DRAWING NEAR
August 29
Seven Things God Hates
"There are six things which the Lord hates, yes, seven which are
an abomination to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands
that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who utters lies,
and one who spreads strife among brothers" (Prov. 6:16-19).
God is clear about the things that displease Him.
God hates sin in any form, but Proverbs 6:17-19 lists seven that are
especially loathsome to Him. First is haughty eyes (v. 17), which
pictures a proud and arrogant person with his nose in the air and his
eyes uplifted. The pride in his heart is reflected in his mannerisms.
Pride is perhaps listed first because it is at the heart of all
rebellion against God--beginning with Lucifer himself, who cried out
against God, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above
the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the
recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High" (Isa. 14:13-14).
God also hates a lying tongue (v. 17). Men often toy with truth,
denying or distorting it to gain some supposed advantage. But God
can't tolerate deception of any kind. He expects us to live according
to His truth.
Third, He hates murderous hands (v. 17). That speaks of people whose
hatred and greed are so strong they will kill rather than be denied
what they want. God created life and established its sanctity. That's
why He ordained that murderers be put to death (Gen. 9:6).
God also hates a wicked heart and malevolent feet (v. 18). Sometimes
people fall into sin inadvertently. But these people carefully plot
their sinful activities, then hurry to execute their plans.
Finally, God hates a false witness and a divisive spirit (v. 19).
Bearing false witness is telling lies about an innocent party. That
can obstruct justice, destroy a reputation, and even destroy a life.
A divisive spirit is one who creates divisions where there should be
unity.
Those sins characterize unbelievers, but Christians aren't immune
from them. So be on guard not to stray into attitudes and actions
that God hates.
Suggestions for Prayer:
If you are practicing any of those things, confess it and repent.
For Further Study:
According to Philippians 2:1-5, how should Christians treat one
another?
Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org
~~~
Genesis 9:6
6 "Whoever sheds man's blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in
the image of God He made man.
Philippians 2:1-5
2:1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort
of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,
2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being
of one accord, of one mind.
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in
lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also
for the interests of others.
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus
~~~
These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.
In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.
If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
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In Christ,
Peter
Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase1@wideopenwest.com
STOP! Who do you think Jesus is?
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To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and to discover that the prisoner was you. -Alistair Begg
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