Tag: Sin

Digging in Deeper: Ezekiel 9:9

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“Then he said to me, ‘The guilt of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great.  The land is full of blood, and the city full of injustice.  For they say, “The Lord has forsaken the land, and the Lord does not see.”‘”  (ESV – Read the chapter)

Ezekiel was prophesying during a hard season in the life of the people of Israel.  The good and faithful King Josiah had instituted incredible moral and spiritual reforms among the people.  But after his death, the people went right back to the paganism they had pursued before him.  This proved to be the final straw.  God sent Babylon to enact His judgment against the people. Read the rest…

Morning Musings: Ezekiel 11:5

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“And the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and he said to me, ‘Say, Thus says the Lord: So you think, O house of Israel.  For I know the things that come into your mind.'”  (ESV – Read the chapter)

Ezekiel is announcing some pretty grim judgment here, but I just want to give a bit of attention to the end of this verse.  “For I know the things that come into your mind.”  You probably already knew or guessed this about God, but here it is explicitly stated.  God knows what’s going on inside your mind. Read the rest…

Morning Musings: Psalms 119:136

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“My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law.”  (ESV)

How do you feel about God’s commands?  Here in v. 136 of Psalm 119, the psalmist has poured hundreds of words into his proclamation of his love for and devotion to God’s law.  Here he lands on an idea that is worth considering for a moment.  Again: How do you feel about God’s law? Read the rest…

Morning Musings: Psalm 119:67, 71

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“Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word. . . .It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.”  (ESV – Read the chapter)

Doing things the easy way is always…easy.  Unfortunately, we don’t often take the easy way.  In fact, I suspect most of us can honestly say we don’t ever take the easy way.  But, this doesn’t mean the hard way can’t still turn out good. Read the rest…

Morning Musings: Colossians 3:5

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“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you; sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”  (ESV – Read the chapter)

This is tough language here.  Paul seems to soften a bit a couple of verses later, but that’s just an appearance.  This is what Paul really means.  When it comes to the fruits of sin in our lives–and they are manifold well beyond the list Paul offers here–it is not enough to put them aside or turn our backs to them or knock them off their perch or anything else like that.  We must actively put them to death.  We must kill them completely and not allow for even the slightest chance that they will get up again. Read the rest…