Tag: alone

Markethive

God’s Forgiveness of Your Sin

Sin ruins your life — Who is powerful enough to forgive and renew you?

Written by Hope on 11/10/2016

Series: Weekly Devotional

Tags: Creation, Forgiveness, Power, Sin

God, who raises the dead to life and creates new things…

Romans 4:17b

It’s no secret that we live in a fallen world of sin. From infidelity in relationships, to cheating, to lying, to stealing, sin is everywhere! This sin ruins our life and tears us down.

However, though we live in a world of sin, God is powerful enough to forgive us! But why would he forgive us? And how does he do it? Here are the three pillars to understand about God’s forgiveness of your sins.

God Is The Omnipotent Creator

The Bible teaches us that with His wisdom and power He created the earth and spread out the heavens (Jeremiah 10:12). The prophets praised Him: God said “I am Powerful” (Psalm 62:11) and “Lord God, you stretched out your mighty arm and made the sky and the earth. You can do anything” (Jeremiah 32:17). The Lord says of Himself, “I created everything from the sky above to the earth below” (Isaiah 44:24), and He created all things to be good, in His own estimation — perfect, like Himself, without sin.

God Cannot Stand Sin

But people did sin. And since God “can’t stand sin or wrong” (Habakkuk 1:13a), the sin separated people from God. This is the natural order of Creation, just as darkness cannot exist in the presence of bright light. When you know you have done evil and are disconnected from your Creator, “Your sins are the roadblock between you and your God. That’s why he doesn’t answer your prayers or let you see his face” (Isaiah 59:2).

He Is Powerful Enough To Declare you Innocent

In the book of Exodus 34: 6-7, God declares that He is a fair judge. Just like He is merciful and patient with His people, He also has the power to punish those who sin. “But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away” (I John 1:9). In His great love, He “is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against Him” (Daniel 9:9).

God promises this miracle through Jesus Christ alone. When you believe in Him, you can pray, “I have sinned against; I have disobeyed you and have done wrong. So it is right and fair for you to correct and punish me” (Psalm 51:4) … “Wash me with hyssop until I am clean and whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7a). No matter your sin or shame, no matter who has come against you, we can be confident of His power to “keep you from falling and make sure and joyful in His glorious presence. Before time began and now and forevermore, God is worthy of glory, honor, power and authority. Amen.” (Jude 1: 24)

Pray this week:

Dear God, I have sinned against You. I believe that You alone have the power to forgive me and make my life right in Your ways. Please forgive me, in Jesus’s Name, amen.

How do you need God’s power in your life?

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member

Markethive

How To Avoid Sexual Temptation

Guard Yourself

Written by Dan Lee on 11/07/2015
Series: Weekly Devotional
Tags: Lust, Pornography, Sex, Temptation
“Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light.” Matthew 6:22

These words of Jesus tell us how important our eyes are, and how diligent we must be to watch what goes into our mind through our eyes. God’s word shows us several ways to do this:

1. Be Careful What You Look At
Jesus said, “anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). The first step to sexual temptation (and sometimes the sin itself) is looking.

Today’s world can be full of temptations for the eyes. Advertisements, movies and television, and things on the Internet can all lead us to sin. You must carefully choose what you watch and where you go. If seeing women in bathing suits makes you think lustful thoughts, then you need to stay away from the beach. If Internet pornography threatens to trap you, then stop surfing the web when you’re alone. (Matthew 18:8-9)

2. Guard Your Heart
King Solomon instructs us, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” (Proverbs 4:23).

What is this verse telling us? That what we THINK about determines who we are, and what we do. Lustful thoughts lead to lustful actions. On the other hand, if you read, speak and think about God’s word often, he will renew your mind and your heart. (Also see Romans 12:2, Colossians 3:1-3)

3. Don’t Be Proud
“If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). If you think you will never fall victim to a particular sin, that’s the time to be extra careful. Or, as Solomon again says, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).

Remember above all that we don’t rely on our own strength, but on the Holy Spirit. God alone can give the power to make the right decisions and keep our lives free from sexual sin.

Pray this week:
Lord, I confess that it is so easy for me to sin sexually. I know that I am powerless to change, and that only You can give me victory through Your Holy Spirit’s power. I surrender this area of my life to You and trust that You will glorify Yourself through me as I walk closely with You. Amen.

Are you struggling with sexual temptation? 

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member