Trapped by Past Sin – No Secrets!

          

Can you imagine the anxiety and fear Joseph's brothers must have felt returning home from their trip to Egypt to face Jacob without their brother Simeon? He was being held in custody as assurance they would return with their younger brother Benjamin. "Be sure your sins will find you out” became a reality for these brothers.

The trap these brothers fell into is classic. They had lied to their father about Joseph and covered it up for decades. Remember the men who bombed the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, killing four little girls? Decades later, those guilty of the crime had to face justice for what they had done. There are no secrets for God.

The good news is that God’s forgiveness is available, and forgiveness brings unspeakable joy and peace to a troubled soul. Choose to confess what cannot be hidden from God. When you take this step, restoration of fellowship with Christ Jesus and others is attainable. May God give you courage to take this step for a new beginning.  

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“But if you don’t do what you say, you will be sinning against God; you can be sure that your sin will track you down.”

~Numbers 32:23 The Message

In Scriptures God says, “I swear by my very life that everyone will kneel down and praise my name!” And so each of us must give an account to God for what we do.

~Romans 14:11-12 Contemporary English Version

Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.

~Psalm 51:12 The Living Bible

Never Too Late to Change - Part 2

Come with me for a moment and visualize the scene of a wayward son returning home. Imagine the joy his father feels when he sees his strong-willed son walking toward the house and wondering what kind of reception awaits him. This father had permitted his immature son to leave home with his inheritance and dreams that would result in abysmal failure.

After talking with his son, the father detected a radical change in his son's attitude that inspired him to shout with joy, "This son of mine was dead and is alive. He was lost and is found." A man separated from his wife said he was willing to work toward reconciliation when he detected in his wife something that gave him hope for a new beginning.

Everyone is capable of dying emotionally to another person or even God when joy no longer exists in a relationship. If this is your situation, the Lord Jesus Christ is waiting and watching for your return. Jesus will eagerly receive you back as a faithful son or daughter and restore the joy of your salvation. 

Dealing Constructively with Reality - Part 2

It is not unusual for a friend or parent to offer words of caution when they observe us approaching a painful situation. God also is working to guide and direct us by whatever means he chooses. However we're at liberty to ignore every concerned voice offering caution and guidance, even the voice of God himself.

Dealing effectively with reality must include our willingness to consider the unsolicited advice and guidance of others. The eagerness to consider another person's perspective indicates a belief that God works through other people to help us define and clarify direction for our lives. Being unwilling to listen to other voices can flaw our ability to make effective decisions.

Dealing constructively with reality may require asking God and others for help. David, Israel's greatest king, often found himself in this position. In Psalm 51:12 he pleads with God to restore the joy of his salvation and to grant him a willing spirit so he could be sustained as he faced a difficult situation. This can be your choice.