DAILY DEVOTIONAL – August 2, 2024 What God Loves and Hates By Gary Wilkerson In Psalm 5, David writes: “For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers” (Psalm 5:4-5, ESV). Most of us are uncomfortable with the idea of our loving God hating something, yet David’s statement that God hates all evildoers isn’t problematic; it is both profound and instructive. A popular phrase used freely in the church today is “God hates sin but loves the sinner.”  We all get the gist of this, but in a sense, the phrase separates the sinner from the sin in a way that bypasses the sin committed.  Scripture makes clear that God has something else in mind. We know that God so loved the world that he gave his begotten Son for it, and this love includes all sinners.  His sovereign desire is that all humankind would repent and be saved.  On one hand, scripture gives us a powerful sense of God’s love, yet we cannot deny the equally powerful sense in scripture of what God hates.  He can love the world and the people in it and yet also hate what those people do, hate the wickedness they bring, and the harm and destruction they cause in others’ lives.  This twofold character of loving and hating does not end with God.  It has to be a part of our lives, transforming our hearts and informing our minds.  If we have God’s love in us, we will hate the evil done by those who oppose God’s love.  For instance, if you love children, you’re going to hate abortion and child abuse.  If you love peace, you’re going to hate war, and the death and destruction it brings.   God is love, and he is also just, which means he hates evil.  In his awesome love, he will not stand by forever while evil is done.  In time, he will pour out his wrath of righteous justice upon wicked evildoers.  God is faithfully at work, and David told us the Lord won’t let evildoers continue in their ways.  God is sovereign over them, too.  This devotional has been adapted from Gary Wilkerson’s book, The Altar of Our Hearts: An Expository Devotional on the Psalms.  Read and Listen OnlineForward to a Friend

Meet us in New York City! September 11-13 at Times Square Church We need a move of God. Our heart is to see your passion for Christ and your calling rekindled…to see you walk in the power and victory of the cross. Join us for the World Challenge Pastors and Leaders Conference this September. Register Now

Is there Any Hope for America? In times of darkness, it’s easy to forget God is always at work in mighty ways. Right now, as things seem hopeless, he is calling his people to live zealously. Read Now   The Jaw Dropping Beauty of Jesus Take an inspiring biblical journey through the book of Hebrews with authors Joshua West and Gary Wilkerson. Learn about the New Covenant, understand saving faith and encounter the beauty and eternal perfection of Christ. Pre-order Now!

Your Gift Makes a Difference Give a gift today, impact lives eternally. Your generosity is changing lives throughout the world. Give Now

You are welcome to make copies for FREE distribution or retransmit the devotional via e-mail, but all devotionals must be copied or retransmitted in their entirety. However, devotionals may not be posted on any website, printed, or used in any media without written permission from World Challenge, Inc. Each request is considered on a case-by-case basis. Please contact World Challenge, Inc. using our online contact form or by calling (719) 487-7888. © 2024 World Challenge, Inc. Transforming Lives Through the Message and Mission of Jesus Christ