Weekly Newsletter
Pastor David’s Weekly Devotional
“Sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it” (Gen.4:7). These ominous words were spoken by none other than God Himself. God uttered these words to Cain at the time when Cain was teetering on the very precipice of sin. As we read the story in Genesis 4, we come to find out that Cain did not master his sin, but that sin mastered him – the sin of bitterness and envy became enthroned in his heart compelling him to kill his one and only brother Abel.
Clearly, Cain did not heed the caution and counsel of Almighty God. Instead, he opened the door of his heart to sin, and sin (as it always does) came in the form of a mob-boss and ruled over him. This is the very nature and objective of sin. For sin does not simply want to distract a person away from God, it wants to completely destroy that person’s faith in God. In the Bible we read, “…each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (Jms.1:14-15).
The truth is sin desires to have complete dominion over every life. With a relentless determination it seeks to cultivate and exploit evil desires within the members of our body. Sin desires to be master of our desires. Sin craves to reign upon the throne of our souls. Sin is the enemy of everything that is godly, and the slave-master of all who have not surrendered to Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Sin is anything but humorous or innocuous. This truth is eloquently expressed in this memorable adage:
Sin will take you farther than you ever intended to stray;
Sin will keep you there longer than you ever intended to stay; and
Sin will cost you more than you ever intended to pay.
The only antidote to sin is the Savior. For Jesus Christ is not only the one person to live an absolutely sinless life, but He is also the only person who sufficiently conquered the power and penalty of sin. The freedom from the control and consequence of sin is found in Christ alone (cf. Jn.8:31-36; Acts 4:12). He alone was willing and able to fully satisfy God’s wrath against unrighteousness and fully satisfy God’s demand for righteousness for all those who would ever believe.
There is no physical cure for a spiritual problem. Only in Christ – as we come to Him in faith, humility, repentance and love – can we have true and lasting victory over sin.
Together in and for Christ,
Pastor David
Scripture Readings for the Week (Monday – Sunday ~ Week #17):
Exodus 13-16; 2 Samuel 1-4; Psalm 48-50; Job 33-34; Jeremiah 22-26; Mark 13-14; 2 Corinthians 1-3
Recommended Reading:
“Sinfulness of Sin” by Ralph Venning
“Sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it” (Gen.4:7). These ominous words were spoken by none other than God Himself. God uttered these words to Cain at the time when Cain was teetering on the very precipice of sin. As we read the story in Genesis 4, we come to find out that Cain did not master his sin, but that sin mastered him – the sin of bitterness and envy became enthroned in his heart compelling him to kill his one and only brother Abel.
Clearly, Cain did not heed the caution and counsel of Almighty God. Instead, he opened the door of his heart to sin, and sin (as it always does) came in the form of a mob-boss and ruled over him. This is the very nature and objective of sin. For sin does not simply want to distract a person away from God, it wants to completely destroy that person’s faith in God. In the Bible we read, “…each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (Jms.1:14-15).
The truth is sin desires to have complete dominion over every life. With a relentless determination it seeks to cultivate and exploit evil desires within the members of our body. Sin desires to be master of our desires. Sin craves to reign upon the throne of our souls. Sin is the enemy of everything that is godly, and the slave-master of all who have not surrendered to Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Sin is anything but humorous or innocuous. This truth is eloquently expressed in this memorable adage:
Sin will take you farther than you ever intended to stray;
Sin will keep you there longer than you ever intended to stay; and
Sin will cost you more than you ever intended to pay.
The only antidote to sin is the Savior. For Jesus Christ is not only the one person to live an absolutely sinless life, but He is also the only person who sufficiently conquered the power and penalty of sin. The freedom from the control and consequence of sin is found in Christ alone (cf. Jn.8:31-36; Acts 4:12). He alone was willing and able to fully satisfy God’s wrath against unrighteousness and fully satisfy God’s demand for righteousness for all those who would ever believe.
“Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey – whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness” (Rom.6:16-18).
“…I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Rom.7:23-25).
“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1Cor.15:56-57).
There is no physical cure for a spiritual problem. Only in Christ – as we come to Him in faith, humility, repentance and love – can we have true and lasting victory over sin.
Together in and for Christ,
Pastor David
Scripture Readings for the Week (Monday – Sunday ~ Week #17):
Exodus 13-16; 2 Samuel 1-4; Psalm 48-50; Job 33-34; Jeremiah 22-26; Mark 13-14; 2 Corinthians 1-3
Recommended Reading:
“Sinfulness of Sin” by Ralph Venning
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