Split Decision!

Sunday’s Monday

I would like to share an eye opener with you this week, that I recently had revealed to me. I have always been about hate the sin; love the sinner but it occurred to me that this doesn’t always happen. A lot of the time we unknowingly (or not) lump the two together and hate the sin because it is against the nature of God and the sinner for being in the sin. Truth is we all, at best, maintain a microscopic amount of bias way down deep in the pits of our humanism and through the grace of God a few are able to keep it dormant within those depths. It seems to appease our own short falls (guilt) when we offer no mercy to those that we chose to condemn. Question: what if Jesus used our example in the way He looks at us, saved or not? I fear most would be in trouble! We were given instructions in dealing with this very subject in Jude 22-23 (NLT), 22 And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. 23 Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.

After a little thought and a lot of soul searching, I think Jude 16 explains why we humans have this tendency to throw out the baby with the bath water (so to speak). Jude 16 (NLT), These people are grumblers and complainers, living only to satisfy their desires. They brag loudly about themselves, and they flatter others to get what they want. We would rather not show mercy (love) to most of the spiritually lost because of what is previously described. As a matter of fact, should we get totally honest with ourselves, we might find many times when we’ve prayed for someone, and consciously asked God to use someone else in His solution for their situation. Why? Because it can get uncomfortable, inconvenient, time consuming and they may even get on our last nerve. Such are the people that is spoken of in Jude 18-19 (NLT), 18 They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. 19 These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them. My way of thinking may not be the expression this writer meant however, everyday that I awake in the morning is in my last times. I could easily die before the next awakening.

We are reminded in 1 Peter 4:7-9 (NLT), 7 The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. 8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. Not all sinners are demonized and unsavable, they simply don’t know what they don’t know. I shutter to think of my today, had someone not accepted the challenge which I presented while living in my unbelief. I could be doomed for hell this very second! Fortunately, there were Jesus followers that were filled with the love of Jesus and could see in me that which I could not see in myself. They were able to separate me from the dastardly deeds I was committing. In short, they loved the hell out of me!

My prayer for this week comes from two different scripture readings and it is my prayer that each of us receive and believe. Dear Lord, I pray your words from 1Peter 4:10-11(NLT), 10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 11 Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! And from Jude 24-25 (NLT), 24 Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. 25 All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.

HAVE A BLESSED WEEK BY BEING A BLESSING TO OTHERS!

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