What in your life does not honor God?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.
(Numbers 20:12 (NIV))

It only takes one slip; one sin to throw away a whole body of Godly service.

Moses and Aaron had been faithful to God in all aspects of their service to Him, from confronting Pharaoh to leading the people of Israel through the desert, yet, because Moses did one thing that misdirected the glory from God to himself, he had to pay the price. It is true that God forgives us of our sins if we earnestly and sincerely ask through the power of the blood of Jesus, yet, we still must suffer the consequences of our actions. We live in a physical world where for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

We must always watch and guard our thoughts, words and actions, for it only takes a single, little sin to break down our guard and allow a multitude of sin in. That one little sin may be just what keeps us from receiving the rewards that God has for us.

We are only human. We sin every day. Even so, we can live a life after God’s own heart if we choose to focus on the things that are of Him. We must put ego and selfish pride aside and let righteousness indwell us. We must not let one little thing keep us from God. We must keep on our toes and stay alert so that it does not invade our lives.

What is your one little thing?

Copyright 1998 – 2016 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Have you fully embraced the new?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.
(Hebrews 8:12 (NIV))

Is there someone in your life who constantly reminds you of every single mistake that you have made? Do they bring up these mistakes even though they may have occurred so far in the past that even you had forgotten them? It is sad that there actually are people who will hold everything against you no matter how many times you apologize or how long ago the act may have been.

I can honestly say beyond a shadow of a doubt that God does not do that. He will forgive your sins if you simply accept His plan of redemption and grace. He will not bring them up to you again. He will wipe you record clean and treat you as if you had never sinned. I have heard this called justifying grace – a grace that God gives us “just as if I” had never sinned. He does not justify holding our sins against us. He sent Jesus to die on the cross so that He could justify forgiving us of our sins.

The next time that you encounter that special someone who constantly reminds you of your mistakes, smile, and rest assured that their memory cannot condemn you. Only God can condemn, and He has justified you through your acceptance of the atoning blood of Jesus Christ.

God forgives our wickedness. In order for this forgiveness to be complete, we must forgive ourselves. We cannot hold anything over ourselves if God has forgiven us for it. We must remember our actions, not so that we can condemn ourselves, but, rather so we can remember the sin that we have been saved from.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
(2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV))

God’s saving grace makes us new creations. Have you fully embraced the new even when confronted by the sins of the old?

Copyright 1998 – 2013 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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