Tag: sin
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When Sin Trails Behind Us
The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. –1 Timothy 5:24 Paul made this small but vivid remark at the end of a letter to his younger friend, Timothy. The wisdom has stuck in my mind. Sin on the Flashing Sign There…
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3 Signs You’re Forgetting You’re Not God
If someone walked up to you and addressed you as “Lord” or “God of the universe,” I suspect you’d think it absurd. Most of us would never claim to be God or mistake ourselves as sovereign, all-powerful, or perfect. At least, not consciously. Without realizing it, though, we often act like we are God. That’s…
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Cleaning Up Accumulated Sin
I dug around in the fridge trying to find space for yet another tupperware container. They were stacked to the limit because I’d been shoving leftovers I had no intention of eating in there just to put off dealing with the waste another day…and another….and another. We do the same thing with our hearts. Sometimes…
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Has This Already Been Paid For? (Mini-Series Part III)
One time, I accidentally stole. I was a kid in a bookstore and someone else was paying for my bundle. Reaching my hand up to the counter, I slipped a bookmark in the stack. Later, looking over my treasures, someone asked where I got that bookmark. Apparently, it wasn’t paid for. I still feel bad…
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When Sin Trails Behind Us
The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. –1 Timothy 5:24 Paul made this small but vivid remark at the end of a letter to his younger friend, Timothy. The wisdom has stuck in my mind. Sin on the Flashing Sign There…
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Watch for the Bait and Switch
Pauls’ words in Romans 7:15 about struggling with sin nature echo in our ears: “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” What gets us to do what we hate? Why do we sin when we know sin stinks? One…
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Lie 8: Sin Should Be Left In The Dark
(A series on lies sin tells us to tempt us and trick us. Read the whole series here.) We don’t like to look sin in the face and see it for what it is. We’re tempted by it, yes. We have a propensity for it, yes. But we really hate to face it. I remember…
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Lie 7: Sin Is Too Personal To Talk About
(A series on lies sin tells us to tempt us and trick us. Read the whole series here.) We like to keep sin hidden. It’s only natural. Our enemy knows this and encourages this. Sin is ugly, shameful, and feels very personal to us. Sharing about our sin feels threatening, putting us at risk of…
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Lie 6: Some Sin Doesn’t Count
(A series on lies sin tells us to tempt us and trick us. Read the whole series here.) We like to restrict God’s definition of sin to make it more manageable. God doesn’t define sin manageable as just “doing bad stuff,” or “making mistakes.” God says sin is a condition we’re born into. Scripture uses…
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Lie 5: Your Sin Isn’t Your Fault
(A series on lies sin tells us to tempt us and trick us. Read the rest here.) We like to dismiss our sins as being someone else’s fault. After all, so many sins are committed against every one of us. Every marriage between two sinners has hurts due to sin. Children suffer the natural consequences…