“Don’t Let Sin Steal Your Joy”

 

BIBLE READING: 1Kings 8-9


 “The wages of sin is death…” -Romans 6.23

            Those words that were written by the Apostle Paul so many years ago, still send shockwaves today to our very core.  Along with death, sin has other horrible consequences that affect us and those around us.  Sin causes us mental anguish, crippling guilt and self-loathing shame.  Our sin causes us to forget the joy and happiness that we have in Jesus and focus on the bitterness of our wretchedness.  Our reading today takes us to Solomon as he has dedicated the Temple the Lord.  After all the celebration has ended and the people have all returned home from the feast, the LORD once again appears to Solomon.  During His exchange with Solomon, God offers some very crucial information that just might help us find that joy that comes in Christ.

“And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules, then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, 'You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.” (1 Kings 9:4-5).

Did you notice that?  It is interesting that the LORD said that David walked with “integrity of heat and uprightness”.  If I correctly recall from our earlier readings, David was a liar who faked being insane, who committed adultery and had a man murdered to cover it up.  After all the sin that David had committed God still considered him “a man after His own heart” (I Samuel 13.14).  It would have been easy for David to wallow in his guilt and shame.  In fact, the Psalms record that at times David did just that.  However, God knew his heart.  He knew that after he sinned, he was repentant for all his transgressions.  We are all sinners, yet we still can be considered people of “integrity of heart and uprightness”.  Paul was right, sin does equal death, but we didn’t let him finish, “…but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23).   Don’t let you sin rob you of the joy and happiness we have through Jesus Christ.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Colors of Christmas: Green

  Discussion:                                    Evergreen plants, like holly and mistletoe have been used for thousands of years to decorate and brighten up buildings during the long dark winter. They also reminded people that spring would come and winter wouldn't last forever! The Romans would exchange evergreen branches during January as a sign of good luck. The ancient Egyptians used to bring palm branches into their houses during the mid-winter festivals. In many parts of Europe during the Middle Ages, “paradise plays” were performed, often on Christmas Eve. They told Bible stories to people who couldn't read. “The Paradise Tree” in the Garden of Eden in the play was normally a pine tree with red apples tied to it. Today, think about the newness of life we have because we are in Christ. The old man could represent the dark winter and the barren trees. Then think of the bright Christmas trees that are so easily seen! … Help brighten someone’s life this week! Inform
Read more

“Blow-out in Boston”

BIBLE READING: Luke 14 DISCUSSION                                                                                       Boston Globe's account in June 1990 of a most unusual wedding banquet… Accompanied by her fiancé, a woman went to the Hyatt Hotel in downtown Boston and ordered the meal. The two of them poured over the menu, made selections of china and silver, and pointed to pictures of the flower arrangements they liked. They both had expensive taste, and the bill came to $13,000. After leaving a check for half that amount as down payment, the couple went home to flip through books of wedding announcements. The day the announcements were supposed to hit the mailbox, the groom got cold feet. "I'm just not sure," he said. "It's a big commitment. Let's think about this a little longer." When his angry fiancé returned to the Hyatt to cancel the banquet, the manager could not have been more understanding. However, concerning the refund, she h
Read more

“Is there Joy in your Heart?”

  DISCUSSION:                              There are so many things going on in this world today that it is easy to let worry have more room in our heart than happiness. In the medical world, we are constantly being reminded of the preventive medicine we need. Unlike 60 years ago when health only entered our minds when we got sick, today we are told continually of so much that can happen to our health if we don’t have this test run, take this pill, or get this shot to prevent some type of virus infecting us. If you allow it, you can give this too much attention. Of course, it is important to have good health. As we get older it really seems to get a lot more of our attention. Don’t let worry about your health take your eyes off the cross. The words of God given wisdom from Solomon in Proverbs 4, we see that a physically healthy heart is important, but to keep focused on good things to keep our spiritual heart clean and healthy. There is no medical test in place to make sure we are
Read more