Day #2 – Hunger Week 2010

I have to say that God is soooo good!!  I love what happened last night and just the fact that God is working in us and that we want him to work through us.  Blessings on all of you that came last night and participated.

Tonight all the Gospel communities are meeting in homes, all over the valley, to gather around the Lord’s table to confess sin and boast in His grace.  I think as people we tend to minimize sin instead of making much of sin.  For some reason we have made grace into an excuse for sin instead of the motivation for deep, deep repentance.  I pulled a portion of an article from Soma School, about ways we minimize sin, that I want you to read:

Six Way of Minimizing Sin
Defending // I find it difficult to receive feedback about weaknesses or sin.  When
confronted, my tendency is to explain things away, talk about my successes, or to justify my decisions.  As a result, I rarely have conversations about difficult things in my life.
Pretending // I strive to keep up appearances, maintain a respectable image. My
behavior, to some degree, is driven by what I think others think of me. I also do not like to think reflectively about my life. As a result, not very many people know the real me (I may not even know the real me).
Hiding // I tend to conceal as much as I can about my life, especially the “bad stuff”.  This is different than pretending in that pretending is about impressing.  Hiding is more about shame. I don’t think people will accept the real me.
Blaming // I am quick to blame others for sin or circumstances.  I have a difficult time “owning” my contributions to sin or conflict.  There is an element of pride that assumes it’s not my fault AND/OR an element of fear of rejection if it is my fault.
Minimizing // I tend to downplay sin or circumstances in my life, as if they are “normal” or “not that bad.  As a result, things often don’t get the attention they deserve, and have a way of mounting up to the point of being overwhelming.
Exaggerating // I tend to think (and talk) more highly of myself than I ought to.  I make things (good and bad) out to be much bigger than they are (usually to get attention).  As a result, things often get more attention than they deserve, and have a way of making me stressed or anxious.

How do you handle your sin or others?  I think many of us take one, or all six of these ways, instead of letting our sin be so dark that we are desperate for God’s grace.  Today, as you are praying, and tonight, as you gather, I want us to really let the spirit convict us of sin in our hearts and/or actions.  Refuse to defend yourself, pretend it is not there, hide it from sight, blame someone else, minimize the darkness of it, or exaggerate your circustances.  Refuse to have any other out and fall hard on the grace of God.  Let God’s grace be your only hope.

Questions to meditate on…
(1) What sins are in my heart and or life?
(2) What ways do i try to minimize my sin?
(3) What do i deserve for the sin I have committed?
(4) How great is God’s grace towards you?
(5) Do you know the Gospel and how Jesus has dealt with your sin?