Devotionals: Active Word - July 25, 2011

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Active Word - July 25, 2011 Jul 25th 2011, 04:00    July 25 Understand the stakes A righteous man who falters before the wicked is like a murky spring and a polluted well. Proverbs 25:26 (NKJV) It's always tragic when someone who has a reputation for doing good ends up doing wrong…particularly when the world is there to witness it. Proverbs 25:26 says when that happens, when a righteous man falters before the wicked, it's like a spring or well of water that gets polluted. In other words, their effectiveness and value is lost. We have an example of this in the Old Testament involving Abraham. Because his wife was such a beautiful woman, Abraham feared that the Egyptians would kill him for her sake. So he lied and pretended she was his sister instead. Pharaoh did take notice of her, and he took her into his harem since she supposedly didn't have a husband. But God wouldn't allow Abraham's wife to be defiled. He supernaturally intervened and plagued Pharaoh and his household. The Bible doesn't say how, but Pharaoh learns that this woman he was about to sleep with was actually Abraham's wife and not his sister. Watch what happens next: Pharaoh called Abram and said, "What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?Why did you say, 'She is my sister'? I might have taken her as my wife. Now therefore, here is your wife; take her and go your way."(Genesis 12:18-19 NKJV) Do you see the sad irony in this? Here's Abraham, the Father of Faith, being lectured about right and wrong by Pharaoh, someone who doesn't have a connection with the true and living God. It's a sad situation, because it should be other way around. But things get turned around when God's people sin. They lose their effectiveness and value as truth-tellers because they're bound to be disrespected and rejected. May we, as God's people and representatives of what's right, understand the stakes when we sin. We don't just hurt ourselves, but we lose our effectiveness and value in being the witnesses that our world needs. Think About It… What does this passage reveal to me about God? What does this passage reveal to me about myself? Based on this, what changes do I need to make? What is my prayer for today? SPECIAL OFFER New 365 Devotional Volume 2 God's mercy is new every day. That's because it's needed daily. So to help you walk through a fresh new day, the Active Word has put together this second volume of the 365 Devotional.  Our hope in creating this series of devotionals, is to help you connect with God's Word 365 days a year. And the best thing is, you can start any day of the year. Stay in step with God's Word, His will, and learn to live out your faith, daily.

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