We have a gas fireplace in our living room, similar to the one in the photo. I was sitting in my recliner very early this morning, watching the flames and thinking.

Some of my thoughts were possibly profound, but most were of the “look at the pretty flames” variety or I wish I could sleep.

At one point, I was thinking about sin. Nothing can burn you as quickly as sin.

Sin is an unpopular topic in today’s world. We like to think that we are victims and somehow not responsible for our actions and want to blame others. Here are a few random examples, 

I have a terrible temper because I have red hair.

I am miserable with others because someone treated me unkindly.

I took that because I needed it, and you didn’t.

Justify and blame. It’s been that way since God confronted Adam and Eve in the Garden. Adam blamed Eve, but he was really blaming God. Eve blamed the serpent. The formula has stayed the same since then.

Let’s look at what the Bible says about sin.

We all do it.

…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God Romans 3:23

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. … If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” 1 John 1:8,10

It isn’t God’s fault.

In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong. Job 11:22

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone. James 1:13

Sin is never instantaneous. It grows in us until it gives birth.

…but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. James 1:14-15

It brings death and separation from God.

For the wages of sin is death. Romans 6:23a

Even believers will wrestle with it.Romans 9

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 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. 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. Romans 7:15-20

There is much more that I could say, but that is plenty to chew on for now. I confess I have sinned far too often, blamed others, and even blamed God at times. I am grateful for His faithfulness when I have been unfaithful.

Because of sin, the world is lost in chaos. If left to its own devices, it is doomed, as is every person.

God is perfectly holy and cannot abide sin in any form. His very nature separates Him from any form of evil.

However, there is good news for sinners (that means everyone.)

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

That is the reason for the Christmas miracle. Jesus humbled himself to come as a person and pay the penalty for sin on our behalf. God hates our sin, but He loves us despite our sin.

The Lord cleans up our mess if we only trust and submit to Jesus by faith. No other faith, religion, worldview, or philosophy promises anything like that.

To reject His testimony and gift is to drift further into sin because God promises us redemption if we believe and He does not lie.

When you stop to think of the Christ child in a manger, pause and reflect on why He had to come; then give him praise and glory.

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)

Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.

__________________________________________ 

Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format.

Subscribe today: https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/gleanings-1 

For an archive of many back issues, visit our website at https://gleaningsfromtheword.com.

© 2024 Gleanings From the Word, K.F. “Kevin” Corbin. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

Good morning. It’s December 11^th, and only two  weeks until Christmas.

Two weeks to Christmas? How did that happen? It snuck up on me. I’m not ready!

Ready or not, it’s coming soon. Are you ready?

The thought that Christmas is only two weeks away instills panic in many people. Some have been ready since January, others by December 1^st, and others are mostly ready. A good number of people haven’t even started their Christmas prep.

Something in the fallen human psyche often causes us to want to procrastinate. For example, we all know it’s winter, and the likelihood of a winter car breakdown or getting stuck in traffic for hours is high. Yet, how many of us have any form of emergency gear in the car?

It’s winter, and we know there is a good possibility of power grid failure for days or more. Yet, relatively few people are prepared for even two or three days without power, heat, or water. Even the government recognizes we should all have three days to two weeks of emergency food and water on hand. If the government thinks that things will return to normal in two weeks in the event of a disaster, you know it will most likely take far longer. 

We see that played out in every major hurricane, flood, ice storm, and manmade or natural disaster. The government and relief agencies do their best, but more is needed.

We know all that and still fail to prepare.  It’s called normalcy bias. One source describes it this way: “Normalcy bias, or normality bias, is a cognitive bias which leads people to disbelieve or minimize threat warnings. Consequently, individuals underestimate the likelihood of a disaster, when it might affect them, and its potential adverse effects. The normalcy bias causes many people to prepare inadequately for natural disasters, market crashes, and calamities caused by human error. About 80% of people reportedly display normalcy bias during a disaster?”

It also plays out in other ways. I know people who know that the Christian faith is the truth, but they aren’t prepared to surrender to Jesus yet. They have some arbitrary date or event in mind that they want to pass before becoming believers.

Millions, perhaps billions of people, have heard the call of the Holy Spirit yet refuse Him, thinking they are somehow immune to the consequences.

Yet the Scriptures clearly state that everyone will hear the truth, and there will be consequences for what one does with that information.

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Revelation 22:12-13

He is coming back to make all things right.

“But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come.It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows,or in the morning—lest he come suddenly and find you asleep.And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.” Mark 13:32-37

Not being ready for Christmas might be uncomfortable. Not being ready for Jesus will be disastrous.

Are you prepared?

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)

Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.

__________________________________________ 

Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format.

Subscribe today: https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/gleanings-1 

For an archive of many back issues, visit our website at https://gleaningsfromtheword.com.

© 2024 Gleanings From the Word, K.F. “Kevin” Corbin. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.