Big Sins and Little Sins? Equal Opportunity?
I remember being a child and hearing the term “Little white lie.” I had no idea what the term meant. I had always been taught that God sees all sin the same. Sin is sin, right? Or are some sins worse than others?

Matthew 5:21-28 talks about the issue of big sins and little sins. Jesus says, “‘You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, “You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.” But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, “Raca,” is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, “You fool!” will be in danger of the fire of hell. Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.’”

In this verse, Jesus is equating having lust in your heart with adultery. Then He goes on to compare having hatred with committing murder. Does this mean that all sins are equal? Is lusting just as bad as actually committing adultery? No. Jesus is saying that lust is still sin, even if the act of adultery is not carried out. In the same way, Jesus is not saying that hate and murder are equal. Even though they are both sin, there are degrees to sin. God is interested in your heart. Matthew 12:34 says, “The mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

Big Sins and Little Sins? Eternal Consequences?
In regard to eternal consequences, big sins and little sins are the same. In the eyes of a Holy God, even the smallest sin is worthy of an infinite and eternal punishment. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This is talking about physical and spiritual death. Isaiah 59:2 says, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.”

Even the little sins are too big for God to simply look away. Habakkuk speaks of a Holy God, “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?” (Habakkuk 1:13).

Can God Forgive my Big Sins?
The consequence of all sin—both big and little sins—is death. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. No matter how small the sin is, it is missing the mark of holiness set by God.

Thankfully, Jesus died to pay the penalty for all sins—big sins and little sins. 1 John 2:2 says, “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

For God’s children, there is not a sin so big that God cannot forgive it. All sin was forgiven at the cross. God asks the sinner to repent and turn to Him, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Raleigh victim of Jamaican lottery scam receives $45,000 in funds recovered by ICE
RALEIGH, N.C. — The family of an elderly Raleigh woman defrauded of nearly $200,000 by Jamaican scammers received a $45,000 check Monday for funds recovered on her behalf by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Jamaican Financial Investigative Division (FID).
The woman, in her 90s, received information in May 2012 that stated she had won a lottery prize. She was later contacted by a man who told her she owed $9,000 in taxes and other expenses to receive her prize. The fraudsters cheated her out of nearly $200,000 before she reported the scam to law enforcement.
HSI special agents, along with the Winston-Salem Police Department, FID and her financial institution, identified a bank account at the National Commercial Bank in Jamaica where the illegally obtained funds had been deposited. Under Project JOLT (Jamaican Operations Linked to Telemarketing), an international task force comprised of agents and officers focused on combating Jamaican-based telemarketing fraud operations, special agents from HSI Kingston worked with local authorities in returning the $45,000 left in the scammer’s account to the victim. The criminal investigation into the fraudsters behind the scam is ongoing.
“The international assistance HSI received from our Jamaican partners on this, namely FID, goes to show the unprecedented cooperation by the two governments in the effort to combat these fraud schemes,” said James Stitzel, assistant attaché of HSI Kingston.
In March 2009, HSI and JCFpartnered to form Project JOLT to combat the significant increase in Jamaican-based telemarketing fraud. In one of the more common scams, these telemarketing fraudsters are calling U.S. citizens and leading them to believe that they have won an international, multimillion-dollar sweepstakes. The scammers tell the victims that in order to receive their winnings they have to pay an advance fee, usually described as a tax, insurance or customs duty that must be paid to release their winnings. The victims are instructed to send the advance fee via Western Union, Money Gram or other methods to co-conspirators in Jamaica. Other telemarketing schemes include phony inheritance, investment and disaster relief scams, as well as scams claiming that the victim’s own grandchildren are in need of help.
According to Jamaican law enforcement, telemarketing fraud is also a lucrative mechanism for local gangs to raise capital to facilitate the smuggling of weapons into Jamaica and the smuggling of narcotics to the United States.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has warned that consumers lose billions of dollars a year to cross-border financial crimes such as telemarketing fraud. One of the most common types of telemarketing fraud is the lottery or sweepstakes scam. These schemes typically involve fraudulent telemarketers identifying themselves as lawyers, customs officials or lottery company representatives to potential victims.
Perpetrators will victimize consumers of all ages, backgrounds and income levels, but the elderly are disproportionately targeted. Perpetrators take advantage of the fact that elderly Americans may have cash reserves or other assets to spend on these deceptive offers. A survey conducted by American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) found that 90 percent of respondents reported awareness of consumer fraud, yet two-thirds said it was hard to spot fraud when it is happening. The survey also shows that elderly victims find it difficult to terminate telephone conversations, even when they say they are not interested in continuing a conversation. Also, the elderly may be reluctant to report the incident for fear of losing financial independence should their families discover the fraud.
Since the inception of the operation, Project JOLT investigations have resulted in 149 arrests, 10 indictments and 6 convictions. In addition, these investigations have resulted in the seizure of over $1.2 million in assets and the repatriation of over $251,000.
Consumers should report any incidences of telemarketing fraud, including fraud originating from Jamaica, to the FTC at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or online at http://www.ftc.gov. Click on “Consumer Complaint? Report it to the FTC.”

6 types of WOMEN every MAN should avoid (LOOK)

Relationships are good. The various Holy books recommend marriage, and most men want to settle down with someone good. However, if you are a woman and unable to find a man who consistently enjoys your company, then there’s a problem. I’ve tried to categorize some character traits commonly found in women which tend to keep the prospective men at bay. If you fall into one or two of these categories, sister, it just might be time to make a change.

Being judgmental and generalizing: A few bad experiences don’t mean all men are the same. It shocks me to hear women say all men are the same. Making such an assertion is not only wrong, it affects your judgement of men and consequently affects how you relate to them. A woman who generalizes is usually quick to read the wrong meanings into men’s actions, and usually reacts irrationally before even considering their actions. No man will stick around too long if he’s always feeling attacked and misunderstood.

Easy catch: I can bet that a man will avoid you if he knows you’ve slept with every available man on your street or a sizeable number of men in your school. No man wants to settle for the chaff when the substance has been lost. However, if he isn’t aware, you may wish to keep the details to yourself and not flaunt it. It makes a man insecure to know that he is dating an ‘easy catch’ and might send him on his merry way sooner than either of you thought.

Fault finder: This type of woman doesn’t see the good in anything or anyone. She hardly ever appreciates anything. She complains about things she can either cope with or change. No man needs a woman breathing down his neck about every single thing, every single time. It’s either the movie is wrong, or the food isn’t nice, or he snores, or…the list is endless. Bottom line, the man will soon go where he’ll be appreciated.

Clinger: Being over-possessive isn’t cute. Learn to give him a break. Men like to have their solo time, hang out with friends and do ‘manly’ things. Your following him around and keeping tabs on him won’t stop him from having an affair if he wants to; you might even be giving him good reasons to do it. Don’t make yourself his clutch bag. The more you insist on tagging along, the more likely it is that you’ll be tagged out.

Prim and Proper: One thing this group fails to realize is that boys will always be boys. When a woman keeps a particular thing at a particular spot and gets upset when it is moved, that is a big issue with men who are often less rigid.

No man wants to be around a woman who sweeps the floor every second or has a particular space for a particular cup or spoon or a particular hanger for a particular dress. Let go; live a little!