Saturday, September 28, 2013

 

Guilt Free - Honestly

Have you ever done something you knew was wrong even if society didn't seem to consider it wrong?  Has your conscience ever kept you up at night?  Have you ever tried to salve your conscience only to find that the guilt never goes away?  How does a person get away from that kind of guilt?  This problem is as old as mankind and it is easily solved through good, old-fashioned honesty.

Thousands of years ago King David shared great wisdom concerning this issue. He wrote, "Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight!  Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!" (Psalm 32: 1-2 NLT)  After making some major blunders,  David discovered that honesty is not a constraint, rather, it is a freedom.

The powerful king learned - the hard way - what happens when we do something wrong and refuse to "fess up". He also experienced a personal breakthrough when he finally got honest with God: "When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the LORD.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. (vs 4-5)  When we offend God, He is only a prayer away.  He is much more merciful and forgiving that many people realize. 

It helps me to think of God as a coach who is trying to help me live the best life possible.  When He holds me accountable it is in my best interest.  When He is firm with me, it is His way of insuring my success.  Again, David wrote, "The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.” (vs 8-9)   It would be foolish for me to ask God to help me and then ignore all of His advice, wouldn't it? Stubbornness toward God has ruined a great many wonderful lives.

Honesty really is the best policy.  It may seem like bad people get away with a lot, but they have to live with themselves.  Many people try to bury or mask their guilt by pretending there is no God and losing themselves in other pursuits.  But no one can escape God's spiritual laws. Once more, King David put it best when he wrote, "Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the LORD. So rejoice in the LORD and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!" (vs 10)

God has always been merciful and forgiving, but when He robed Himself in flesh and lived among us, He did so to die so our sins could be expunged. That is what Calvary was about;  He paid for your sins with His own blood, so you can live guilt free - honestly!

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

 

He Thought of Everything


The arborists showed up at 6:30 on a Wednesday morning.  They were uninvited but didn't seem to notice.  They hadn't called or asked permission.  As I sat on my patio staring at them, they ignored my gaze and climbed up two of the tallest trees in our back yard and started to work.  Limbs began floating to the ground.  It rained acorns as they scurried about doing what they had come to do.  Then they left without a word. 

I should mention that these are not your typical tree trimmers.  They were nervous, chattered a lot, and had long bushy tails.  They were the God-appointed arborists who will later come back to bury many of the acorns they were harvesting.  The diligent efforts of squirrels like these help to keep trees healthy and forests growing. 

In the scientific world this " close and often long-term interaction between two or more different biological species" is called symbiosis. For example: "In a symbiotic mutualistic relationship, the clownfish feeds on small invertebrates that otherwise have potential to harm the sea anemone, and the fecal matter from the clownfish provides nutrients to the sea anemone. The clownfish is additionally protected from predators by the anemone's stinging cells, to which the clownfish is immune." (Wikipedia) To believers and scientists who recognize "intelligent design", this is one more proof that there is a ingenious Creator and that He thought of everything!

Environmentalists will wisely preach to us that our ecosystems are in balance and that we should strive to keep things as they are.  If we killed all the squirrels the trees would not be as well kept. If we killed the trees, the squirrels would not survive.  Therefore, we need to make sure nothing becomes extinct.  I agree, but this sermon begs the questions:

The truth is, you can't have it both ways. If you believe the earth is in balance and needs to be well-managed, then it only makes sense to believe in a Creator who thought of everything.

Early that Wednesday morning, those furry little tree trimmers reminded me that God made a wonderful planet and He left us in charge.  We get to explore it and marvel at His handiwork.  We get to take care of Eden. And, as we do, we will recognize that it is incredibly complex and efficient -- He thought of everything.  The heavens and earth declare His creativity and power.
 
But God thought of things far beyond our time and space as well.  He did not intend that mankind should live forever here on earth.  He created us as eternal beings and then prepared a place for those who are born again of the water and the Spirit. (John 3:5).  Water baptism and Spirit baptism are the doorway into eternal life.  Life on earth is just the antechamber of what He has planned for those who love Him.  He thought of everything! 

Friday, September 06, 2013

 

Conveniently Forgotten


"Oh, I forgot," explained the teen to his father. "You told me to mow the lawn before going to my friends house but I guess it slipped my mind."   That kind of forgetting does sometimes legitimately occur. But far more often one conveniently forgets.  It is our way of conning ourselves into believing our actions are excusable. 

This human trait is well-documented and often acknowledged. Here are a few observations from well-known sources:
I am wondering if one of the most "conveniently forgotten" truths throughout history is the truth that God made all things, thereby making Him the rightful King of the universe.  Mankind pretends to forget this "little detail," because embracing it would force him to alter his life choices.  But, just as in our example of a forgetful teen, willfully ignoring something doesn't make it go away.  The only one deceived is the one choosing to ignore the Creator and all of His handiwork, which declares His glory on a daily basis.

I, personally, find it very freeing to look at the world honestly; admitting that an almighty God made all things and is overseeing it all.  Several thousand years ago our Creator "robed Himself in flesh" and dwelt among us" so that we could be a part of His eternal kingdom.  According to the Bible, very soon Jesus will return to take His rule of the earth to a whole new level.  It is self-deception that will rob many people of their place in that Kingdom. 

This is how St. Peter said it: "First off, you need to know that in the last days, mockers are going to have a heyday. Reducing everything to the level of their puny feelings, they'll mock, "So what's happened to the promise of his Coming? Our ancestors are dead and buried, and everything's going on just as it has from the first day of creation. Nothing's changed." They conveniently forget that long ago all the galaxies and this very planet were brought into existence out of watery chaos by God's word." (2 Peter 3:3-5 MSG)  The New Living Translation translates it this way: "They deliberately forget that God made the heavens by the word of his command," 

My appeal is not to the skeptic nor is it to those who want to define their own  version of reality.  My appeal is to those who have true faith in an Almighty God.  It has been a long time since He promised to return, but He is still making good on His promises.  He is still forgiving, healing people's bodies and emotions, and demonstrating His power in many other ways.  Choose to remember your Creator.  Choose to make Him your Lord and Your God.  It is the path to true freedom from sin, falsehoods, and the foolish and arrogant path of self-deception. 

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?

Subscribe to Posts [Atom]