Tag: sin

Barefoot Devotions

What’s Brewing In Your Heart? Lesson Seven | Envy

Hannah B.

What is envy and how does it affect your life?

Definition of Envy:
1: painful or resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another joined with a desire to possess the same advantage
2: an object of envious notice or feeling

Similar Words: envious, grudge, begrudge, jealous

Examples of Envy:
• Having a want for a job, house, car, or other processions that someone else has
• Being envious of someone else’s life in general
• Be envious of someone else’s spouse or significant other
• Feeling discontent with what you have and desiring a different life, job, or materials
• Wanting something that you do not have access to or resources for

What The Bible Says About The Sin of Envy:

Proverbs 14:30

A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.

James 3:14-15
But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

James 3:16
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

James 4:2-3
You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

1 Corinthians 3:3
For you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?

Hebrews 13:5
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

1 John 2:16
For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.

James 1:14
But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.

Proverbs 4:23
Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

Take Away

1 John 2:15:17 tells us to not love anything in the world and that if anyone loves the world then the love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life comes not from the Father but from the world. Just like Eve lusted after the fruit on the tree God told her not to touch, this problem continues for us today. It’s so easy of us to lust after the next meal that we will temporarily enjoy, the new shiny car, iPhone, and materials that twinkle to our eyes. Envy begins with a desire for something we do not have, and it is so important that we be aware of our surroundings so that when our eyes notice these things, we can quickly squash these desires. If we let these desires take root, the consequences can be catastrophic! Each day we must be aware of what is happening around us and be on guard so that we can be vigilant about the things of this world we are seeing. Seek God daily and walk in the Spirit as you overcome these lustful desires. God is faithful to provide for us daily. When we start thanking Him for the things we have in life – our health, family, a place over our head, a bed, and all the things that we take for granted something in our heart begins to change and we see things in light of who God is and what He has done for us.

Heavenly Father,
I confess the sins of envy in my heart and I pray that you will cleanse me from my sinful desires, wants, and pride. I invite you into my heart to invade my life and free me from these desires. It’s my heart to serve you wholly and fully. Thank you for what the life you have given me and teach me to serve you with what you trusted me with. Teach me to walk in the spirit and not by the flesh.
Jesus’ mighty name I pray, Amen!

Questions to Ponder and Life Application Thoughts:

  1. In what areas of your life are you currently envious after? Confess these to God, repent, and surrender this to Him.
  2. Acknowledge any area in your life that you may abhor any discontentment and diligently make a mindful decision to turn from this daily.
  3. Ask God if there is any area in your life that you need to fully surrender to Him.
  4. Ask God to teach you to walk in the Spirit so that you can overcome the flesh by His strength.
Barefoot Devotions

What’s Brewing In Your Heart? Lesson Two | Wrath

Hannah B.

What does it mean to brew wrath in your heart?
The sin of wrath is a fit of very strong anger or an uncontrolled hatred towards another person.

Other words for wrath: Rage, Fury, Outrage, Indignation, Vexation, Hot Temper, Short fuse

Examples of Wrath:

• Road Rage

• Screaming, shouting and telling someone what you really think of them by putting them down.

• Child or spousal abuse

• An offended person decides to resort to physical violence rather than calming discussing and dealing with the situation or walking away. (Seeing red)

What can wrath lead to?

• Murder

• Jail/Prison

• Other people fearing the person with the issue of wrath

• A poor Christian example, leading people away from God based on their actions not modeling Christlike behavior.

• No friends/ Uninvited to gatherings because people are afraid the person cannot control themselves.

• Poor reputation

• Loss of job.

• Loss of family

Bible verses regarding the sin of wrath:

Proverbs 29:11 – Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.
Proverbs 15:1 – A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Proverbs 15:18 – A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.
Proverbs 22:24 – Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered.
Psalm37:8-9 – Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret, it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.
Ephesians 6:4 – In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.
Proverbs 14:17 – A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, and a man of evil devices is hated.
Colossians 3:8 – but now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language from your lips.

Takeaway:
The difference between wrath and Godly anger is that wrath comes from a selfish nature. We are flawed by sin, therefore, our anger does not come from the same place that Godly anger comes from. When we have an issue of wrath, it is an indication that we feel something has happened that is unfair against us or someone close to us and we feel they deserve to be punished for making us feel the way they have. Wrath comes from a feeling of selfishness and revenge. The anger is hair-triggered and violent in nature. This also comes from a place of pride in the heart. When a person has an issue with wrath, they are not making sound decisions. It is not well thought out anger. Since God looks at the heart, we would be very wise to stop and look at what the root cause of the anger is. Is this coming from us feeling as though someone didn’t react to us the way we thought they should? Or that they reacted to us in a way we felt they should not have? Or we didn’t get something we thought we deserved? Did we stop to think about where the other person was coming from? Maybe the other person was in the wrong themselves but does the bible not clearly state Romans 12:19 – Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord”.
Why is it important to allow the Lord to take revenge rather than us handle it ourselves when we feel we have been wronged? It all comes down to the place in which the wrath or anger is coming from. God knows our hearts inside and out and God knows what we need. His wrath is calculated, just, well thought out and God never does or allows anything without an ultimate purpose behind it. We can be assured that God will handle everything appropriately. If we try to handle conflict when we are enraged, we will not be solving anything except blowing off steam. What we are left with after the dust comes off are ruin and broken relationships.
Why is wrath a sin? God knows what is best for us as I said before. The reason there is a line drawn at sin is to give us boundaries. We as humans need boundaries so that we do not completely destroy ourselves.

Questions to ponder:
• Can you identify a time or times where you have allowed wrath to brew in your heart and acted on it?

• Can you identify a situation/s where wrath cost you a relationship, your freedom, your witness as a Christian?

• Has God dealt with you or revealed an issue of
Rage/wrath in your life? If so, what did you take away from it?

Dear heavenly father, I have an anger issue that I know is wrong. I need you to help me learn how to control it and how to give it over to you once and for all. I do not want to live a life where I miss out on opportunities to point people to you because I have a real issue with how to respond to offenses or injustices. Please work in my heart and help me to see people the way you do. In Jesus’ name Amen!

Barefoot Devotions, The How To Series

How To Overcome Unbelief

Hannah B.

If unbelief is not counteracted with the promises of God and His word,  it is easy to fall prey to the enemy’s lies.  It begins with a simple thought of, “oh, just this once” or “it’s not really that bad, is it?” Not only does unbelief creep in through sin, but it can also find a way into your heart and mind but causing you to doubt God’s love and promises for your life.  Before we even know it, we have entered a downward spiral that leads to a hardened heart turned away from God.  If you let the little sins and thoughts in,  slowly they will morph into a wall of hardened responses, thoughts, and perspective.  How great of a God do we serve that He loves us unconditionally and His grace is sufficient for us? The most awesome God!  We must keep our unbelief in check so that we may live our lives to the fullness Christ intends. The Bible gives us this warning about the dangers of sin and unbelief:

Hebrews 3:19 NIV | Warning Against Unbelief

  So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice,  do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ So I declared on oath in my anger,  ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ” See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.  But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.  We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.  As has just been said:

“Today, if you hear his voice,
    do not harden your hearts
    as you did in the rebellion.”[b

 Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt?   And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness?  And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed?  So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.

Steps to preventing an unbelieving heart:

  • Fellowship with other believers 
  • Talk about your mutual faith daily. 
  • Be aware of the deceitfulness of sin. 
  • Encourage others with love and concern. 

Personal Reflection: 

How are you going astray in your walk with Christ? 

In what areas of your heart do you feel like God is asking for a complete surrender?

How can you make better steps to stay committed to your faith? 

Dear Heavenly Father, 

I come to you seeking forgiveness, willing to turn from sins, and follow You wholeheartedly.  Make known any areas in my life that I have allowed anything that is not of you into my heart.  As you reveal them, give me the grace to follow through in obedience of your will for my life.  Equip me with discernment to know when seed of unbelief are being planted and pluck them from my heart. 

In Jesus’ Name, I pray! Amen!

Be encouraged in your faith! 

Hannah B.