"Private" Sins

Look for something that could be very embarrassing and heartbreaking.

3 And the rebellious shall be pierced with much sorrow; for their iniquities shall be spoken upon the housetops, and their secret acts shall be revealed.

Doctrine & Covenants 1:3

I love it when a lesson can be boiled down to 5 words or less. In my margin I've written: Private Sins Won’t Remain Private!  Do you have any private sins you are hiding?  They will not remain that way. Would you be embarrassed to have a family member see what you look at, watch or say online? Is your relationships with colleagues and friends that might be appropriate? Do you live with integrity even when others aren't looking? Sin always gets out.  Whether in this life or when the Lord returns, it will get out.  They best we can do is D&C 58:42-43 where we confess and forsake so that the Lord remembers them no more.

Today’s Recharge: Is there any sins you are trying to hide from others? Repent so God remembers it no more. Confess and do everything you can to forsake it now. 

Feelings for Sin

Crying repentance, saying: Save yourselves from this untoward generation, and come forth out of the fire, hating even the garments spotted with the flesh.

Doctrine & Covenants 36:6

Do you have a thing for sin? How should we feel about sin?  Doctrine and Covenants 36:6 gives a great word picture.  In ancient times there were many kinds of skin disease like leprosy.  Although the people would try to place bandages to stem the infections, the disease would break through the skin. Not surprisingly, in Leviticus 13:52 they were commanded to burn the clothing which had contact with the disease.  Here the disease and the spotted garments are a metaphor for sin. So how should we feel about sin?  What feelings do you associate with sin?  Hatred? Disgust? Are you repulsed by sin?  Or are you interested, perhaps curious about sin?  When you see immoral images on TV, are you sickened, or a little bit fascinated? Does violence on TV draw you in?  Surely, you would never do those kinds of things, but are you entertained by watching others sin?  Media has a way of desensitizing us to what is naturally vulgar, immoral, and repulsive.  Alexander Pope observed:

     “Vice is a monster of so frightful mien

     As to be hated needs but to be seen;

     Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,

     We first endure, then pity, then embrace.”

Does the notion of sexual immorality repulse you as much as chewing tobacco? Or rubbing up against someone with breaking infections on their skin?

Today’s Takeaway: Our hearts need to change so that we are just as disgusted by sin as a bandage oozing with the plague.  Think of a sin where, instead of feeling sick by it, you have allowed yourself to feel curious or fascinated.  What will you need to do to change your feelings about that sin so that you despise it?  A change in media choices?  Change in friends? Start that road today to change how you feel about sin.

I hope these "Recharges" are helpful for you.  As you probably know, "Liking" a page on FaceBook does not mean you will see it in your feed.  So if you want to make sure you get these each day, make sure you subscribe to the blog by putting in your email. Also, please feel free to “Share” on Facebook to let others know what you like.  

It's The Little Things

Taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked;
Doctrine & Covenants 27:17

Metaphorically, what is the weapon of choice of the Adversary? A battle axe? A ball and chain? Perhaps a pitch fork? No, the scriptures talk about his “fiery darts”.  Why?  What is the lesson behind Satan trying to get us with a puny dart?  Because in the spiritual warfare we fight in this life, Satan will try to destroy us with the little things first.

            No, you are too spiritually strong for him to come at you with something big like a battle axe, so he will try something small like a dart.  No, Satan’s temptations to “rob a bank” are probably not going to work on you, but how about to cheat a little bit in school or not be completely honest with your time at work?  No, a temptation to suddenly hire a prostitute is not likely to work, but what about to look at inappropriate images or a book that entertains lust?  No, the Devil probably can’t get you to kill another person, but what about something small like fighting with someone in your family, or refusing to forgive?

            In hand to hand combat like in ancient times, with the adrenaline flowing, perhaps one could get hit with a small dart and not even worry about it.  It’s something so small.  But the darts were often poisoned.  What looked fairly harmless would cause them to get a little dizzy and then suddenly they could be hurt by something much bigger.  It’s the same with us. Satan will start in his attempts to kill you spiritually with things that seem so small.

Todays’ Takeaway: What are the “little things” in your life that you could think “I can handle it” or “It’s no big deal”?  In what small ways is Satan trying to get you to compromise?  Identify one or two areas in your life where you might be compromising in small ways.  Now STOP IT! Those small things will kill you spiritually and will start you down the road to misery, sorrow and regret. Repent and beware of the “little things”.