Would Jesus call you a viper?

By dailylivingministries on September 23, 2024

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
(Matthew 12:34 (NIV))

What is your heart full of?

After writing the words to this question, my heart sank!

I want to think that my heart is full of the things of the Lord, but I am only human, and I struggle just like every single person who has ever lived under the curse of sin. I am just like Paul. I still do things that I don't want to do.

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
(Romans 7:15-20 (NIV))

Does this describe you?

Do you do things that you do not want to do? Do you still sin?

Think about that for a moment with this in mind. Did you ever feel this way before you accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, or did you simply do sinful things and never give them another thought? If you regret what you do, the Holy Spirit is working within you. If you regret what you do and repent, you can be classified into the same category as Paul. You know that you are a sinner in need of a Savior, and you have accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. You know that your sinful nature will not simply go away with this confession. You know that you will still sin and it breaks your heart when you do.

Is this you, or do you feel no remorse when sin lays claim to certain aspects of your life? Do you claim to follow Jesus, yet willingly and unrepentantly continue to sin? Are you a hypocrite, or perhaps you simply fall into the category that Jesus accused the Pharisees of?

Take a long and serious look at your life.

Would Jesus call you a viper?

Copyright 1998 - 2024 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
https://www.dailylivingministries.org
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