THE FOOLISHNESS OF SIN
Memorise:
Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. .. Proverbs 14:34
Read:
Romans 1:24-28
Message
Before I became a Christian, I thought I was clever. I had become a university lecturer, so I thought I knew quite a bit. I was also a sportsman, but I was often down with malaria. I was earning a good salary as a lecturer, and because I was afraid of the traffic in Lagos, I employed a driver. I would pay him his salary at the beginning of the month, but by the middle of the month, I would be borrowing money from him to buy fuel. Things were hard because Isaiah 3:11 says that God has ordained hardship for sinners. I am sure that if you go through the medical records at the University of Lagos Health Centre, you'll see how large my medical file was because I, my wife, and our children were always getting sick. However, since I surrendered my life to God, I and my family have been healthy. By His grace, I have been healthy since 1973 to date.
I stopped wasting money when I stopped sinning. Before I became born again, you would find all sorts of alcoholic drinks in my house. Whenever my colleagues came visiting, they would say, "We can't pass in front of the palace without saying hello to the king." They actually came to drink because I was the king of alcohol. After I became born again, they would come, and if they requested alcoholic drinks, I would say, "I'm sorry, I don't have that anymore; I only have soft drinks." They would get offended, and little by little, all my old friends disappeared, and God replaced them with brothers and sisters in Christ. Once you start living a holy life, things will turn around for good in your life.
Sin always takes more than people bargain for. When Joshua led the Israelites to conquer Jericho, everything went smoothly because there was no sin in their camp. However, the moment Achan took the accursed thing, Israel started experiencing defeat. The little country of Ai dealt with them so much that they had to run from the battlefield (Joshua 7:1-4). Sin brings disgrace and dishonour to sinners.
Beloved, it is foolish to engage in sin. Keep God's word in your heart so that you can overcome the temptations that surround you (Psalm 119:11) and flee from every appearance of sin and evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22). I pray that the Almighty God will give you the grace to overcome every temptation, in Jesus' name.
Bible In One Year:
Isaiah 64-66
Hymn:
Yield Not To Temptation
Prayer Point:
Heavenly Father, please help me to live for You now and always, in Jesus' name, Amen.
Yield not to temptation
Ask the Saviour to help you
Comfort, strengthen, and keep you;
He is willing to aid you,
He will carry you through.