I have often pondered the meaning of sin: I am not a murderer. I am not a liar. I do not steal. I do not even kill a spider. So, when do I sin?

DON’T YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOU OFFER YOURSELVES TO SOMEONE TO OBEY HIM AS SLAVES, YOU ARE SLAVES TO THE ONE WHOM YOU OBEY—WHETHER YOU ARE SLAVES TO SIN, WHICH LEADS TO DEATH, OR TO OBEDIENCE, WHICH LEADS TO RIGHTEOUSNESS?
(Romans 6:16).

I became aware that to sin or not to sin depends on whose counsel I obey, moment-by-moment: the negative, destructive counsel of the father-of-lies, or the Counsel of the Perfect Father. I am not talking about obedience to the Ten Commandments, but the effects of a mutual, moment-by-moment relationship between God and His children.

AND EVERYTHING THAT DOES NOT COME FROM FAITH IS SIN
(Romans 14:23).

You see, when I obey the counsel of the father-of-lies—that I do not matter…that I am not acceptable…that I am not loved—I feel like sinning.  It is when I obey this dark counsel of doom, dread, and despair that I am drawn into the harmful habits of sinful solutions.

MANY TIMES HE DELIVERED THEM, BUT THEY WERE BENT ON REBELLION AND THEY WASTED AWAY IN THEIR SIN
(Psalm 106:43).

Precious One, how often have I called you to refrain from the counsel of the father-of-lies, but you were bent on rebellion. You wasted away in your sin. How often have I wanted to deliver you from feeling unloved, unwanted, and unworthy, but you were set in your own ways. You became a slave to the harmful habits of sinful solutions.

Know that you have a choice: to turn to the oppressing counsel of the father-of-lies…and sin, or to turn to Me, the Most High, in obedience to My Counsel. If you turn to Me, I will deliver you from the effects of the father-of-lies’ counsel and lead you into My Righteousness.

When do you usually feel like sinning—drawn into the harmful habits of sinful solutions? Whose counsel usually precedes this behavior?

What would it take for you to change—to turn to the Lord’s Counsel, in obedience, instead of relying on your sinful solutions to rescue you from the father-of-lies’ counsel?

PRAYER: Lord God, remind me, daily, that You can deliver me from the harmful habits of my sinful solutions and bring me into Your Counsel…if I am not bent on rebellion.