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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.
So don’t boast about following a particular human leader. For everything belongs to you—whether Paul or Apollos or Peter, or the world, or life and death, or the present and the future. Everything belongs to you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. 1 Corinthians 3:21-23 (NLT)
You’ve seen the commercials on TV. A well-dressed, successful person tells you about themselves. They are smart, good looking and obviously have made the best of life. After telling you all about themselves, their successes and how they have made positive changes in their world, they summarize all the good things by telling you that they are a particular religious group. The next time you see the commercial notice that the person talking doesn’t say they belong to or are a part of the group. They ARE the group. Whether by design or otherwise the message is clear. If you want to know what my religious group looks like or what it can do for you, look at me. I’m the example of what you can be.
Now, this isn’t a treatise for or against this group. Whether you agree with their theology or not you have to admire the creativity of their marketing. Want to be successful in life? Want to make a difference in your world? It’s as though the speaker is looking straight into your eyes and saying, “Want to have people admire you like you are admiring me right now? Become a ____________. Your world will change!”
Don’t be too hard on them though. We do the same thing. A pastor friend of mine was telling me about one particular church that he served in. Unfortunately this church had a bad reputation in town because of how they treated people in the community and how they treated several of their former pastors. My friend brought a suggestion to the boardroom table one night shortly after he started his ministry. He asked what his church leaders would think of changing the name of the church. The new name he suggested would not have the denominational title included in it. He made sure to tell them the doctrinal statement would not change, the denominational affiliation would not change, and several other churches in this denomination had made similar changes with good success.
The reaction was pretty much along the lines he expected. No one was in favor of it for various reasons. Horror stories based largely on misinformation and rumors surfaced about other churches that had done something like this and either closed or became a cult. While he expected many of these arguments, the one statement that caught him off guard was given by the most respected person in the church. It was a statement that killed the discussion immediately. My friend later said he was so taken back by this statement that he was speechless to continue. Here was the sincere statement from a man who knew God’s word. “But I get my identity from the ___________ church.”
Character is defined as one of the attributes or features that make up and distinguish an individual. This person’s character was based on a set of doctrines and beliefs held in the confines of denominational affiliation. Such thinking isn’t new of course. The Apostle Paul struggled with it too. He didn’t have to mess with Baptists or Lutherans or Methodists or Presbyterians. He had to contend with followers of Peter or Apollos or, (and I imagine he shuddered at this), those who followed him! Paul says, in the book of 1Corinthians, “What are you thinking? Stop following the teachings and opinions of men. You have all you need in Jesus Christ who came from God himself!”
The enemy doesn’t like that way of thinking, by the way. The lie he uses in the battle for our CHARACTER is the subtle belief that ‘Your doctrine is the most important thing to you’. In our effort to love ourselves this attacks us in at least two ways. First of all, the standards of men are sometimes harder to live up to than the standards God has for us. Man’s standards don’t always offer much grace or mercy as is shown by the reaction of some church bodies to differences in a person’s lifestyle or their beliefs. Man made doctrine is often more about making cookie cutter Christians than it is growing in the freedom of grace and mercy through the Lord Jesus Christ.
In a love relationship it’s always amazing to me how the people involved think so much alike, or at least know what the other is thinking. It’s a process of course. The longer they are together the more they begin to look, think and act alike. Why? Because they have the same set of rules? No. They begin to ‘be each other’ because of relationship.
The second attack that this lie levels on our ability to love ourselves is that when we hold to strongly to man-made principles and doctrine we become legalistic and push people way. The nasty negative spiral comes in again. If I take to harsh a position I push you away. Since I don’t want to push you away I will guard my words. The result is I struggle to decide, ‘Do I hold my allegiance to you and watch you self-destruct, or hold my allegiance to what I know to be right and lose my chance to minister to you and bring you to the freedom I’ve found in Christ.
How does a person whose character is built on Jesus and not man-made rules react to people who are ‘different’ than us? Look at how Jesus responded to people in his day. People who struggled with greed, with lust, with sex, with addictions. How did Jesus respond? With love. “Neither do I condemn thee. Come to me you who are weary.” Paul says, “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:24-26 (NIV))
The person of Christ-like character is the person that gently accepts people who are struggling and leaves the repentance and life change to the one who does it best, Jesus Christ. This is a huge relief for the follower of Christ because it takes the responsibility of life change out of my hands and puts it in the hands of God’s Holy Spirit.
The Truth Statement in the battle for our Character is: “When others watch you make sure they see Jesus and not a church name!”
PRAYER: Thank you Jesus for the freedom you have shown me through your grace, mercy and forgiveness. As I build relationships around me, help me to show them the patience and gentleness you showed those around you. In your name I pray, Amen.
Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself. Jeremiah 31:3 (NLT)
The two areas that Satan attacks the most in our walk is our faith in God and our faith in ourselves. He knows that these two areas of our lives will dictate how we address everything else in our lives.
If we are confident in who we are and comfortable with ourselves then the attacks other people place on us will fall harmless by our side. If, on the other hand we see ourselves as weak and worthless people even the smallest ‘stones of attack’ will pierce our armor.
What it really boils down to is this question, a question we must ask ourselves every day as we get up and get ready for the tasks ahead: “Who do you see in the mirror?”
We all want to succeed in whatever endeavor we pursue. We want to be respected. We want to be liked. We may not need to be filthy rich, but it would be nice to at least have enough money in the bank account to buy food, make the house payment and own a car that can be counted on to get you from point A to point B with the least amount of turmoil. All these things influence how we feel about ourselves if we listen to the enemy instead of listening to the truth of what God says about us.
Here’s the lie that Satan wants you to believe. When things get tough. When you fail to conquer that temptation…again; when you fall to the seduction of lust; when you miss another house payment; when you explode in a flurry of words at your wife, your boss or your kids, he gently and quietly whispers in your ear.
“You did it again didn’t you. You can’t beat this. You are worthless. You will never amount to anything, you realize that don’t you? Then, here’s where he really gets you. He quotes scripture. He’s not above that you know. He did it with Eve. He did it with Jesus Christ himself! And he never uses it in context. He quotes just what he things you need to hear.
“Even the bible says your worthless. Remember Isaiah 64:6? God says you are nothing but filthy rags. Worthless. Smelly. Of no value at all. That’s you.”
Then, he leaves and you get to pick up the pieces. Wounded. Doubting your abilities. Ashamed. Embarrassed. You resolve to be done. You won’t try anymore. The pain of failure is too great.
Until we have a firm grasp of who we are we can never fully access the power of grace. Think of grace as a verb, not a noun. Grace is God’s unending, passionate love for you 24/7. Read Ephesians 2:1-10. Read it carefully. See the promise. You WERE dead, but now you are ALIVE. Your life isn’t based on your actions. Your life if based on Jesus Christ and his work on the cross. God’s view of you is based on Jesus’ actions, not yours. Jeremiah 31:3 tells us we are loved with an everlasting love. Romans 8 tells us that NOTHING can separate us from that love.
Here is the truth Statement we need to base the view from the mirror on: We are loved unconditionally. Period. The Creator God of the universe loves you. He’s more concerned about your future than your past or present. He’s willing to take a chance on you. In his eyes not only ‘will you amount to something’, you already are something.
PRAYER: Father I’m tired of listening to Satan’s lies about myself. I’m tired of the feeling of dread I get every day I climb out of bed. I’m tired of feeling like a failure to you and those around me. Empower me with your Spirit to see myself as you do, through the lens of Jesus Christ. In his name I pray, Amen.
The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. Revelation 12:9 (NIV)
The worst kind of deception is the deception that catches us unaware because it is partially true. Like an apple with a worm in it, what we hear and believe looks good until we make a commitment to it and bite into it. Only then do we realize that it is rotten to the core. Deception robs us of life. Deception robs us of trust. In the spiritual realm it’s like rape because when our naivety is revealed it humiliates us.
Too often, those of us who call ourselves Christ-followers have been duped into slavery by deception. The Apostle Paul, when writing to the Galatians asks the question, “Who deceived you? Why have you returned to the very slavery Christ has set you free from?” (Galatians 3:1; 5:1). He’s not talking to unbelievers here. He’s talking to the church, the body of Christ, disciples of Jesus.
We as believers in Jesus Christ must realize that we are at war. Anyone steeped in the understanding of warfare realizes that there are three things necessary for victory. First one must know his enemy. By that I don’t mean we know the enemy simply by name. We learn his weapons. We memorize how he uses those weapons. We look for weaknesses in his armor, his plan and his tools. We search for the holes in his defenses.
Secondly, we strategize. We come up with a plan that realizes our limitations and utilizes our strengths. Going into battle without a plan is suicide, not to mention just plain stupid. A well formulated plan allows the David’s of the world to defeat Goliath.
Thirdly, the battle is won when, after learning all we can about the enemy, and formulating our plan we go into battle resolved to stick with our plan. Many a battle has been lost because those who have been defeated stray from the plan and are lured into playing the game on the battlefield of the opponent. When we play the game at his level, the enemy knows he has us beaten. It’s only a matter of time before we defeat ourselves.
It’s time to sound the battle cry. The war for our souls was won on the cross once and for all, but we fight daily battles in which the enemy tries to destroy the freedom we have in Christ. Our enemy is Lucifer, the great Satan, the once beautiful and glorious angel of the most high. He was defeated at the Cross. His defeat was finalized when Jesus rose from the dead, but he’s not finished yet. His goal remains the same, to lure us from all the best God has for us.
Satan knows that the best way to keep us from living victoriously is to attack us in our most vulnerable place, the heart. If he can get us to feel badly about ourselves he knows he has a foothold into the other areas of our lives. After all, even Jesus tells us that the two most important commandments are to love God and to love others. What measuring rod does he use for that love? How we love ourselves.
When we feel good about ourselves we take care of ourselves physically, emotionally and spiritually. When we feel bad about ourselves in those areas it affects how we see God and others. Strong relationships with others begin with a strong understanding and love for ourselves.
Don’t be deceived any longer. Refuse to listen to the lies that Satan tells you. Listen instead to the words of a loving Creator God who is passionate about seeing you through the battles of life victoriously.
PRAYER: Father God. I’ve listened to lies long enough. I’ve bought into what Satan has to say about me. I ask that you would empower me to see myself as you see me. Protect me from enemy attack through your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Lord, remember your mercy and love that you have shown since long ago. Psalm 25:6 (NCV)
When things go wrong it’s easy to feel like we are all alone, like no one fully understands our problems or our fears. To some extent that is true. Each of us is unique in how we respond to events in our lives. Feeling like we are alone can be one of the most paralyzing things in our lives.
Loneliness can cause us to withdraw into our own prison cell and hinder our ability to see things realistically. We can try to cover up our loneliness through anger or multiple relationships or drugs and alcohol. The feeling that we are all alone has driven many people to suicide. After all, if you are all alone you don’t matter to anyone so you may as well end it.
Unresolved guilt, broken relationships, poor choices, abuse and a variety of other things can cause us to feel lonely and unloved. Whatever it is that is causing you to feel alone can be like a downward spiral. You feel rejected so you withdraw or do some other action to push others away which makes you feel more rejected so you withdraw further into the dark abyss of loneliness. Soon you feel hopeless in your desire to be accepted for who you are.
Acceptance by even one or two people can destroy the walls of loneliness. Sometimes it can be the simplest of things. A hand on your shoulder, a smile at the checkout line, a kind word when anger is present; mercy when you want justice.
There may be times in your life when loneliness and rejection seem to be the order of the day. During times of loneliness and rejection remember that your Heavenly Father is always there. He is full of mercy when you deserve justice; he is there to extend love when others respond in anger; he accepts you as you are when others demand conformity.
Others may never understand your feelings or your actions. Others may never reject you. God never will. As he has in the past, he will continue to be a father that accepts you, stands with you and forgives you. You can trust him to always be at your side.
PRAYER: Father, I thank you for the way you love me. I praise you for always being there when I feel alone and rejected. Help me to feel your presence as I face today. Enable me to show others the mercy and love you have shown me. In Jesus name, Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 