we are sinners who need saving. We don’t need good examples. We don’t need trails to follow. We need to be freed from our rebellion, freed from the grip of sin, freed from the blinding thoughts and desires that cause us to run from God instead of to Him.

It is fruitless for Jesus to blaze a trail to the afterlife because we don’t want to follow the trail. We run from the trail seeking to blaze our own. Sin causes us to believe we are capable of pleasing and reaching God in and of ourselves. We believe we somehow have the inside track and everyone else doesn’t. Sin causes us to think much better of ourselves

Instead of believing we are worth saving, we must see ourselves through God’s eyes — we are wretched sinners who don’t deserve salvation. Notice Paul ends the verse by admitting he is the chief of sinners. We must admit the same as well. When we are willing to admit we are the chief of sinners we can rest knowing Jesus is at work in our lives. We should praise Him for His work in saving us from an eternal life outside of the presence of God. As well as freeing us from the effects of sin on our life now.

Jesus came to save sinners — that’s you and me.

Don’t let anger give the devil opportunity

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” (Eph 4:26-27)

How do we live differently from the world?

One way we live differently is by putting away our anger. Not allowing it to stew overnight. It is important we don’t allow anger to stew because it will develop further. Anger, though sinful in itself, left unchecked will turn into further sinful action. Corrupting talk, wrath, clamor, slander, malice. All these actions against another can stem from anger and will kill unity in community.

When we allow anger to stew, we give opportunity to the devil. He uses our anger with others to create division and disunity. It’s that division and disunity that destroys the church’s witness, it hinders its mission. Don’t allow the devil the victory. Deal with anger in seed form so that it will not take root.