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The Lasting Effects of Sin
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” —Revelation 21:4
Ever since first sin reared its ugly head in the third chapter of Genesis, it has been handed down through the generations. What a thought! Even though God makes it absurdly plain that we will never be judged by the sins of our fathers, the truth remains that we will suffer the consequences of their sins along with our own.
We are victims of the effects of sin all the days of our lives.
Only the Father knows the shameful secrets of our past. He’s also aware of the continued agony these past sins cause long after we’re forgiven of them. When it comes to the consequences of sin, there’s no getting off Scot-free. Our sins rear their ugly heads over and over as long as we walk on this earth. We will never be free of their effects until that day when we finally stand in the presence of Christ in the throne room of God.
God uses our past sins to build our faith. Sometimes our forgiven sins help us relate to others with similar pasts and makes our witness more viable to them. Other times, He uses these sins to remind us of where we came from. The list goes on and on. God uses our sins in many ways.
Frequently, the reminders of our past sins come through those who were affected by them. These are the most painful reminders of all. How we wish we could erase the bad choices we made and the hurt these caused our loved ones! We know we deserve the consequences for ourselves, but we want those affected by our sins to be set free. How can we realize the relief God’s forgiveness brings when we’re watching our loved ones suffer for what we’ve done. At times like these, we may feel as if we have NOT yet been forgiven.
As in all situations in the believer’s life, there is light at the end of the tunnel. God is sovereign and He uses all the bad, the hurt, the pain and sin for His glory. He is able to do—and does do—some pretty amazing things to bring about salvation when hope is lost. The effects of sin may continue to be passed down through the generations, but faith in God will deliver from that sin and heal the pain.
In the midst of the pain, we grow closer to God and realize that someday, sin will be no more.
Our Struggle is Not Against Flesh and Blood
Believers often discount Satan as a viable enemy and overlook the Biblical truth that in these last days he is escalating his attack against the body of Christ. According to the scriptures, Satan roams about the earth like a lion, pouncing on every available opportunity. This may involve a conflict with a family member, a feud with a friend or co-worker, or even a disagreement among members of the church. He is in no way a respecter of persons. He delights in wounding all believers and rendering them useless in the work God has given them to do. The more confusion and pain he causes, so much the better.
You would think that as believers we would be more cognizant of the tactics of Satan. Unfortunately, this is not the way it works. We are so hung up on the “rights” we believe are ours as believers that we’re more comfortable blaming someone human than acknowledging the reality of the “powers and principalities and dark forces in the spiritual realm” [Ephesians 6:12]. This presents a potentially dangerous situation.
In verses 13-18 of Ephesians Chapter 6, we are plainly warned of the need to prepare ourselves against Satan’s attacks. We’re given ample instructions as to how we’re to cope with these attacks. Unfortunately, by casting blame on someone human—or anything in the natural realm— but we’re not taking Satan seriously and lay ourselves open to his onslaughts.
We know that God is sovereign and has authority over Satan and that He’s well aware of the attacks we face. We know that even though He could stop the attacks, in His sovereignty He may choose not to. But we also know that He promises to equip us with what we need to stand up under the onslaught whenever it comes.
God’s Word is filled with reminders that the world is an evil place and until Jesus comes again He is allowing Satan to be the “prince of the power of the air.” If we are going to survive until then, it is essential we study His Word and keep our attention focused on God.
Our battle is not with our loved ones, our brothers and sisters in Christ or our co-workers. God instructs us to love all people, even our enemies and to not let the sun go down in our anger. We are to esteem others more highly than ourselves. We can do all these things because Christ is in us and enables us to stand against the enemy. If ever wounded and rendered useless, we have no one to blame but ourselves, because God has given us all we need to defeat the enemy and complete the work He has given us to do.
Ministry Update
If you’re thinking you’re missing a few issues of The Word Within, rest assured. You are still on our mailing list; it’s just that the past couple of months have been overflowing and we were unable to get a new issue out in a timely fashion. It’s been an exciting time for the ministry.
Early in November Susan and Gail traveled to Myanmar to teach a seminar on how to interpret the parables of Jesus. We conducted two sessions—one in Yangon and the other in Mandalay. Both were housed at local seminaries so the environment was not only safe but conductive to learning.
The results of both seminars were gratifying. We had approximately 70 participants at each of the locations, from a wide variety of age groups and walks of life. In Yangon we addressed mainly Bible school students and in Mandalay a selection of missionaries, Bible students, and pastors. Most of the attendees in Mandalay were from the city and most of those attending in Yangon were from the out-reaches of the country.
In addition to the expenses of putting on the two seminars, we were pleased to be able—with your generous donations—to provide financial support for Philip and his ministry efforts in Yangon. A large part of that support went to fund the mission trip for 15 into the most western areas of Myanmar.
There are many success stories that could be shared, but the most touching for me was on the first day of the seminar in Mandalay. A young man took issue with something I said and we carried on a lively discussion through the aid of our translator (Philip). I worried—in this patriarchal culture—that I, a woman, might have offended the man with my straight-forward insistence on the truth. When the day finally came to a close, the man approached me and in broken English told me how much he’d learned from the teaching. Then he embraced me in a huge teddy-bear kind of hug.
How wonderful it is to know that in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Gentile, male nor female, slave nor free! We are one in Christ and have much to learn from each other.
The Way God Looks at Us
“The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” —1 Samuel 16:7
The eleventh chapter of the book of Hebrews is commonly referred to as the “faith chapter,” and rightly so. Some of us may wonder how many of those named in the chapter qualify as “faithful” when they appear to have very little faith—if any at all.
Yet God has commended each for his faith. And that remains a mystery for many today. Undoubtedly, most of us are familiar with the acts of great faith Noah, Abraham and Moses committed in their day, but even these heroes of faith had their issues. Noah got drunk on the wine he made from the grapes of the vineyard he planted after the flood. To save his own skin, Abraham lied more than once about Sarah being his wife. And, Moses…well, Moses struck the rock in anger. In spite of these chinks in their armor, though, Noah, Abraham and Moses demonstrated great faith in God. These are witnessed by their inspiring stories recorded elsewhere in scripture.
Some of the smaller names in Hebrews’ “faith chapter,” however, provide more reason for doubt. Gideon started out well but ended up making an ephod that the people worshiped at Ophrah. Samson seems anything but faithful. This man was a womanizer whose gift from God was eventually taken away because of that weakness.
And then there’s Barak, the military leader who would only go into battle against the Canaanites if Judge Deborah accompanied him. We might call this more cowardly than faithful if we wrote his story today. None of their stories sound much like what we think having faith should entail. The simple truth of the matter is that without God’s mercy we would all be in trouble. Fortunately, our God sees so much more in us than we do in ourselves. Or in others.
God doesn’t dwell on the sinful things we do—He forgives. He looks at the times when we obey and trust Him, and knows the condition of our hearts. When we fall on our knees to worship, He sees the love we have for Him. These “faithful” moments in our lives are precious to our Lord, far more important than the momentary failures we experience from time to time. Ours is not a god of condemnation. He is the Lord of grace. He sees us for who we are, rather than what we do. He is our loving Father who loves without condition.
Book of Habakkuk
“How long, O Lord, must I call for help? But you do not listen!” -Habakkuk 1: 2
If you’ve ever doubted the goodness of God or questioned why He would allow some of the dreadful things we see happening in the world today, you can certainly relate to the prophet Habak-kuk.
We often have the notion that it’s a fatal mistake to question God or to be frustrated with what He’s doing in our lives. The important issue is not how we feel but how we handle our feelings when we get to that point where we surmise God is not listening or that He simply doesn’t care. Do we become cynical and harden our hearts against Him? Do we turn to other forms of relief? Or can we be honest and take our doubts and misgivings directly to the Lord and lay it all out on the table before Him?
The prophet Habakkuk certainly was no stranger to questions. And the questions he asked of God are the same as many well-meaning Christians ask today. “Where are you, God, when the 14-year old shoots and kills the 13-year old in a gang disagreement?” “Why aren’t you protecting this little girl from her father’s abusive actions?” “How could you allow the pervert to do such cruel and awful things to that sweet little old lady who loves you so much?”
In the study of the book of Habakkuk, we’ll examine the prophet’s hard-hitting questions and God’s response. We’ll see how in the end all this is just more reason for Habakkuk to worship his Lord.
There is much to be learned from this three-chapter conversation between God and the prophet Habakkuk. Observing Habakkuk’s open and honest relationship with God serves as a model for our relationship with Him. Listening to God’s answers to Habakkuk’s profound questions helps us to grow in our faith and our trust of Him in the worst of situations.
Sign up now for the Winter class starting January 25th. Call 918-492-0945.
Your Personal Bible Study
To be sure we’re all starting out on the same page, be sure to read this month’s edition of Illuminations before tackling this short Bible study. That little story gives insight into what we are going to glean from scripture in this study.
- Read Matthew 28:19-20, paying particlar attention to all the verbs (in any form) used in these two verse. List these verbs below.
- Now examine the verbs you listed above and determine which ones are an actual command from Jesus and which ones describe what you are to be doing as you obey the commands. List the “command” verbs here.
- Now we need to determine the verbs (participles) that tell us what we should be doing as we “go” and “make disciples.” List those verbs (participles) here.
The Greek word translated by the English “nations” is ethnos and refers to tribes, pagans, and specifically foreign people. You’ll need to use your imagination here. Jesus is dealing with a primarily Jewish audience. Who would the pagans and foreign people be to the Jews?
So then, in our world today, who would the pagans and foreign people be as far as you are concerned?
List names of specific people you know who would fit this description.
- Re-read v.19. What is the first word in this verse (NIV)? What is the “therefore” there for? [HINT: v.18]
- Read Matthew 11:27 and John 3:35. How would you describe the authority that Jesus has?
So! In what kind of authority does Jesus send you out to witness to others about Him?
- What kind of confidence does this instill in you as you spread the Good News about His life and purpose?
- What is His promise to you as you go and make disciples?
Prayer Needs
Please be in prayer for the upcoming trip to Southeast Asia, November 12 through 27. Some of the specific prayer needs are
· that all flight connections are made so we arrive in time for the first session
· that we have safe travel en route as well as the twice-daily travel by taxi in a city of several million
· that we can rest from the long flight and make quick adjustments to the 12-hour time difference
· that the teaching material is prepared in a timely manner and is appropriate for the culture
· that the people attending the seminar are kept safe during their difficult travel to the site and that their hearts and minds are prepared to receive the teaching
· that God provides good health for attendees as well as for Gail and Susan
· that God is glorified in every word spoken and every action taken throughout the trip
Our objective for this trip, as always, is to help the indigenous teachers and Bible students be equipped to study the Word of God without the aid of commentaries and other study tools. Such re-sources are not available in their language. In previous trips we have taught inductive study methods. This time we are teaching specific methods for interpreting the parables of our Lord and other difficult passages in scripture.
We are expecting 50-70 attendees in each of the two cities where we’ll be teaching, and we are confident that ultimately we’ll be reaching even more. As the participants return to their respective villages, they take with them new knowledge and new skills that they will be sharing with those of their home village. In this way, we hope to reach every corner of the country with the good news that Jesus loves them and died for their sins.
We thank all our supporters for making this teaching available.
He Cares For You!
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”—1 Peter 5:7
When I was nine years old my family had a garage sale. It was a long, hot September day and after several hours of running the sale, we were considering closing it down. However, before we could, a lady drove up. She looked hesitant, but reluctantly walked up to us and said, “I’m on a mission.”
She went on to explain that she was looking for a certain kind of toy animal—a small, stuffed kitten that made a purring sound when it was moved, known as a “Kitty Kitty Kitten.” My mom looked at me and then told the lady that she knew exactly what she was talking about, as my sister and I played with them, although we didn’t have any in the sale. The women then went on to explain her interest in the kitten:
She said her father had died recently and that she and her daughter had traveled back east to help liquidate the estate. While there, her daughter’s special friend, a stuffed kitten named Princess, disappeared. They sadly realized that it must have gotten mixed in with the things that had been cleared out of the house. The little girl was heartbroken and every night she prayed that God would bring Princess back to her. Since the toy had long been discontinued, each Saturday morning the girl’s mother would go to garage sales hoping to find another kitten like Princess.
I asked for more details about Princess, as I had bought a Kitty Kitty Kitten at a garage sale not too long before and wondered if it might be a close match. Upon hearing her description, I excused myself and dashed upstairs. I picked up my kitten, ran back down to the garage sale, handed her to the lady, and asked her, “Is this what you’re looking for?” The second she saw the kitten she looked shocked and exclaimed, “That’s Princess!” Although the kitten wasn’t really Princess, it was an exact duplicate of the missing kitty!
God promises to care for all our needs (Matthew 6:25-34), and knows the desires of our heart–even if they may not seem important in the grand scheme of things. Jesus tells us that even the hairs on our head our numbered (Matthew 10:30). If God knows that, He most certainly cares about every little detail of our lives! While He may not always answer our prayers with what we want or the way we want, we can be confident that regardless of what we’re going through—a lost job, an ill family member, or even a toy kitten—God is there, He cares for us, and listens to us.
Illuminations
I remember a day in my life when it seemed impossible to get everything done—you’ve probably had a few days like that yourself.
On this particular day, I needed to make deposits at three different banks and send a registered letter from the main Post Office downtown. To make matters worse, it looked like half of Tulsa was out trying to get the same things done as me. You can imagine the kind of lines I had ahead of me.
In simple terms, I’m not a line-stander. In fact, I’m the person you never want to stand in front of. I can’t help it, but my clock just runs at a different speed than everyone else’s. You’d probably think I was pushing you, but I’m not—that’s just my energy speaking a little too loud.
This day, I made my way through the traffic to the three banks first. The line at each was long, as expected. Twenty minutes long, to be precise. I know because I looked at my watch. Many, many times.
By the time I reached the Post Office, parked and went inside, frustration was getting the best of me. I literally prayed for a no-line-at-the-window situation but of course it didn’t turn out that way.
Immediately in front of the bank of open windows were two metal posts with a strap connecting the two. At the one end was a sign that read “Enter,” and at the other, “Wait Here”. But both ends were open, so no one knew what to do. We had a mess of people winding ’round and ’round, looking like a major Christmas run on the Post Office.
The pressure of the mob’s impatience showed on all the postal clerks—except for the woman who was working the middle window. This woman had a glow of peace on her face. She was calm and collected. Nothing seemed to bother her. She remained courteous and caring throughout the ordeal. I found myself hoping that when my turn came she would be the one available to wait on me. She was.
As I watched her get my registered letter ready for mailing, I couldn’t help but ask, “How do you remain so calm amidst all this pandemonium?”
The woman smiled sweetly. With her eyes still on mine, but her voice projecting to the crowd, she replied. “I’m a Christian,” she said. “That makes all the difference in the world!”
Perhaps you know someone like this. Someone who boldly claims Jesus as Lord. Someone continually surrounded by a peace beyond understanding. If I didn’t have it already, I can guarantee I would have wanted what that woman had.
That’s God’s plan for all of us. He wants us to have a life filled with peace within. And He wants us to share that peace with everyone we come in contact with. Serenity and boldness, that’s what it’s all about. And it only comes from Him.
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