Increased Corruption

Listen to today’s reading:

Genesis 6:5

The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.

Psalm 5:4

For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
with you, evil people are not welcome.

Matthew 5:43-48

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Today’s Reading:

A baseball purist would say that the game that they love has been tainted. Through time, things have changed in the game. Purists don’t want to see designated hitters, short term big money contracts, any rule changes, and definitely not automated strike calls. They want to see long term team loyalty from players and raw, unfiltered baseball like in the old days. With these changes, you could argue that it is for the better or for worse. In the time after “The Fall,” the Bible states that things changed dramatically in the generations after Adam and Eve and it was not good. Genesis 6:5 says, “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” It must have been a fearful world to live in. How do you deal with sin in the world - all of the sins against you? Our world tells us how to deal with people. We’re told to fight, abandon, and judge. Jesus tells us to do the opposite. In Matthew 5:43-44, he says, “‘You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…’’” More hatred toward an enemy is not the way of Christ. Only love overcomes the darkness.

Today’s Prayer Guide:

Praise – Praise Jesus for leading by example.

Confession – Confess that you have hated others in words and deeds. Ask God to forgive you for putting yourself in his place as a judge.

Ask – Ask him to give you a loving heart like Jesus.