Embracing Accusation

Embracing Accusation (by Shane and Shane)

It is one of my favorite songs. It speaks of Satan singing a song of guilt and accusation over us. And the conclusion; Satan's right. But Satan has forgotten the refrain...JESUS SAVES!

When we are exposed as being sinful and caught in sin, when we know we are guilty and deserving of our guilt, we must NEVER deny it or down play or try to make it seem less of an offense. The only things we can do is own and confess our sin and Jesus will be faithful and just to forgive us of our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. But to the one who embraces the grace and mercy of God without embracing his guilt, you are missing a crucial step in God's plan of forgiveness.

Numbers 32:23b "... you may be sure that your sin will find you out."
Genesis 4:7b "But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it."
Isaiah 59:12 "For our offenses are many in your sight, and our sins testify against us. Our offenses are ever with us, and we acknowledge our iniquities"
Job 34:22 "There is no deep shadow, no utter darkness, where evildoers can hide."
Psalm 139:11-12 "If I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide me, And the light around me will be as night,' Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You."

The remedy;

Psalm 32:1"Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered."
1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Psalm 32:5 "Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.' And you forgave the guilt of my sin."

What a joyful hope we have when we come to Jesus on HIS terms and receive His mercy!

Have a very blessed day!

Lying

Lying is nothing short of rebellion against the Creator God who is the only one capable of speaking into existence what is. And like Satan, who also tried to usurp God's throne, the liar's rebellion is rooted in his Pride.

To Justify Myself is to Condemn Myself

Psalm 51:15-17 "O Lord, open my lips, That my mouth may declare Your praise. For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise..."

As Job says,

Job 9:20 "If I justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse."

If I have a broken spirit and contrite heart I do not continue to justify or remove blame from myself. If I am broken and contrite I will cease to use my lips for anything except the prayer of repentance and praise. 

Sufficient Grace, Perfect Power

In my years of ministry I have found this to be true;

"You actually minister more out of your weaknesses than out of your strengths." Rick Warren

2 Corinthians 12:9   

Dethroning God In The Hearts Of Men

Any matter of hatred, whether it's gossip, character assassination, strife, sowing discord, making malicious assumptions of other's intent, disparaging comments about others (public and private) etc., all of it is intended to dethrone God in the hearts of men to keep them from worshipping Him and being about eternal things. It seems that some do not understand this. For if they did, they would be more inclined to resist this temptation. Unless they just don't care.

But for those who have been doing this and never realized Satan's goal... and care enough to want to overcome, consider this passage;

Colossians 3:2-3
"Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

Don't be the distraction.  Don't be the pain.  Don't be the one to steal another's attention away from praising God.