I Affect Him... I Condemn Me

How I Affect God

"But where sin abounds, grace doth much more abound." Rom 5:20

While my sin neither enhances nor compromises the fact of who God is, it has provided a canvas on which a picture of His grace is beautifully painted by the blood of Christ. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v....

Scripture says that Heaven (God's home) rejoices when a sinner decides to return to God in repentance (Luke 15:7). It also speaks of grieving the Holy Spirit (a member of the Godhead), "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." Eph. 4: 30.

Ultimately the cost of our salvation was the life of Jesus Christ, laid down for us, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3: 16. " Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." 1Pet 1: 18, 19.

Is God affected by us? You bet!

The Snare of Judging

In Jamaica we have a saying, "Cock mout ketch cock (Rooster's mouth catches rooster)." Probably a more universal phrase is, "Open mouth, put foot in." In other words, you're condemned by your very utterance that was intended for another. So even as we are apt to call out Elihu's "self-righteous" utterances (the very thing he accuses Job of), we must guard against falling into the same trap as he did.

My Prayer

Father in Heaven, thank You for Your marvelous grace that has been extended to all of us. Please keep us from the destructive influence of the devil who will corrupt us with the pride and smug feeling that we can so easily fall into - because we think we know it all. Help that even as we grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and as we share the Good News, our humility will conversely increase. May we never judge another, for that is Your exclusive privilege and prerogative - until you grant it to us to "judge angels," (1Cor 6:3).

This reading is based on Job 35.  To read and/or listen to Job 35, and to read other related blogs please click here.