7.14.11 "Credit Card Holiness"

"Credit Card Holiness"

I Chronicles 16:37 - 18:17
Romans 2:1-23
Psalm 10:16-18
Proverbs 19:8-9


Sin is all around us. Watching the news we're bombarded with garbage. Think about the filth that is readily available to young people. Think of the detestable things that are now becoming common place. How does all that make you feel? It's pretty easy to get worked up.

We read Romans 1 and we realize we are living there. It speaks of God releasing men to their own perversion. People driven by lust. We know we live in that age right now. We are surrounded by evil.

Then we get to Romans 2:1.

"'Well,' you may be saying, 'what terrible people you have been talking about!' But wait a minute! You are just as bad."

Ok, Paul, tell us how you really feel...

What makes the Roman Jews "just as bad"? In verses 17-21, "You think all is well between yourselves and God because he gave his laws to you; you brag that you are his special friends. Yes, you know what he wants; you know right from wrong and favor the right because you have been taught his laws from earliest youth. You are so sure of the way to God that you could point it out to a blind man. You think of yourselves as beacon lights, directing men who are lost in darkness to God. You think that you can guide the simple and teach even children the affairs of God, for you really know his laws which are full of all knowledge and truth. Yes, you teach others -- then why don't you teach yourselves?"

How do these scriptures hit you? Make you wanna sing a happy song and skip around the room? Or do you wanna fall you your knees and cry out to God "make me more like you."?

Continuing in verse 21-23: "You tell others not to steal -- do YOU steal? You say it is wrong to commit adultery -- do YOU do it? You say, 'Don't pray to idols,' and then make money your god instead. You are so proud of knowing God's laws, BUT YOU DISHONOR GOD BY BREAKING THEM."

We can go down that list, and feel pretty good. "I don't steal, I don't commit adultery, i don't worship money" all is well! (Thank goodness I'm not like those who do!) But what is God speaking to YOUR heart about? What is YOUR issue?

Each of us have a unique background. My dad is a pastor. I've known God from an early age. I have been "taught his laws from earliest youth." I was talking with a friend whose background was as opposite as you can get. He was telling me about how he has baggage from his past. He made a comment about how being raised a Christian comes without that baggage.

Not in what I just read. There's a baggage of a different kind. It's easy to get arrogant about having the truth at the fingertips. The "sunday school" answers are quick. It's easy to rattle off scripture to correct someone else.

What a privilege we have to KNOW the truth. We are part of a Godly church teaching Biblical truth consistently. Praise the Lord for that! But it is no good to you to just KNOW it. In Romans 2:15 Paul talks of the punishment that will come for those who "know what is right and don't do it."

In yesterday's DEVO I made a statement: "Just because you are used to your sin doesn't mean God is." How cautious we must be to examine ourselves.

There is a callousness that develops if we do not respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit as it comes. In verse 5 Paul speaks of the "credit card effect" (my words not his!) "But no, you wont listen; and so you are saving up terrible punishment for yourselves because of your stubbornness in refusing to turn from sin."

Look inside today. Is there any "debt" built up? There are things that need to be taken care of. I'm challenged to "teach myself" before teaching others.

You know it's easy to get "defeatist" about all of this. "i'm never good enough", etc. That's not what this is about. When James talks of looking in the mirror, we need to realize that when we look into the mirror of the Word, we will discover new things. That's part of the process. But as it says in James 1:22, "It is a message to obey, not just listen to."

I really enjoy reading the Word each morning. It's been a good discipline for me to follow that up with posting a blog / sending emails out. I've really enjoyed sharing with you what the Lord has spoken to me. But it all means nothing if I do not obey what the Lord places on my heart.

What's God trying to clean up in us today? Let's not be like the Jews in Romans 2. Let's obey.



Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!

Pastor Greg Lathe

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