Black Snakes and the Entanglement of Sin

This black snaked did not know the truth of his dire entanglement, when I discovered him in the bird netting surrounding my garden. It may be hard to see in this picture but he was so wrapped up that it was cutting off his circulation. I don't know how long he had been there before I came back to do something in my garden.

Several truths come to mind.

• The more he tried on his own the more entangled he became.

• None of his friends could help him, they didn’t know how to either.

• He couldn’t get out on his own.

• He was dying in his entanglement, it was serious.

In summary, he could not save himself, but he did need to be saved or he would die.

This is a very clear picture of the human predicament of sin.

Romans 3:23-24 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 

Only someone not like him could save him.

Romans 5:6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

Someone who could see the extent of his entanglement. Someone who would have compassion on him.

Romans 6:22-23 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Someone who had the means to save him and the will or desire to save him. 

John 1:29 The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him and *said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 

It would not be easy, it would not be without work. I had to one by one cut away every strand of netting to finally free him.

But would he find himself entangled again?

2 Peter 2:20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

What have you tried, to free yourself from your sins? Who have you gone to for help?

There is only one Savior and He alone can remove the deadly entanglement of your sin.

John 14:6 Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

John 8:36 "So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

What a difference a day makes at NC State!

So often we live each day the same. We assume that what we have planned or what we expect to happen will come to fruition. Days tend to blend together and become somewhat indistinguishable from each other as time marches on.  

I sadly remember the news story some years back about two young men enjoying an NC State tailgate party. Unfortunately, an altercation was started and both of these young men were killed. They had not planned on that. The very thought that they would die that day had never entered into their thoughts or plans.

What is the difference from one day to another? According to God, we should not take any day for granted. 

Hebrews 9:27  And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,

The time for this to occur can happen at any time.

People die every minute of every day. The cemetery is full of people who had other plans for the day they died. No one knows their individual appointed time.

Since judgment comes right after death, everyone should take some very careful and prayerful time to reconsider what will happen to them when they die.

James 4:13-14  Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.

We should never take any day for granted but, we do.

1 Peter 1:24-25  For, "ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, 
BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER." And this is the word which was preached to you.

How have you prepared for that day?

Have you made any plans for that day?

Horseshoes and the Gospel

Horseshoes is one of the only game where close enough actually earns some points. I don't know if there is any other game that has that scoring anomaly.

Unfortunately, many people go through life as if close enough or good enough will gain entry into heaven. God's Word tells us differently. 

Romans 3:10-12  as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.

So God clearly tells us that no one can be good enough because no one does any good at all. In fact, all are sinners and fall short of being able to do any good.

Romans 3:23  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Many of you may take exception to that fact. You try to do good deeds all the time. God says even those deeds are not good or good enough.

Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Salvation is the gift from God. It is free to you but it wasn't free to Jesus Christ, it cost Him a painful death on a cross. You have to make a choice, do you want death or life?