My Weblog: The Gospel Preacher.

In Isaiah 29:10, it is written, " 10 For ^athe LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath ^bclosed your eyes: ¹the prophets and your ²rulers, ^cthe seers hath he covered. "  Sin is deceptive.  In Hebrews 3:12, 13, it is written, " 12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.  13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin " ( Emphasis mine, R.E.W. ).  As slaves of God ( see Romans 6:15-23 ( especially verses 18-22, for example ), for example ), we must be careful not to become bitter when faced with adversity.  In Hebrews 12:15, it is written, " 15 Looking diligently lest any man ^afail¹ of the grace of God; lest any ^broot of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled " ( Emphasis mine, R.E.W. ).  When we read the book of Job, we see how God allowed Satan to bring suffering on Job ( see Job, chapter one, for example ).  In Job 1:22, it is written, " 22 ^aIn all this Job sinned not, nor charged God ¹foolishly. "  Consider all the suffering that Job experienced, and yet he sinned not.  As fellow human beings, we struggle to accomplish the righteousness of Job, much less Jesus ( see Hebrews 4:14, 15, for example ).  However, we can do what God commands of us.  In 1 John 5:3, it is written, " 3 ^aFor this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and ^bhis commandments are not ¹grievous " ( Emphasis mine, R.E.W. ).  God commands us to be holy in all of our conduct ( see 1 Peter 1:15, 16, for example ).  If we are failing to do this, then we are not excercising self-control, for example ( see Galatians 5:22, 23, for example ).

The Bible teaches that it is a sin to be a lover of pleasure, for example.  In 2 Timothy 3:1-4, it is written, " 3 This know also, that ^ain the last days perilous times shall come.  2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, ¹covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 without natural affection, ¹trucebreakers, ²false accusers, ³incontinent, ⁴fierce, despisers of ⁵those that are good, 4 ^atraitors, ¹heady, ²highminded, lovers of pleasures ³more than lovers of God " ( Emphasis mine, R.E.W. ).  If we become angry when it is necessary to do honorable work ( see Ephesians 4:28, for example ), for example, then God says that we are guilty of the sin of loving pleasure, rather than loving Him.  God knows what is best for us, which is why He has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness ( see 2 Peter 1:1-3, for example ).  When God chooses to test us, how do we respond ( see Genesis, chapter twenty-two, for example )?  We realize that it would not have been a pleasant thing for Abraham to offer up his son Isaac on an altar, but he did what God commanded Him to do ( the act of Abraham, stretching forth his hand and taking the knife, was sufficient for God — see Genesis 22:10-12, for example ).  Abraham sufficiently demonstrated his intent to obey God's command, though he did NOT murder his son.  A ram caught in a thicket would be the sacrifice ( see Genesis 22:13 ).  When we sin, we demonstrate that we are unlearned in the book that God, through His providence ( see Psalm 119:68, for example ), has given to us ( see Isaiah 29:11, 12, for example ).  Please seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read ( see Isaiah 34:16, for example ).  NOTE: The picture, located at the upper, left corner of this paragraph, was downloaded from the " bing.com " web page.¹ 🕮

1.  https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=NCHkUI1t&id=2BE7BBA0445CAE652644BCCE6FD0AEC21033344A&thid=OIP.NCHkUI1tz86hbxgRgm9hTgHaFj &mediaurl=https%3a%2f%2fmedia.freebibleimages.org%2fstories%2fFB_Bible_Maps_SBL%2foverview-images%2f007-bible-maps-sbl.jpg%3f1538659194&cdnurl=https%3a%2f %2fth.bing.com%2fth%2fid%2fR.3421e4508d6dcfcea16f1811826f614e%3frik%3dSjQzEMKu0G%252fOvA%26pid%3dImgRaw%26r%3d0&exph=768&expw=1024&q=Free+Map s+of+Israel.&simid=608029715954545017&FORM=IRPRST&ck=E37CC6FB3462833192B4D6A903F3F75E&selectedIndex=351&ajaxhist=0&ajaxserp=0.