Busting into Heaven

Luke 16: ¹⁶ “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.¹⁷ And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.

¹⁸ “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery.

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“Our FATHER, who art in heaven”, through “amen” was the prayer I mouthed, but in my mind I was saying, “I hope they don’t find out I stole from a store.” Or “I hope they don’t find my Playboy magazine I hid in the hamper of my room.” “I’m sure GOD won’t mind.”

• There were times when I made up my own rules.
• Three were times when I justified my sin.
• There were times when I recklessly plowed forward with what “I” wanted to do.

JESUS spoke bluntly to the church leaders who did whatever they wanted to do. HE saw through their “holy” act and said “Not one once of the law will go away.” The pharisees had figured out ways to justify the divorce of their wives so they could still be accepted in the community. JESUS sees through justification.

• GOD wants me to understand my sin cost JESUS HIS life.
• GOD wants me to understand that HIS law does not go away just because I say it does.
• GOD wants me to understand that my add on rules for “holiness” need to be examined with HIS law.

Justifying sin is something GOD opens my eyes to daily. HE doesn’t beat me up over and over about a single sin, however the HOLY SPIRIT does remind me that I did something wrong and I need forgiveness every day. GOD doesn’t want me to develop rules to get around HIS rules. HE wants me to embrace HIS law and praise JESUS for taking my eternal consequence away.

• Are you making your own rules?
• Do you think the rules you place on others align with the loving rules GOD gave?
• Will you drop your bitter, lustful, power grabbing rules and focus on GOD’s grace and mercy today?