-September 6, 2023-
Good morning, happy Wednesday,
“These six things the Lord hates. Yes, seven are an abomination to Him.”
(Proverbs 6:16).
Hate is a very strong word. There are very few things we should hate: sin, injustice, wickedness, evil, and most of all Satan and his demons. In the case of the Lord, Solomon lists seven things that God hates: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speak lies, and one who sows discord among brethren (See Proverbs 6:17-19).
We should hate what God hates and turn away from them. These seven things comprise all facets of life. The Lord holds us to a higher standard. Paul said in Romans 12:9, “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.” We will consider these seven things in a practical and challenging way today and tomorrow.
1. A Proud Look – Pride is a vile sin that affects so many areas of our lives. It is easy to spot it in others, but very hard to see it in ourselves. James wrote in James 4:6, “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says, ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Pride was the sin of Lucifer who became the devil. Pride goes before a fall. A proud look springs from a proud heart.
2. A Lying Tongue – Lying may not seem that bad, but it is. It hurts others and hurts us as well. One lie leads to another. White lies are still lies. Exaggeration is sin; gossip is sin. It is just as wrong to withhold the truth as in stating what is untrue. Paul said in Ephesians 4:25, “Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one one another.”
3. Hands That Shed Innocent Blood – This not only covers murder, it also speaks to slander, which amounts to character assassination. Anytime we hurt others we are hurting our precious Lord. David shed innocent blood when we had Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba, killed. God held him responsible and accountable. Nathan the prophet told David in 2 Samuel 12:9, “Why have you despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon.”
All three of these sins tie together: pride, lying, and hurting the innocent. They are dastardly, deadly, and destructive. God hates them and we should hate them too. We must put on the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, and all the armor of God daily to protect ourselves from evil and Satan’s attacks.
Have a blessed day watching and praying. Stay safe and healthy.
Living for Jesus and hating every form of evil,
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 