It all started with hearing mom say no to baby and then watching as that precious little soul reflexively did the very thing, whatever it was, that he was instructed not to do. Maybe he looked up and grinned and it became a game. Perhaps she ran full tilt in the opposite direction, all the while defying her parent. Maybe he hid in a garden behind leaves to mask his disobedience. It’s a tale as old as time. Older, in fact.
““How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!
For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’
Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.”
Isaiah 14:12-15 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/isa.14.12-15.NKJV
Satan has been weakening nations through subtle subterfuge one white lie, one compromise, one choice at a time. The original influencer, deceiver, and father of lies has been weakening resolves, ruining relationships, meddling with families and tearing down homes, weakening the God-ordained undergirding structure where one man and one woman, together in Christ, would fill the earth and subdue it. We have reasoned our way around God’s word as skillfully as a crooked attorney, wiggling through loopholes to our own detriment. We’ve become so entangled in our own lies that we refuse to recognize God’s truth when it stares us in the face. Forgive us, Lord.
“Be sober-minded, be alert.
Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.
Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.”
1 Peter 5:8-9 CSB
https://bible.com/bible/1713/1pe.5.8-9.CSB
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you. ”
1 Peter 5:6-7 CSB
https://bible.com/bible/1713/1pe.5.6-7.CSB
“But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself.
For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
He will judge everyone according to what they have done.
He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers.
But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness.”
Romans 2:5-8 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.2.5-8.NLT
“And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life.”
Romans 2:16 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.2.16.NLT
“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”
Romans 3:23 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.3.23.NLT
“When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right.
And what was the result?
You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom.
But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God.
Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 6:20-23 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.6.22-23.NLT
“Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it.
They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.”
Romans 2:14-29 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.2.28.NLT
“I don’t feel I have done anything wrong.
But that doesn’t mean I’m not guilty.
The Lord judges me.”
1 Corinthians 4:4 NIRV
https://bible.com/bible/110/1co.4.4.NIRV
Thomas and Amelia are pros at telling their younger siblings, Timothy and Ezra, not to do something while doing that very thing themselves. We are born with a nature that says the law applies to you but not to me. Self righteousness is one of Satan’s biggest lies. Jesus taught, “Do to others as you want them to do to you.” (Luke 6:31)
“The person without the Spirit doesn’t accept the things that come from the Spirit of God.
These things are foolish to them.
They can’t understand them.
In fact, such things can’t be understood without the Spirit’s help.”
1 Corinthians 2:14 NIRV
https://bible.com/bible/110/1co.2.14.NIRV
“Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.
So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death.
But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.
For the sinful nature is always hostile to God.
It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will.
That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
But you are not controlled by your sinful nature.
You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you.
(And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)
The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you.
And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.
For if you live by its dictates, you will die.
But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.”
Romans 8:5-9, 11-13 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.8.5-11.NLT
“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives.
Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants.
And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires.
These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.
Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.”
Galatians 5:16-17, 24-25 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/gal.5.16-25.NLT
“Don’t live the way this world lives.
Let your way of thinking be completely changed.
Then you will be able to test what God wants for you.
And you will agree that what he wants is right.
His plan is good and pleasing and perfect.”
Romans 12:2 NIRV
https://bible.com/bible/110/rom.12.2.NIRV
You are making disciples with your life. People are following you, patterning their lives and their choices after yours, whether you realize it or not. You either lead them closer to Jesus or you are both wandering. Make up your mind. Let God lead.
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