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DOES GOD HATE YOU

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The Hate of God

By Ken Blue

Most Bible believers teach that God hates sin, but loves the sinner. However, recently a small group of believers have challenged that teaching, and affirm that God not only hates sin; He also hates the sinner. If God does indeed hate the sinners, does He hate you?

Let us look at a few things God says He hates and see if you are on His hate list. “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:  A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,  An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,  A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” Proverbs 6:16-19.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Does God hate you?[/perfectpullquote]

 Are you guilty of pride? Have you or do you tell a lie? Is there someone you hate? Do you have wicked thoughts? Are you involved in any mischief? Have you misrepresented someone? Are you guilty of sectarianism or discord among the brethren? Now, we know God hates all the above sins.  I am sure you are not guilty of these but are you sure that God hates other people who commit these sins?

Since God hates divorce, does he hate the divorcees; and if He hates them, why don’t you? “For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.” Malachi 2:16.

I have no doubt that the brethren are going to adjust their theology to accommodate themselves and their friends. They will excuse themselves and exclude their sins from God’s hate list while adding the sins of others to it. So, we ask, does God hate you?

SWEET WATERS AND SECRET BREAD

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SWEETNESS OF THE FORBIDDEN
sweet

By Ken Blue

“Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” Proverbs 9:17.

Adam and Eve were told not to eat of the tree and were warned that death would follow disobedience. They ate anyway, and both died. What was it that blinded them to abandon all reason and go against common sense? Two attractions came into play. Satan convinced them that eating the forbidden fruit would open their eyes and make them as the gods, knowing good and evil. Secondly, they were given a free will to choose; and the thrill of taking the forbidden was greater than their thoughts of the consequences.

Israel had hundreds of laws resulting from the Ten Commandments. Yet, no nation was more rebellious than Israel. The story in Proverbs, sets before Israel, the choosing of God’s wisdom or the wisdom of the world. One choice leads to life, the other leads to death. Israel chooses death. Again, we ask, why would they do that? The answer is in our text.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]The purpose of the Law was to show man his own wickedness and inability to keep it.[/perfectpullquote]

A herd of wild horses may look tame and normal at a distance, but put a bridle and a saddle on them, and you will discover just how wild they are. Their latent nature comes to the surface. They will kick, bite, buck, and rebel. So it is with a man. A series of messages on “thou shalt not…” will not change the nature or the behavior of man. It will only make his sin nature come alive and expose what is in his heart.

The purpose of the Law was to show man his own wickedness and inability to keep it. “Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.” Romans 4:15. (It didn’t say, there was no sin; it said, “there was no transgression!) “…I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.” Romans 7:7-11.

Once the Law has done its work in “slaying” all personal hopes and self-righteousness for salvation, the sinner must then flee to God for mercy and His saving grace. That is its purpose! We must set before people the way of life and the way of death. Wisdom cries in the high places, “There is salvation in the cross of Christ!” The wisdom of the world cries, “There is sweetness and pleasure in secret sin.” Both are true. But, sin’s customers are unaware that her basement is filled with the corpses of her previous guest.

This was Israel’s warning; they could listen to God and be saved, or join with the idolatry and immorality of the land and be destroyed. Israel choose the “stolen waters and the secret bread.” However, secret sins are never secret; God sees everything, and the sweetness doesn’t last.

“Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.” Proverbs 20:17.

FATHERS, SONS, AND SINS

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Who’s sins are they anyway?

By Ken Blue

“Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;” Exodus 20:5.

This passage is repeated three other times in the Pentateuch: Exodus 34:7, Numbers 14:18, and Deuteronomy 5:9. It is always associated with Israel and their Law. It was national rather than personal.

The warning was against the idolatry in the land of Canaan and the sins associated with it. For that list, read Leviticus 18:1-30. We need not think that God’s judgment would cease after the fourth generation if future generations continued their evil idolatrous practices. In other words, God’s wrath would continue as long as their sinful behavior continued. If one repented, he would find God to be a merciful God.

Another possible interpretation is seen in the case of Achan, who had stolen items forbidden for Israel to take. Yet, his entire family and all he had were executed. See Joshua 7:24. It was not uncommon for families of three or four generations to live in one tent or house. Sin brought judgment on the entire family. The execution of the whole family was not always carried out, and it will be eliminated under Israel’s new covenant. See Jer. 31:29, 30; Eze. 18:2.

Occasionally, we meet believers who think they are being punished because of the sins of their great, great, great grandfathers. This is not the case, nor is that the intent of the text. It is sad to see many parents who think sickness, deformity or the death of their child is their fault. In some case, it may be, but usually, it is not. These parents spend the rest of their life in guilt and self-abasement. But, we must understand that each person makes up his or her own mind to rebel or live for God.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Many of God’s choice servants have descended from the worst of parents, and many of the most wicked men and women have had godly parents.[/perfectpullquote]

We are told clearly that it was not the sins of the parents that caused the blindness of the man in John’s gospel. “ And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” John 9:1-3. Still, the nation was under the heel of Rome.

The facts are that many of God’s choice servants have descended from the worst of parents, and many of the most wicked men and women have had godly parents. If anyone turns out to be a vessel God can and will use, it is only by His grace!

Raise your children the best you can under the influence of godly people and a good church. Then pray that they will listen and live for the Lord. But, don’t beat yourself up, blaming yourself, or your great grandfather for your behavior of that of your children. We all have a free will, and we make our own choices. Let us pray that they will be the right ones.

AN ARM TO SAVE AND AN EAR TO HEAR

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GOD’S EAR IS ALWAYS LISTENING FOR YOU!

Christ Bridge sinBy Ken Blue

“Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:” Isaiah 59:1.

Some are quick to blame God because they or a loved one is not saved. However, the above verse dispels all arguments on the subject. The sincere reader should read all eight verses for the cause of Israel’s alienation.

Most want relief from the pain of sin, but are not willing to give up the sin itself. That is a fool’s desire; reaping following sowing. Many husbands are unhappy and ready to divorce the wife because she talks to much, spends too much money or is just downright contentious. The wife wants out because her husband never listens, is insensitive and just plain boring. The truth is, none of the above is the problem; these are symptoms of a much deeper problem. Israel’s problem was obvious to everyone except themselves.

Verse 2 declares that Israel’s iniquity had separated them. (Iniquity: 1. Gross immorality or injustice; wickedness. 2. A grossly immoral act; a sin). Their hands, their feet, their mouths, and their hearts were defiled.

No matter where you are in relation to God, His hand can reach you and it is mighty to save! Never despair. If you will draw near to God, He will draw near to you.

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]No matter where you are in relation to God, His hand can reach you and it is mighty to save![/pullquote]

Also, God is not indifferent to your situation. His ear is ready and quick to hear. Call upon Him. Come clean and be transparent before Him; you will find him near. Your problem is not that God can’t help you; most likely you have a pet sin you will not give up. If you are unsure about that, ask Him to show you your secret sins. It may be painful, but it is the only path to salvation and freedom. “Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:” Isaiah 59:1.

GET OUT OF DEBT FREE

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YOU OWE A DEBT YOU CANNOT PAY

By Ken Blue

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”. Romans 6:23.

That most Americans are so far in debt they can’t see a way out is an understatement. However, there is a much greater debt accumulating that few know about or give much thought to. God tells us that our sins carry with them a debt. All of us are sinners, therefore all are debtors. We sin each day in word, thought, and deed. If you only committed three sins per day; at year’s end you would have 1095 sins, and you would be practically perfect if you only sinned three times per day.

Suppose you live fifty or sixty years and only commit three sins per day, you would face God with 65,700 sins against your account. You see, the wages of sin is death; sin is death to your spiritual life, to your physical life and to your eternal life. You and I owe something that we cannot pay!

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]You can get out of debt free![/perfectpullquote]

Now, for the good news; you can get out of debt free! Notice that our text says the gift of God is eternal life. Because we sin willfully, we have accumulated a debt we cannot pay. Because Jesus Christ never sinned, He paid a debt He did not owe. In simple bookkeeping, we have a -1 in our account and He has a +1 in His account. If we could get His +1 moved to our -1, it would balance the books and we would not owe anything!

That is exactly what God does for every sinner who realizes that he cannot pay what he owes. We acknowledge our hopeless state and receive God’s gift of mercy and life in Christ. You see, death is the wage for our sins, but eternal life is God’s free gift to all who will receive it.

Notice that it is a free “gift”. You don’t work for a gift, you can’t pay for it, nor do you deserve it. Your only option is to reject it or accept it. If you want to get out of debt FREE, accept God’s gift in Jesus Christ today.