Return To The Basics.
Today I’ve meditated on the easy yet complicated dilemma of Judas post his betrayal of The LORD. It’s easy to speak from where we stand right now in history and advice that he should have waited at the tomb for all the days Jesus was in there, trusting in the forgiveness of the man GOD he had experienced so up close for years and asked for atonement instead of commenting suicide and damning himself. But even today in your own life it’s easier to allow yourself be overcome by condemnation and separate ourselves from dwelling in the presence of The LORD when we know that we have hurt His heart by disobeying His words. What I have just learned is that despite the temptation to run and hide because of your moral failing it is always wiser to run to the cover of the blood of GOD which He so generous and graciously provided before hand on our behalf. When you fail, run, don’t walk to the unfailing cover of The Cross. Judas more than anyone i know in history should have just returned to the basics that are so easily forgotten especially in the middle of an episode of sin. Unlike him I hope that we always remember to run quickly under the cover of the blood of Jesus.
Trusting In One’s Own Righteousness.
My father was obsessed with the cross. I never really understood it before now maybe because I’ve always hated that Christ suffered. Perhaps I should have precisely because of that. Today however I have a new understanding of the sacrifice of Jesus for me personally. I did not realize until it was brought to my attention that I partly trusted myself for my right standing with GOD and not wholly in Christ’s righteousness. I did something wrong recently and was beyond shocked to learn that GOD had already forgiven me. Where I expected punishment and rejection I received love and acceptance. I wanted to brace myself for silence instead I received reassurance and loving conversation. The most valuable lesson I have learned in recent memory (and am still processing) is the sheer magnitude of the covering of the blood of Jesus and the proactive nature of the agape of GOD. Coming to GOD boldly even when we have sinned will take practice but truly, like children, we must always run to the cross and consciously dwell in the immense covering it provides us. Somehow GOD’s pre forgiveness of my sin has had an effect I didn’t expect of myself either. Now I am resolved more than ever to follow and obey Him from here on out. I am not blessed and accepted because of my goodness, I am blessed and accepted because GOD is good. This is not a license for sin, this is a new understanding of what He has already done for me. He expects to see it lived out in us and thanks to this junction in my path, I have a new found dedication to doing and being what He expects of me and excellently so.
The Trap That inevitably Leads To Hypocrisy.
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
romans 3:23
My latest experience has shown me that the necessity of Christ on that cross can never be overstated. I have thought a lot about why some Christians live hypocritical lives and I think it’s what happens when the believer allows a couple of things to happen. 1) allows the devil to accuse him. 2) Runs away instead of towards GOD after a moral failing 3) allows the potential of collective shaming by society to corner him 4) Refuses to accept the reality of the truth of his salvation 5) Attempts to hide his sin instead of embracing a life grounded in the reality of his forgiven-ness and allowing GOD’s immeasurable love to drive a fresh commitment to a stronger and more mature walk with GOD. These are the mistakes that are so easy to make once a believer has fallen short of GOD’s standards. Standing instead of hiding, leaving in to GOD and not away is precisely what is needed. The believers who would rather pretend to have not sinned than apologize to GOD and change, inevitably run the risk of living as hypocrites and in the end, loosing their souls. If you let it, society will box you into this place of damnation via your conscience and trap you in a cycle of lies to cover up instead of allowing the blood cleanse you. I pray that we all just refuse to tolerate the antics of the devil in this area of sin any longer. I have sinned and will sin sometimes but I wont live in sin. Make sure this sentence is true for you and we will be good especially and most importantly with God. The world wants to hold us to an impossible standard so that the shame of your errors become the prisons of your self damnation even though in Christ, you are free.
If you allow the world which does not pursue the instructions of GOD and satan who has no hope of repentance shame you who is living a life dedicated to pursuing the pleasure of GOD daily but sometimes missing the mark, if you allow them guilt trip you into forgetting your covering, you are trapped. The price paid by GOD for my soul is sufficient and all encompassing. Saying what is wrong and right in alignment with scripture is never wrong to do even if sometimes you falter. When you do, get up, go to GOD, repent and continue on with you walk with GOD in your coveted office as His son who lives genuinely to please our Father even though sometimes we mistakenly or even foolishly fail. My relationship and walk with GOD is not built on my perfection but on His undeserved and faithful love for me. There is a humility that comes from this realization and a call to higher dependence on Him that it conjures which I will undoubtedly be eternally grateful for. Now I understand the words of Paul when he wrote the following quote. Until now I have looked at the net negatives of the ability to forget but now I’ve learned that sometimes intentionally forgetting is righteous. Besides, we have work to do so we must do as must be done so that we are not impeded.
“Not that I have already attained,[a] or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have [b]apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”.
Paul in his letter to the philippians – chapter 3:12-14
Not At All What We Deserve.
All of last week, my church has been praying the words of Paul above from scripture, now I know what my heart was being prepared for. I deserved wrath. Not just today, ever since I was born I have deserved GOD’s wrath but that’s not what I got. That’s not want any of us ever needs to get if we would accept His offering. If you would run to the cross, there is salvation for you. I’ve publicly been quite irritated with the state of the church being almost indistinguishable in our living from the lifestyle of the world. What is wrong to do remains wrong to do wether I’m guilty of it or not. When you sin Christian, if you allow the enemy silence you, he’s won. If however you acknowledge you’re wrong, apologize to GOD and genuinely repent with your changed heart evident in your right walk after your mistake, you stay a winner. Today I’ve had to practice the latter, even as I write this now I’m half in shock of the true freedom from damnation that is available to me because of the Blood. Grace which affords you this freedom is not to be abused but it is to be leaned on when you have failed and trusted in for power to overcome in the future. Now that I’ve learned this, I see speed in my spiritual growth as I walk with The Holy Spirit for the remainder of my journey.
Jesus Is Not Angry With Us.
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
hebrews 4:16
I don’t know about you but I don’t even want my LORD to ever be disappointed with me ever again. Sorry Oppa, Thank You Oppa.
