Yahoo Chicago!

We just got back from our Chicago PlanetWisdom conference. This past weekend the students in Chicago sponsored 103 Bible verse translations through the One Verse program. Way to go!

PlanetWisdom travels to Cedarville, OH this weekend, October 27-28 and then on to Charlotte, NC.

Suffering from Sin

Sin always leads to suffering - but not forever! One of the worst examples of how we suffer from the consequences of sin can be found in Genesis, chapter 3. The disobedience of Adam and Eve left every human born after them with a sin nature - and the potential of being cut off from the Lord forever.

In Romans, chapter 8, we're told that we and all of creation continue to suffer from the consequences of this original sin. But the good news is that God has already rescued us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and eventually he will destroy the evil influence of sin forever. Until then, of course, we wait patiently and trust in the Lord's forgiveness when we fail to live as we should. But remember: freedom from sin is coming soon!

The Lord's Judgment

When the Lord judges sin, salvation may be our only reward. In Genesis, chapters 12 through 19, there's a remarkable story about a man named Lot. Raised under the godly influence of Abraham, Lot gained great wealth through the blessings God gave to his uncle. But then Lot left Abraham and chose to live within the evil influence of cities that were so repugnant to the Lord that he destroyed them from Heaven. As a result, Lot lost everything - including his good name.

Like Lot, when we turn away from godly influences, we can be tempted and fall into sin. God can rescue us - but any blessings that we had before may be lost. And we may then need to learn the hard lesson of trusting the Lord when we have nothing.

Sin Watchers

Beware who may be watching and learning from your sin. Remember Kind David? He was the insignificant shepherd boy who killed a giant, wrote beautiful songs in the Bible, and was considered Israel's greatest king. But because of his sexual lust and treachery, David's family lived in constant turmoil - including rape, rebellion and murder. Kind David's heart was repeatedly broken by the evil his children committed against each other.

Like David, our sin today may influence other to do something even worse tomorrow. If we repent, God will bring forgiveness to our lives. But damage has already been done - which may impact future generations. May the lord protect those around us from the consequences of our own evil desires.

God Forgives Sin

God forgives sin - yet we still may suffer the results of our disobedience! Remember Moses? He was the Lord's chosen deliverer, the law-giver, and a rare individual with whom God spoke to face to face. But Moses also had a sin problem. At a key moment when the Lord wanted to teach his people about grace, Moses let his temper interfere. Although forgiven, Moses was judged unfit to lead God's people into the promised land, and his leadership was turned over to someone else.

Like Moses, we may face a moment when we need to choose between our way of doing things or doing what the Lord wants, no matter what. God can forgive our wrong choices; however, one consequence may be that He can't use us to our full potential.

Consequences

God won't always clean up our mess! Consequences operate the same way as natural law: cause and effect. Action, reaction. Like gravity - if you drop something, one consequence is that it will fall.

Our behavior, especially when it violates God's best for us, also has consequences. If we drink or smoke too much, our health will suffer. Premarital sex could result in pregnancy or a life-long disease. But the worst consequence is mentioned in Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

The good news is that the Lord forgives our sin and we don't have to pay the price we deserve. However, other consequences - like sickness, unwanted pregnancy, and suffering - may stay with us for the rest of our lives.