Scripture
God will turn the sins of evil people back on them. He will destroy them for their sins. The LORD our God will destroy them.
~Psalm 94:23, NLT
Quote
Those who reject the hand of God’s mercy {Christ} will not be delivered from the hand of His justice.
~Matthew Henry
God is active in His creation but He also wove into the fabric of creation the law of retribution or the law of the harvest. We reap what we sow. As the kids say now a days, “What goes round comes around.” This law is as real as the law of gravity. Sin always produces death and the finished work of sin is destruction. I guess it is a matter of perspective but I see sin, not God, as the destroyer. The Hebrew word translated destroy is tsä·math’: it means to put an end to, cut off, destroy, exterminate, or extirpate {root out}. It is used twice in verse 23. In Psalm 37, David is fretting over the prosperity of the wicked but God reveals to him the truth so that David comes to this conclusion…I have seen wicked and ruthless people flourishing like a tree in its native soil. But when I looked again, they were gone! Though I searched for them, I could not find them! Look at those who are honest and good, for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace. But the rebellious will be destroyed; they have no future. Those who reject Jesus Christ have no future.
There are a couple of things I want to share: first, life is not fair and we all suffer injustice from time to time. I graduated High School in 1967 and that very summer, a friend talked me into trying out for the American Legion Baseball Team [only one in the entire county]. Kids from every high school tried out. I was cut in the last round. After attending Athens High School for three years, I was used to being cut. Two summers later, I was coming in from Calhoun and I noticed a man having car trouble on the side of the road so I stopped: it was the American Legion Baseball coach. I gave him a ride and as we journeyed, he began to confess. He said, “I am sorry about cutting you. I want you to know that it was a political decision: had it been up to me, you would have made the team.” Whereas, I was grateful for the apology and the truth, it didn’t help my feelings. The sting of the cut was still burning. I am 68 years old now and the cut still burns at times. Am I the only person who ever got a raw deal, no! Do I go around with a hatchet in my hands trying to punish those who have treated me unjustly, no! There is an old proverb: “Before you seek revenge, dig two graves.” The quickest way to destroy yourself is to give in to the temptation to get even with those who have hurt you. I talked with a lady on Wednesday: her husband had left her and she was devastated. She felt the blunt of rejection but she was not angry. Many times in these situation, the rejected party wants to see the rejector suffer. I always tell them, “Leave that to God, He will take care of it.” The problem is: most of them do not believe me. Listen folks, I have no doubt, sin will find us out. You cannot escape the consequences of your sin. Go ahead and reject the mother of your children, kick her out and get you a newer, younger model but you will pay and pay dearly. I am a blessed man: I have the respect of my adult children. One reason I have their respect is that I love and take care of their mother. You make the choice but you can’t have your cake and eat it to. No one gets by with anything! No one! You can be sure that your sins will find you out.
The second thing is this: God loves you and Jesus demonstrated this by dying for you on the cross. He suffered your death and your hell. God is not out to destroy you: it is His will for you to be saved. He is not your enemy. Sin and Satan are your enemies and trust me, they will destroy you with a smile on their face. Unless you let go of your life and your sinful choices and give yourself to Christ, sin will wipe you out. There is nothing greater than the LOVE OF GOD and there is nothing worse than GOD’S WRATH. He will have no mercy on those who reject His Son. Listen, you cannot deceive Him or outwit Him: He knows your sin and your intent. You stand guilty before Him and He will not accept excuses. The only thing that can buy your pardon is the blood of Jesus Christ.
- Visited with Thomas and Barbara Pickens at Princeton and then went to Trussville to visit with my first pastor, Bro. Martin Ray [95] who lives by himself in a very nice home. Got to spend a couple of hours with him and then went from there to SAM’S Club in Trussville. That store will make two of the one in Huntsville: it is huge.
- I will be at Enon this Sunday {Lord willing} for three services but we will have the biscuits and donuts for you. We will have them there at 8:00 am
- Indians win 15 in a row beating the White Sox 11-2 with 5 HR’s and 16 hits. One of the White Sox’s catchers pitched the 9th.
- Weather report not looking good for Florida and Southeast coast.
