BE GUILT FREE!

CLICK HERE to Enter the Book Give-Away for "Raising The Dead" by Chauncey W. Crandall IV, MD

Good Evening to All!

Today's Seed: "Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water." Hebrews 10:22

**************************************************

The morning starts with a rush. The alarm doesn't go off. The coffeemaker overflows. The outfit we planned to wear is in the wash. The heels breaks on our shoe. The kids are fussing. The car's gas tank is near empty. All great excuses for not going to church. It's too much of an effort. We'd never make it on time anyway. So there! We're not going. Then the guilt sets in. That's not exactly drawing near to God.

Hebrews tells us that every day we'll be challenged to obey God. Sometimes Sundays are the hardest. One mother of five is positive that the devil works overtime on Sunday mornings!

We also told that we need to "have full assurance of faith" --faith that our sins are forgiven. Because of Christ and his death on the cross, we can be sure that when we confess our sins and our guilt, we will be cleansed through the blood of Jesus Christ.

To draw close to God, we need a sincere heart, faith in god, and a guilt-free conscience. We feel guilty for many more reasons that just not going to church--guilt for what we've said or done, or what we've not said or done. Guilt is hard to get rid of on our own, but we don't' need to feel guilt for forgiven sins. Christ paid the full price of our sin for us. Believers can have complete confidence that their sins are forgiven because they are trusting in Christ. We can be completely cleansed--guilt free.

Dig Deeper: the Greek word for "draw near" is proserchomai, which means to approach God, as in entering the presence of God through Jesus.

Weed & Water: Often when we are overwhelmed with continued guilt for something, it is because we cannot forgive ourselves. We believe we are above the depth of whatever sin we have done. We are shocked and can't accept that we could be so "terrible." God already knows how deeply we can sin. He has forgiven us. Chances are those around us already know how "terrible" we can be too--and they have forgiven us. All that's left is for us to forgive ourselves.

Sprout & Scatter: Once Jesus has washed away our sins and we put our guilt behind us, the writer of Hebrews 23-25 encourages us to do four things. (1) "Let us hold unswervingly to hope," (2) "Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." (2) "Let us not give up meeting together," and (4) "Let us encourage one another. "Doing these things will benefit others.


Think about it: When you think of entering into the presence of God, what do you think of doing or saying?

For what do you feel guilty that God has already forgiven you?

Prayer Pot: Lord, help me to meet the challenges of each day, especially (Insert your thoughts).

Take-Away Idea: God will cleanse our guilt, and wed can hold onto that hope.



Good Night to All and May God Bless! Don't forget to enter my Book Give-Away! It is truly an excellent faith building book!