The Fear of the Living God

wow....last time I had a chance to sit down and do devotions was July 8, not good. I do need to refocus my priorities! (granted there were three weeks of holidays sandwiched in there, but still...NOT good). But then I was in Hebrews 10 talking about how we are to encourage each other.

Read these words:

²⁶For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. ²⁸ Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. ²⁹How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? ³⁰For we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge his people." ³¹ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (bolding mine)

and was immediately convicted in my spirit.

wow....that puts a whole new light on recurring sin doesn't it?

If we KNOW that what we are doing displeases God (aka is SINFUL) and we keep doing it, Jesus died basically for NOTHING! At least that is how that line reads to me. So let's not do that. Let's not fall into the hands of an vengeful angry God.

Thinking about this for a moment.....God ...creator of the universe, the one who put EVERYTHING into motion, set everything in place, who demands holiness from us, who can open up the ground and swallow people whole....do I really want to make him angry with me by negating the work of his beloved Son?

NOT!

But so often I don't even think about it. I do things wrong and offer up a quick..sorry God...sometimes really meaning it, and sometimes it's more like I'm covering myself. Oh that I might always mean it and want to be changed by the Holy Spirit working within me. Oh that I might always remember that my actions have affect and that deliberate sin is NOT a good thing and not to be taken lightly.

Ah my Lord God....please keep my heart convicted.