DCLM Daily Manna, Saturday January 30, 2016 by Pastor Kumuyi - Consequences of sin

Topic: Consequences of sin [Saturday January 30, 2016]

Text: Jeremiah 14:1-12

Key Verse: "Thus saith the LORD unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins" (Jeremiah 14:10).

Nothing else attracts God's wrath upon people more than sin. Yet, the people of Judah failed to realise this and wandered away from God. They not only worshipped false gods, they also contracted political alliances with Babylon and Egypt, and drifted far away from God. But He poured His wrath upon them. Rain ceased for a period and the people suffered. Their elites were not left out.

Their servants could not even get drinking water, which caused a sad and frightened situation in the land. Farmers' crops could not yield fruits because of lack of rain. This made the land hard and unproductive.

Animals that gave birth could not feed their babies. There was no grass for the animals to graze, neither was there water to drink. They could not see clearly as they were dying. The people of Judah cried to God, but He deliberately ignored their cry. Jeremiah then offered prayers on their behalf. First, he admitted they were guilty of many sins, as they turned away from God and failed to obey Him a number of times. He appealed to the Lord to show His love and pity upon them. But God said to Jeremiah, "Pray not for this people for their good". That is the reward of iniquity. No sinner will go unpunished. The calamity that will befall sinners at the end of time will be worse than what the people of Judah suffered. Today, many people deliberately offend God.

They can tell lies, cheat during examination and in tax returns, secretly indulge in pornography, bear malice, etc. Some will even describe their sins as little, deluding themselves that God is "loving" and He would overlook little faults, lapses and indiscretions. They fail to realise that sin, in every aspect, is sin, whether big or small and will be punished by God ultimately. The only remedy against sin is repentance and newness of life in Jesus Christ.

Thought for the day: Sin damns, deadens, destroys and depreciates its captives.

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DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.