The Subtleties of Sin

FATHER, sin is like the hot water that cooked the lobster. I acknowledge how easily it is to drift away from You quite unknowingly. ____ may be in the pot of water on the stove—neglecting Your Word—neglecting (his/her) conscience (Heb 2:1). It’s possible (he/she) is falling away from You without knowing it, feeling content that (he/she) has satisfied Your requirements.

(His/Her) heart may be filled with unbelief being daily hardened by the deceitfulness of sin because (he/she) avoids fixing (his/her) eyes on JESUS (Heb 12:2) and/or avoiding circumstances where others can encourage (him/her) (Heb 3:12-13).

Ephraim said, “…Ah, but I am rich; I have found wealth for myself; in all my labors they cannot find in me iniquity or sin” (Hos 12:8 ESV). I fear that ____ comforts (himself/herself) by believing that (he/she) has not committed any great faults deserving punishment. I fear ____ has flattered (himself/herself) into security—taking any praise given to her to (himself/herself) and forgetting to acknowledge GOD’s part in it. I pray that (he/she) is not so hardened in sin that (he/she) is incapable of amendment (ref# 112, p880 [Hosea 12:8]).

Today if (he/she) hears Your voice, I pray (he/she) not harden (his/her) heart (Heb 3:15) to rebel against You. Help (him/her) realize that every willful resistance places (him/her) more and more into the settled state of unbelief (Heb 3:19). Make ____ realize the seriousness of not obeying You. Every resistance propels (him/her) toward a hardened heart like Pharaoh.

The prophet Hosea accused the Israelites of refusing “to hold fast and wait continually for their God” (Hos 12:6) (ref#125, p1639 [Hos 12:5-8]). FATHER, I pray that if ____ is in that position that You move (him/her) to become an imitator of the Apostle Paul— imitating his teaching, conduct, aim in life, faith, patience, love, steadfastness, as well as his persecutions and sufferings (2 Tim 3:10-11).

And, as I pray for ____, I pray for myself—that I be an imitator, too. The subtleness of sin is that water rising in temperature. Everyone is in the pot.

When we are present with You the water we are in cools but when we leave Your presence the flame is under us once again and if we stay away from You long enough the temperature of the water will kill us.