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And since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:21-23
A story of two men. Both had walked with Jesus. Both had seen the blind given their sight, the crippled healed and the demon possessed freed from bondage. Both were given power from on high to perform miracles. Yet they went two completely different directions.
We don’t know much about the background of Judas Iscariot. Tradition says he was the son of wealthy parents and a good businessman. Judas hooked up with Jesus after following the ministry John the Baptist. While we don’t hear much about Judas, he seemed to be well-trusted by the other disciples since he was in charge of the money and, no one suspected he would be the one to betray Jesus.
Peter, on the other hand was a fisherman. He was used to hard, honest work. He was a leader among the disciples and one of Jesus’ inner circle. You could count on Peter to be in virtually every discussion. Most times, when Peter spoke, the rest of the disciples got behind him in agreement.
Both men are known in for their actions at the time of Jesus’ murder. Judas will always be known for his betrayal of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. His actions led to Jesus’ arrest and subsequent hanging on a tree. Ironically, Judas also died hanging from a tree, but his death was ruled suicide.
Peter, on the other hand is remembered for denying Christ in the courtyard of the High Priest just hours after he pledged his undying support of Jesus. As usual, the rest of the disciples (including Judas no doubt) agreed with him. Jesus looked Peter straight in the eyes and told him that Peter would deny him not once, but three times before the rooster crowed that very morning.
The severity of the ‘sin’ really isn’t an issue in this story. In reality, both men betrayed Jesus. Judas’ betrayal was with a kiss. For his actions he was rewarded with money and no doubt some status and power among the religious aristocracy.
Peter betrayed Jesus with words and attitude for self-preservation. The priests were uninterested in Jesus’ disciples at this time. Peter and the others were really in little, if any danger. There was no monetary gain in Peter’s betrayal (denial). His was an action devoted to simply saving his own skin.
There’s another similarity between the two men in this story. Both felt extreme guilt for what they had done. Judas turned to religion for support and healing. He was told that his actions were his problem. That’s the way religion and legalism works. Fault, blame and guilt are always returned to you. If you fail, you must just try harder. If you fail to severely, or too often, you are beyond hope. When Judas left the Temple for the last time that day he was a broken man. Wounded and hopeless, he could no longer bear the weight of guilt. He took his own life.
Peter was also wounded. The Bible tells us he went out and wept. The fact that we are told he wept doesn’t imply Judas didn’t. I think both men wept bitterly. The difference was in what they did once the tears and the knot in their stomachs loosened. While Judas was tying the noose, Peter went to the cross.
True healing comes through confession, brokenness and turning away from self and towards Jesus. The Bible is clear. “But if we confess our sins, he will forgive our sins, because we can trust God to do what is right. He will cleanse us from all the wrongs we have done.” 1 John 1:9 (NCV)
It’s a simple process that leads to freedom from guilt. Confession leads to forgiveness and forgiveness means we are clean. Once and for all, so pure it is as though we never sinned.
The enemy tells us otherwise though. He loves to keep us subdued, entrapped in the power of guilt. Guilt affects every part of our body. Guilt causes anxiety and fear. Guilt causes us to spend our future regretting our past. Guilt has such power over us that it not only causes emotional distress, but physical distress as well. Psychologists tell us that 10% of the population is currently taking medication for anxiety. A large part of that anxiety is worry over our past.
The Psalmist describes how many of us struggling with guilt feel when he says, “My body is sick from your punishment. Even my bones are not healthy because of my sin. My guilt has overwhelmed me; like a load it weighs me down. My sores stink and become infected because I was foolish.” Psalm 38:3-5 (NCV)
It’s time to reclaim what Jesus did on the cross. It’s time for you to once and for all, forget about all the arguments and all the lies religion has told you about this man Jesus. He is the only way you will get the relief you need.
After Judas was dead, Peter met Jesus on a secluded beach. The campfire was burning in the background. The aroma of the smoke carried the scent of freshly grilled fish. Jesus looked into his eyes and asked the question. “Do you love me Peter?” There was no mention of forgiveness for that was understood. Jesus had done his part. Now it was Peter’s turn. Now it’s your turn too.
Do you love Jesus? Are you ready to release the pain of the wound you bear so he can comfort you with the salve of his love and grace? Nothing you have done will keep him from asking you the same question. Stop listening to the lies of religion and the enemy. You are worth keeping. You are worth Jesus dyeing for you. Let him take away your guilt.
PRAYER: Jesus, like the Psalmist the guilt of my past is always before me. The wound I bear is a scab full of puss and infection. I hurt inwardly like no one understands. I confess my sin to you. I confess that I’ve been carrying baggage you took from me long ago. Cleanse my conscience and make me new again. Amen.
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
Of all the lies Satan tells us, the ones that are the most damaging are the ones that take away our freedom. If there is one thing that can rob us of the freedom we have in Christ it’s the prison of bitterness. The Lie associated with the Battle for our FREEDOM is that ‘You don’t deserve to be treated this way’. The lie comes in various forms. It can be health related and involve you or a loved one: “I eat right and exercise and do all the right things to take care of my body. I don’t deserve cancer.” or “He/she is too young to have to battle all this illness. It’s just not right!”
The lie can involve relationships as well. We listen to the voices as work that tell us that we don’t deserve to be paid the way we do; that we do more for the company than anyone else and for the least amount of respect, and the voices go on and on repeating the poison that saps our energy and riddles our body with bullets of anger, leaving wounds that ooze bitterness.
We hear the voices at home demanding justice, fairness and respect. No one deserves to be treated as a second rate citizen regardless of gender or body size or sexual orientation or age or… (The list goes on). We fight back physically or emotionally or cower in the corner in self defense until, one way or the other we are released from the pain only to relive it in another relationship. The fight for freedom can turn ugly. For some, the fight for freedom has led to death. When we give up the fight, the enemy wins.
As with most of the lies we’ve talked about, this lie is another example of the cunning methods the enemy uses to subdue us. Remember, Lucifer is the master of deceit and he loves to tweak the truth just enough to make the lie look wise. Half truths are his specialty. Do you deserve the abuse you are taking? Most certainly not! It isn’t just the righteous people who are created in God’s image. He created the wino laying in the gutter in the same image as the squeaky clean pastor in the cathedral where the bum lays his head to sleep, protected from the wind. The child molester is created in God’s image just as the terrorist, the adulterer, or the judge who seeks his own power and refuses to acknowledge the ultimate Judge or right and wrong.
The truth is, in one sense you don’t deserve whatever it is you are going through physically, emotionally, financially or otherwise. Your Heavenly Father created the Garden of Eden and all the animals, and we human beings so we could live in a world free of sin and in perfect harmony with nature and himself. When sin entered the picture it destroyed his dream for us…for now. The enemy doesn’t want you to know that when God sees the pain in our lives he weeps. His passionate heart is heavy when he sees the young person commit suicide, when he sees the cancer report, or hears the verdict from the judge’s bench. You don’t deserve what you are going through.
The adversity we face in life shouldn’t be surprising though. The Apostle Peter tells us: “Christ suffered here on earth. Now you must be ready to suffer as he did, because suffering shows that you have stopped sinning.” 1 Peter 4:1 (CEV) The Psalmist constantly talks of his pain, but in the same breath mentions the love and faithfulness of his God. (Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish. Psalm 25:16-17).
The harsh reality is that while we are here on earth we will suffer in ways no human should suffer. It’s not whether we will encounter injustice or suffering in life. We will. Just as Jesus did. Regardless of how much pain you are going through or for what reason, none of us has suffered more than Jesus suffered for us.
The real question is how we will respond to the attacks. Will you dwell on the injustice or claim the freedom in Christ to rise above the adversity. Will you refuse to forgive and be prisoner of your own anger and bitterness or will you live in the awareness that just as Jesus suffered here on earth, we are destined to suffer pain.
Freedom in Christ doesn’t free us from adversity, it give us strength to overcome it. That’s the Truth Statement the enemy doesn’t want us to hear in the battle for our freedom. Look at just a few verses the Bible tells us about our freedom in Christ. Truths that show us that we will suffer, yet our suffering won’t keep us from living free emotionally and can actually be used for the benefit of the Kingdom of God.
- It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1
- Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32 (the truth! the truth about me. The truth about God’s love, grace, mercy and forgiveness!)
- Brothers, understand what we are telling you: You can have forgiveness of your sins through Jesus. The Law of Moses could not free you from your sins. But through Jesus everyone who believes is free from all sins. Acts 13:38-39 (NCV) (the law (religion) was never intended to bring us freedom. The law was given to show us the need for freedom!)
- Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17
- But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation. Colossians 1:22
- The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. Revelation 22:17
Freedom in Christ allows us to live in His strength regardless of what comes our way. Live free dear child of God. Live free of bitterness and anger so that others can see the truth of Christ in you.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus. I’m struggling under anger and bitterness. I’m living in defeat physically, emotionally and spiritually. I’m having a hard time keeping my eyes on you because this burden blocks my view. Empower me with your Spirit to live in the freedom you intended me to have. Amen.
What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? James 2:14-16 (NLT)
One of Lucifer’s favorite tactics is to use half-truths to distract us and keep us from being the Christ-followers we want to be. When I was growing up I remember lesson after lesson about being ‘a good witness’. There was a saying going around at that time that said: “Each One Reach One”. The idea was simple. If each person would go out and win one person for Jesus it wouldn’t be long before the whole world was Christian. That was over 50 years ago now and obviously something went wrong with the theory.
Nevertheless, I tried. I became the ‘preacher’ in my elementary and Junior High School. I was passionate (in my own mind at least) about my faith, my love for Jesus, and my desire to show others the way to Christ. But no one seemed to listen. When my message fell on deaf ears I grew discouraged and began to feel like a terrible failure.
Simple childhood experience? Perhaps. But we struggle with the same thing as adults. It’s more refined of course, but Satan uses the adult version to dampen our spirits. The news media tells us over and over again that as Christians, proselytization is inappropriate in the workplace. Public displays that are sanctioned by any ‘government body’ are illegal. In some parts of the world people are even put to death for telling others about Jesus. In all these situations Satan attacks us by ‘reminding us’ that people don’t really care about our faith. That’s the great lie in the battle for our EFFECTIVENESS.
Again, as stated earlier, this is a half-truth. The Apostle James, and brother of Jesus, makes the statement in his letter to the church that ‘faith without works is dead’. As one pastor stated, preach a sermon every day and if necessary, use words! People don’t need to HEAR about our faith. People really don’t need to HEAR about how much Jesus loves them. People need to SEE the love of Jesus lived out in how we treat them, in how we react to adversity, in how we live lives of integrity. Faith without works is religion. Religion never brought anyone close to Christ, relationship does. An effective Christian is one that shows others what Jesus is like through love, acceptance and understanding.
In the BATTLE FOR OUR EFFECTIVENESS, the Truth Statement is: People don’t want to hear about your faith, they want to see the love of Christ lived out in your actions. Don’t let the enemy keep you defeated in being an effective witness. Consider how Christ would react to the person who is rude to you. Consider how Christ would react to those of different races, different religions or different lifestyles. Then go out and show them Jesus!
PRAYER: Lord, I’ve been duped into thinking I’m ineffective as your follower because I don’t have words to say or a great ministry that wins others to Christ. I see now that I’m most effective when I am showing people what your love is like. Empower me with your Spirit to SHOW people your love, grace and understanding. Amen.
Then he showed me another vision. I saw the Lord standing beside a wall that had been built using a plumb line. He was using a plumb line to see if it was still straight. And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” I answered, “A plumb line.” And the Lord replied, “I will test my people with this plumb line. I will no longer ignore all their sins. Amos 7:7-8 (NLT)
I remember a Sunday School story from years ago. It was the story of a little girl that got caught lying to her Grandma. After being ‘caught red handed’ the little girl confessed that she lied but it didn’t seem like such a big deal because it was just ‘a little white lie’.
The wise grandmother said nothing. She asked the little girl if she’d like to help make brownies, which of course, she did. After adding all the ingredients from the recipe grandma handed the girl a small bowl and asked her to go out to the barn and ask grandpa for a small bowl of manure to put in the brownies so they could finish baking them.
The girl was appalled! “Grandma! We can’t put manure in the brownies. It will ruin them.” Grandma assured her that it would only be a little bit of manure, not much, and she’d hardly taste it.” The argument continued until grandma smiled and put her hand on the little girls arm.
Honey, you’re right. We won’t put any manure in the brownies. Even a little bit would completely ruin the whole batch. But that’s like sin, even little white lies destroy our relationship with God and with others.
It was a lesson well learned by the little girl…and me for that matter. The enemy wants us to believe that small sins don’t matter. Especially those things we do in private that only affect ourselves. “The Lie he wants us to believe is that “Little sins only hurt me.”
This lie of the enemy is flawed in two ways. First of all, there are no small sins in God’s eyes. Sin is sin. Period. It doesn’t matter how large it is or how small it is. It isn’t important if the thing you have done affects thousands or yourself alone. In God’s eyes there is no difference.
That’s a good news/bad news situation for us. Because there is no ‘sin hierarchy’ in God’s eyes then anything you have done that you (or others) consider horrendous is on the same level as what others may consider ‘minor sins.’ The bad news is that you are no better off than any other sinner! This puts us in the same class as a child molester, or a terrorist or any other person. Sin is sin. Period.
The other flaw in the enemies lie to us is that sin is something we do against God, not people. People may have the scars. People may bear the pain of our sin. But ultimately our sin isn’t against ourselves or anyone else. It’s against God himself. That makes his forgiveness and acceptance of us even more amazing.
When we buy into the enemies lie about sin we tend to rationalize about it (He did it so I can too; If you think this is bad, you should see what she did; I know it’s wrong but…) or we play the comparison game (at least I’m not as bad as…). When we do this we are trying to live by human standards and not God’s standards.
In Isaiah, God says, I’ll set the plumb line. I’ll do the measuring. If you fall short of my standards in ANY way you will be judged. Only by the Grace of God and the forgiveness offered through Jesus Christ can we approach God.
Increased love for Jesus leads naturally to obedience just as increased love for our lover drives us to want to do whatever we can to make that person know how much we love them. The sign of a person that loves you is that he/she encourages you to do what you excel at; supports your dreams; seeks your good, not theirs. That’s what Jesus has done for each of us.
In spite of our sin we are loved dearly by him. That’s why he came to die for us. God will do whatever he can to build a passionate love relationship with you but obedience is the key to that relationship.
Truth Statement: Sin is sin and affects our relationship with God regardless of how it affects others. (But complete forgiveness is available through Jesus Christ no matter what we’ve done, big or small!)
PRAYER: Father God, I’ve been listening to the lie about sin. I have many ‘little habits, or vices’ that I know are wrong but have overlooked them because I didn’t think they hurt anyone. Now I realize they hurt you and our relationship. Forgive me for the little things. Empower me to stop listening to the lie and live for you. In Jesus name, Amen.
(From the series “Lies that Keep Us from Loving Ourselves. Osceola Community Church-October 2011)
Do not be bitter or angry or mad. Never shout angrily or say things to hurt others. Never do anything evil. Ephesians 4:31 (CEV)
A few years back now a building was constructed on a vacant lot near where I worked. Shortly after its completion, people in the building complained about headaches, bad smells and frequent illnesses. Further investigation showed that somehow in the construction process black mold had begun to grow.
Efforts to solve the problem were fruitless and within just a couple years of its completion the health department was forced to condemn the building. It was demolished and turned into a parking lot!
Bitterness is like the black mold in that building. It can go unnoticed for a period of time. It grows in places we don’t think to look. It can start growing at the slightest infraction.
Bitterness can happen when a friend says one small thing that we take the wrong way. It can happen when some guy we don’t even know cuts us off on the interstate or a co-worker is using the copier and we are in a hurry to get something copied. It happens in churches when the pastor makes a comment or preaches a sermon that steps on a few toes.
It doesn’t matter where bitterness starts, if bitterness goes unchecked it can be a relationship breaker. Bitterness launches a two-pronged attack on our relationships. First of all, like black mold it eats away at us on the inside. It robs us of our joy, our self-esteem and our ability to be intimate with people. We sink further inward and become angry. Our lives are motivated by a judgmental and critical spirit. Bitterness not only destroys families and friendships, it can destroy your health.
If caught in time, there are ways to stop or at least lessen the results of black mold in a building before it becomes uninhabitable. If caught in time the effects of bitterness can be removed and relationships prevented or restored.
The first step to making sure bitterness isn’t a part of your life is to identify the real reason for your bitterness. Many times the things that cause bitterness in our soul can be traced to things that attack our view of ourselves. Take whatever it is to Jesus.
Remember you are God’s special creation. Nothing that comes into your life happens for without a reason. God allows things that can cause bitterness to come into our lives to help us grow stronger, not to destroy us.
Lastly, ask forgiveness for your angry and bitter spirit. Begin today to rid your life of those dark corners of anger and bitterness that can destroy relationships around you.
PRAYER: Father God, lately I find myself getting angry over the smallest things. I blame others, say things I don’t mean to say and push people I love away. Please help me see what it really is that is making me so bitter. Forgive me for my anger. Empower me with your spirit to avoid bitterness and repair damaged or broken relationships. In your name I pray, Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 