Pastor Bob DuPar
November 28, 2008

Journal Entry



Scripture

Daniel 5:1-31; 2 Peter 2:1-22; Psalm 119:113-128; Proverbs 28:19-20

Observation

“You have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. …You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in His hand your life and all your ways.” Daniel 5:23

“You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.” Daniel 5:27

“They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity… If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.” 2 Peter 2:19-21

Application

I honor myself. I honor others. But, often I fail to honor the “God who holds my life and ways in His hands.” It’s all too easy for me to become deceived into thinking that I have orchestrated the blessings in my life, or that I have earned them.

Peter’s words are convicting to every Christian who has a conscience. Do we/I promise freedom to others, yet live a life which is enslaved to depravity? I sometimes sin as if grace were cheap. I need to view my disobedience as “turning my back” on God. That’s a mental image that quickly deflates the lure of sin and puts things in proper perspective!

Prayer

“Lord, may my knowledge of You and Your Word lead to increased holiness and purity in my life, rather than a false sense of security which mistakes knowledge for action. Help me not to intellectualize You to the point where You cease to be personal to me. Guard me from trading knowledge “of” You over against a relationship “with” You.”