Keep the Stench Fresh

    I am reading a historic novel about the Revolutionary war days, and I am enjoying the author's good style and descriptions woven throughout the book. What stuck me though, was the way she described the prisons in Boston that housed the 'rebels' whom the Bristish had captured. The conditions were deplorable, and men who were there even for the shortest amount of time would not be able to remain healthy in those circumstances. The lack of food and water was one thing, but they crammed so many into one cell that it was impossible to move around. When the fever struck, it hit hard and fast, taking as many men down with it as its' evil talons could possible grab. The stench was horrendous - bad enough to cause people, who came to visit and help aid the sick men, to retch as soon as they left the horrible prison. Yet, to the men inside, the smells became faint. They had been inside the walls so long that they did not notice the nasty stench that surrounded them; it did not bother them in the least, though it could only promise them sickness and possible death. 
    Sin is like that. Pastor preached an awesome message last night about some of the things that God hates; yes, God does hate some things, and no, that does not mean He is sinning to hate. It is what we do with that hate that causes us to sin. 
    I had this blog going through my mind all day yesterday, and it was neat to hear Pastor's sermon which confirmed the thoughts that the Lord had given me. It comes down to the fact that we are to love what God loves, and we are to hate what God hates. Proverbs 6:16-19 says, "These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren." 
    It is interesting to see that God listed areas that are common to man during every day living here, and not what we would consider deeper and 'more wicked' sins. These are the few that can lead down to the road of worse sins, if we do not deal with them on a daily level. These sins are an abomination to Him; something that cannot get much worse than that to Him. If He hates these specific things, we are to hate them with a vengence also. We need to view sin as a hateful prison that wants to swallow us up within its walls. The devil wants to cause us to no longer smell the stench of the evil around us and become use to the smells. The things that once made us retch and recoil at the thought and sight of them is now common place. We must not let the stench of sin in our life snuff out the beautiful world outside that God has for us. Fresh air; blue skies; green grass beneath our feet; these things are so much better than cold, stone walls that imprison us with the scent of death waiting to pull us down. What God has planned for His children is far beyong what we can ever imagine here on this earth. Hate what God hates and love what He loves. Keep the stench fresh and it will keep you away from the prison walls of sin.   

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