Don't Forget

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

De 6:10 "So it shall be, when the LORD your God brings you into the land of which He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you large and beautiful cities which you did not build,

 11 "houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, hewn-out wells which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant-when you have eaten and are full-

 12 "then beware, lest you forget the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

 

 

Would you agree that we Americans have houses filled with good things? Central air and heat, microwave ovens, air fryers, smart Tv’s comfortable recliners, even beds with sleep numbers!

 

We have water (hot and cold) that comes from wells that we did not dig, and it is at our disposal with the flick of the wrist. We have food in abundance at grocery stores that we did not grow.

 

Materially speaking, we’ve got it made. It seems that often our most pressing problem is, what to do with all our extra time! What can we do for entertainment? How can we busy ourselves in this opulent world of ours?

 

God has one word for us here.

 

BEWARE!

 

In the midst of all this luxury, don’t forget Jesus. Don’t forget that you are a sinner in need of forgiveness, and that forgiveness came to you through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

 

It came through no merit of your own. Just as you did not dig the well that is providing water for your thirsty body, so too, you did not suffer on a cross to bring living water to your soul! God provided it all!

 

Enjoy the material blessings God has graciously provided for you, but don’t forget to thank Him! Don’t forget to worship Him! BEWARE that you don’t forget Him!

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

Unintentional Sins

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

Nu 15:28 'So the priest shall make atonement for the person who sins unintentionally, when he sins unintentionally before the LORD, to make atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him.

 

 

Let’s say you are a baby Christian. You have come to the realization that you are a sinner in need of the forgiveness that is promised through faith in Jesus.

 

Now what?

 

The journey begins and as with every journey it is taken one step at a time. Some of those steps will be errant you will sin along the way. Some of those sins will be born out of biblical ignorance….they will be unintentional. Unintentional or not they need to be atoned for.

 

One of the workings of the Holy Spirit is to convict us of our sins. He speaks to us through God’s Word and lets us know what is sin and what is not sin.

 

As you spend time in God’s Word the line between right and wrong will become more and more distinct. Armed with this knowledge, we can be more specific about the sins that we confess.

 

And as we confess, we have the sure promise of forgiveness given to us in 1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 

In the meantime you can also ask God to forgive you of your unintentional sins as well!   

Ps 19:12 Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults.

 

Remember, you are not along just for the ride, you are to continue your walk growing in the knowledge of Him who saved you from your ALL your sins, intentional or not!

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

How Do You Know A No?

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

De 3:25 'I pray, let me cross over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, those pleasant mountains, and Lebanon.' 26 "But the LORD was angry with me on your account, and would not listen to me. So the LORD said to me: 'Enough of that! Speak no more to Me of this matter.

 

Today, we are hopping into the prayer closet with Moses. Evidently it had been a persistent prayer of his to be able to cross into the promised land, but God, who advocates for persistency in our prayer life, (See the parable of the persistent neighbor in Luke Lu 11:5-10) tells Moses to stop it! He flat out told Moses “Enough of that!”

 

Wow! Makes you wonder about your own unanswered prayers doesn’t it. Sometimes the answer is a definite no!

 

But how do you know a no? How do you know when to stop asking?

 

I would recommend getting more in tune with God’s spokesperson given to you as a believer……the Holy Spirit, that’s a request God will not turn down.

 

  Lu 11:13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

 

You can’t go wrong with more of the Holy Spirit. He will bring clarity to your situation; He will lead you in your prayers.

 

Ro 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

 

Sometimes that “will” is a definite no, other times a yes, and other times it’s not yet.

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word