January 2, 2006 - Genesis 3-5 and Matthew 2
I believe you will get a sense of the severity of sin as you read this passage today. Sin is awful, but we have become numb to it. We need a renewed understanding of the destructiveness of sin in our lives. Allow the Lord to speak to you about this as you read these chapters today.
Genesis 3 is the account of the first sin of humans. It is obvious that Satan used the serpent to tempt Eve and Adam to disobey God's command. He planted doubt in their minds about God's Word. (v.4) He used half truths, and he appealed to the flesh. Sin was the result. That is how sin always works, even today. Don't let those things lead you into sin.
Look at the results of sin. God used curses to continually remind them of sin. He forced them out of the garden. The sinful nature was passed to their children, so that the Bible says they were after Adam's image. (5:3) Cain's anger is from the sinful nature. (4:5) Then his anger led to the murder of his own brother. Cain was the first one to take two wives, which was a sin. The only bright spot was the fact that Enoch "walked with God." (5:24) This shows us that sin brings destruction, but God rewards righteousness.
We see the same thing in Matthew 2. Herod was angry, because of his sinful nature. His anger led to the death of many innocent babies in the area around Bethlehem. It caused Joseph to have to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt. Let this be a lesson to us. The sinful nature will lead us to have the wrong attitudes. Our attitudes lead to wrong actions. We must allow Jesus to cleanse us from sin in accepting Him by grace through faith. Then, we must allow the Holy Spirit to fill us continually and to change us, so that our attitudes become the attitudes of Jesus. That will bring a radical change in our words and our actions. People will see the difference in us and want Jesus to do the same for them. Is that how you want to live your life? Do you want to be an example of how the power of God can radically change a life? Then, take sin seriously! Allow the Spirit to remove it through confession and repentance. Let the Spirit mold you to be like Jesus. This will only happen as you yield fully to Him.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 6-9 and Matthew 3.
Genesis 3 is the account of the first sin of humans. It is obvious that Satan used the serpent to tempt Eve and Adam to disobey God's command. He planted doubt in their minds about God's Word. (v.4) He used half truths, and he appealed to the flesh. Sin was the result. That is how sin always works, even today. Don't let those things lead you into sin.
Look at the results of sin. God used curses to continually remind them of sin. He forced them out of the garden. The sinful nature was passed to their children, so that the Bible says they were after Adam's image. (5:3) Cain's anger is from the sinful nature. (4:5) Then his anger led to the murder of his own brother. Cain was the first one to take two wives, which was a sin. The only bright spot was the fact that Enoch "walked with God." (5:24) This shows us that sin brings destruction, but God rewards righteousness.
We see the same thing in Matthew 2. Herod was angry, because of his sinful nature. His anger led to the death of many innocent babies in the area around Bethlehem. It caused Joseph to have to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt. Let this be a lesson to us. The sinful nature will lead us to have the wrong attitudes. Our attitudes lead to wrong actions. We must allow Jesus to cleanse us from sin in accepting Him by grace through faith. Then, we must allow the Holy Spirit to fill us continually and to change us, so that our attitudes become the attitudes of Jesus. That will bring a radical change in our words and our actions. People will see the difference in us and want Jesus to do the same for them. Is that how you want to live your life? Do you want to be an example of how the power of God can radically change a life? Then, take sin seriously! Allow the Spirit to remove it through confession and repentance. Let the Spirit mold you to be like Jesus. This will only happen as you yield fully to Him.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 6-9 and Matthew 3.