With what happened at Vtech on Monday, I wanted to encourage, challenge, and think about what happened and what is happening this world and in your life.
If you think this is too long to read, then you're probably the one who needs to read this the most.
And I apologize in advance if I'm all over the place.
even the smallest sin "When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but 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." - James 1:13-15
It's no surprise that this sort of event would happen in today's society. When I first heard the news about 20 students being shot and killed, and 20+ more injured, I honestly was not shocked, nor surprised by this. Why? Well, because this world and the people living in it are Godless. We live in a society filled with hatred, crime, and confusion. It's no surprise to me that sin, infested in one person, can cause such chaos both spiritually and physically. This guy from tech, just an average person, said to be a "loner", was not immune to sin. And I am pretty sure that things happened in his life that overwhelmed him, overcame him, and got the best of him, and it all began with the smallest bit of sin.
There is an old saying that goes like this:
"It isn't the mountain ahead that wears you out, it's the grain of sand in
your shoe." Many a man, worried for fear he would not be able to
cross a mountain, has had to stop some miles before he crossed the foothills
because he had not taken time to clean out his shoes.
That has been the source of failure in many Christian lives.
Eager to avoid the big sins, your life may outwardly be one of extreme piety,
but if there are hidden imperfections - little pebbles in your shoe - these
will cause failure in your Christian life.
consequences for sin"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" -Romans 6:23
I get the growing feeling that people today just dont feel that sin means anything to them, or applies to them. It seems as if they get the idea of "I can sin all I want because God will forgive me, so it doesn't matter if I sin." attitude. That statement is partially true. Yes, Jesus loves you, and if you ask for forgiveness of your sins, you will be forgiven. But that shouldn't give us the right to deliberately go off and sin, knowing we would be forgiven. I've read some things on the internet where people say things like, "Even if you murder and steal, God still loves you and forgives you." (Which is true), "So you gotta live life up, get drunk, get high, live it up." (which is false). Our bodies are a temple of for God. "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have recieved from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." - 1Corinthians 6:19-20 It's a shame to see so many people mislead in their beliefs. Maybe we weren't taught both sides of the story. Maybe we chose not to believe that part. Maybe we don't care. It's so important to get right with Jesus. "Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For
we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one
may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body,
whether good or bad." - 2Corinthians 5:6-10 We are all accountable for our actions, thoughts and motives, and will be judged, not by man, but by God in the coming day. Let's be ready.
unfortunately not everyone goes to heaven"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" - Romans 3:23
In an ideal world, everyone would be saved, but if this were the case, then Jesus coming on earth to die for all the world's sin's would mean nothing. Jesus came to die for a reason, so that people would be saved through faith in Him. A holy God does not mix with a sinful man. Thus Jesus came to die so that sinful people like you and me will be free from sin and given a chance to have a relationship with Jesus.
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All
the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the
people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the
goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left." - Matthew 25:31-33 In those final days, Jesus will separate the the goats (Non-Christians) who've mixed with the sheep, pretending or convinced they too are sheep (Christians). And sadly they will be excluded from the Kindgom. Which should stir in a question in your heart, am I a goat or a sheep?
The Rich Young Man
17As
Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees
before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit
eternal life?"
18"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. 19You
know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not
steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father
and mother.'"
20"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."
21Jesus
looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell
everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in
heaven. Then come, follow me."
22At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"
-Mark 10:17-23
The young manwanted to be sure he would get eteral life, so he asked what he could do. He said he'd never once broken any of the laws Jesus mentioned. But Jesus lovingly broke through the man's pride with a challenge that brought out his true motives: "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor." This challenge exposed the barrier that could keep him out of the Kingdom: his love of money. Money represented his pride of accomplishment and self-effort. Ironically, his attitude made him unable to keep the first commandment, to let nothing be more important than God (Exodus 20:3). He couldnt meet the one requirement Jesus gave - to turn his whole heart and life over to God. The man came to Jesus wondering what he could do; he left seeing what he was unable to do. What's keeping yuou from turning your life over to Christ? Money? Pleasures? If you look at verse 20, you notice he said, "all these I have kept since I was a boy." this is so familiar to us today. Being Korean and growing up in church since we were born, we too have learned all these things, we've done the "church" thing, we've gone through the motions, or have ran with emotional high's. We have to be careful of this.
salvation "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever
believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands
condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one
and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But
whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen
plainly that what he has done has been done through God." -John 3:16-22 Are you living in the dark or in the light?
"And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." - Acts 2:21
Salvation is not about a specific prayer (though it may lead us in the words we need to say), it's about the heart, and the journey you need with Jesus Christ.
