November 18, 2018
BIBLE MEDITATION:
Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Jude 1:21
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Guilt dogs the footsteps of mankind. It gnaws. It growls. It eats away at the joy God intends for us. Warren Wiersbe has well said, "Before you sin, Satan whispers, 'You can get away with it. You can get away with it.' And after you sin, he shouts, 'You'll never get away with it.'"
That's just the way Satan does. He will encourage you to sin before you sin; after you sin, he accuses you. He's the adversary, the prosecuting attorney pointing his bony finger of accusation at you.
Is there no peace from guilt? Will the ghosts of our guilt always lurk nearby? Not with the convicting work of the Holy Spirit and the healing power of our Lord in you! The Holy Spirit is not the accuser; He’s the Convictor. In love, He convicts, to lead you to confession, drawing you to Jesus Christ, and to forgiveness, freedom and liberty.
When you come to honest brokenness over your sin, the Holy Spirit gives you such comfort that your sin is forgiven. When you need help, when you fail, the Holy Spirit stands close to the broken. We can confidently come to God and ask for cleansing. No psychologist or psychiatrist can take away guilt. Only Christ Jesus can.
ACTION POINT:
Read the story of the adulterous woman in John 8:1-11. Praise God for His lovingkindness and generous mercy!
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”