The Pile of Sin Stinketh!

"The whole head is sick, and the whole heart is afflicted. From the sole of the foot even unto the head--there is no soundness in it; but only wounds and bruises and putrefying sores!" ~ Isaiah 1:5, 6

"Sin and Satan have wounded man's body, which bring it down with disease and pain to the dust from whence it was taken. They have wounded his soul in all its faculties--his understanding with darkness, his will with a wicked choices, his affections with worldly-mindedness, so that he places his love upon the creature instead of the Creator. They have wounded his conscience with guilt, and with fear of death and dread of Hell. They have stopped his ears to the voice of the Spirit, and closed his eyes to the glory of God. How completely and severely man is wounded! Worst of all--sin has inflicted a mortal wound which has deprived man of his spiritual consciousness, for he is insensible, unaware of his desperate state!

Fallen man is in such a wretched condition, that he is beyond doing anything for his deliverance. But such a truth is far too distasteful to proud human nature. Man will not accept the Divine verdict, he will not believe his case is so desperate as the Scriptures depict it. He persuades himself that it lies in his own power to win the favor of God. He thinks that if he tries his best, and employs himself in religious duties--that such endeavors will receive an eternal recompense. All the expedients which human wisdom has devised as remedies for the wounds which sin has inflicted, may be reduced to two: good works--and religious duties."~ Arthur Pink, "The Good Samaritan" 1942

Bring it, Arthur!

Last night after a delectable meal together, our little crew read and discussed Psalm 66:18.

‘Had I cherished evil thoughts, Adonai would not have listened.’

Would countless religious activity atop piles of rotting sin describe your walk these days?  Are you wondering why ADONAI does not answer your requests for whatever it is you think you need?

Does your Christian life seem to be one looooong stream of monotonous blah?

Do you smell that?  It's the PILE OF SIN that stinketh!  

Just as Mr. Pink's wisdom portrays the spiritually proud as trying to buy the favor of God with 'good works and religious duties', we are wise to CEASE ALL ACTIVITY if we have been sitting atop piles of unrepentant, rotting sin.

ADONAI will not hear us in this state.

However, my friend, there is GLORIOUS NEWS!  

As we begin to remove one by one the sin from the putrid fly-infested pile through confession and repentance, ADONAI will not only hear us, but HE will show us the STARVING LOVE lying at the bottom.  It is still there, though it lies dormant needing some cultivation.  It has grown cold at our neglect, piled up with sin.

The LOVE that we mistakingly thought had fled away, though languishing, still LIVES ready to thrive once again!  

For whom has your love grown so utterly cold?  Is it your husband?  Your wife?  Your life? Your family?  Your God?

That’s what’s wrong.  

Past time to take out the trash...