Sin & Death: Sin for God's Glory?

"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" (Romans 6:1-2)

We join this letter immediately after the writer — Paul — has made an earth-shattering statement: "Where sin increased, grace increased all the more." Astounding! God's grace is so enormous, so elastic, that it wraps all the way around our sin like an unbreakable balloon. The more we sin, the bigger God's grace gets to cover our sin (through faith in Jesus' death in our place on the cross).

You can never, ever sin so much God's grace isn't big enough to cover your sin. What a great God! The more we sin, the more impressive His forgiveness looks. So let's make Him look really impressive by collecting sins like they were Facebook friends, right?

Paul answers that. Depending on your translation, he says: "No!" "By no means!" "God forbid." "May it never be!" "Certainly not!" Why? Because God's impressive grace doesn't stop at covering your giant pile of sin; it also flipped off the shock collar that kept you from breaking free of sin in the first place. (More on that idea tomorrow.)

Think: Is it a weird idea that God's grace is limitless -- that we can never out-sin His ability to forgive? Or is it so normal an idea that we take it for granted?

Pray: Thank God for His impossibly impressive grace and forgiveness for your sin (if you've trusted in Jesus' death in your place on the cross).

Do: To get a clearer picture, read Romans 5.

Kilts are not native to Scotland. They originated in France.

Reflect upon your blessings, of which every man has plenty, not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.

~ Charles Dickens

Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.

~ Albert Einstein

Money Matters: Enough Trouble

1. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:34)

Jesus' final word in this passage on the issue of money and worry and worrying about money is refreshingly realistic. He has been telling us, "Don't worry; your Father cares for you." But He has NOT been saying, "Since your Father cares about you, you'll never have a day of trouble in your life."

In today's verse, He practically promises that you and I will have trouble "tomorrow." Trouble comes built in to every day on this side of heaven. It's a fact of life in a fallen world. People who make a goal of not having any trouble will spend their lives feeling sad, angry, frustrated — and worried.

Instead, Jesus says, "Trust your Father to take care of you today and leave tomorrow to itself." Does that mean we don't make plans or preparations for tomorrow or next month or next year? Of course we do. But Jesus tells us not to invest the emotional energy in worrying about how those plans and preparations will turn out. Always worrying about the next day leads to a life of endless worry. Focusing on today — and how God provides in it — leads to a life of endless gratitude.

Think: Are you surprised Jesus would admit that trouble comes built into this life? Do you expect there to be trouble or are you surprised when things don't go according to your plans?

Pray: Ask God for the courage and self-control not to worry about tomorrow. Thank Him for how He has provided for you today.

Do: Make a quick list of ways that God has provided for you today.

POTENT QUOTABLE S

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I... I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.

~ Robert Frost

It is necessary to the happiness of man that he be mentally faithful to himself.

~ Thomas Paine