Daily Devotional
Are You Lying to Yourself?
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”
1 John 1:8-10
October 5, 2023
Ponder This
Sometimes we hide sin in our hearts. It may be big, or it may be small, but it is there. We come to church, go to Sunday school, teach the class, sing in the choir, and do other things, but there’s a secret fault.
What happens when a person does that? He or she gets to believing his or her own lie. When you set out to deceive somebody else, do you know who you’re going to deceive most of all? You are going to deceive yourself. Many of you have convinced yourselves that, after you’ve stonewalled God for a while and moved in and out of fellowship, nothing seems to happen. You still sing in the choir, you still teach the Sunday School class, you are still in the congregation, you still shake hands, and you are still friends with all the people. But you say, “Maybe God doesn’t call that sin, and maybe I am a pretty good person.” So, you begin to smooth over your sin.
How does God bring us back? God will not bring us back unless we expose ourselves to the light. If you stay in the darkness, there’ll never be any conviction. But if you, as a child of God, will step back into the light, God will shine the light of His holiness on your life. And God will bring you under conviction.
- When have you deceived yourself about your sin? How might you be doing that now?
- Why is it important to be honest about our sin struggles with ourselves, God, and others?
Practice This
Take some time in prayer and talk to God about the sin you have kept in the dark.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
