| Whatsoever
Things Are True
by Dan Coburn Pastor, Emmanuel Baptist Church pastordan@mtida.net Just unplug the light. When you are driving down the road and the light comes on in the dash that says "OIL", you basically have three choices. Nugget: My dad always called these "idiot lights"; never was really sure what he meant. Anyway, you can 1) Ignore the light. This seems popular. 2) reach underneath and unplug the light, or 3) address whatever is causing the light to be on as in low oil etc. When you read this, you probably say: "Duh, it's number three. Only a moron would do one or two". As obvious as this seems, let's turn the Spiritual Switch and substitute the OIL light for our own guilt. Guilt is to the soul what pain is to the body, and is a very healthy thing, yet we spend most of our adult lives trying to avoid both. Imagine if you could feel no pain. You wouldn't last long. Leprosy is a disease in which the sensory nerves (predominantly) are deteriorated. So, if you laid your hand on a hot stove, you wouldn't feel it, and would be burned badly. Many think of lepers skin falling off, but this is why. It has been so traumatized, due to the warning light (pain) being turned off. Same way with guilt. There is good (Biblical) guilt, and bad or harmful guilt, and most can't tell the difference. Society tells us all guilt is bad, and tries to do away with the source which (in their estimation) is the Church or God's Word. This would be unplugging or covering the OIL light. Others try to cover it up with drugs, alcohol, porn or any other host of recreational activities. We also point fingers and say: "My light isn't as bright as your light" or "since we all have a light, you can't judge me". This would be Ignoring the light. Then there is # 3 in which we take whatever steps we need to, to correct the problem and extinguish the light. This would be driving a stake in the ground, and saying through tear-filled eyes with all the conviction and resolution one can muster, "I will not be slave to this sin any longer. Satan has had enough victories in my life, and in the life of my family. No More!" If we confess (agree) with God that our sin is sin, and ask not only His forgiveness but His enabling grace to deliver us from the bondage of sin, ask Him to be our Lord (master) and Savior, Out goes the light. "For whosoever shall call upon the name of The Lord shall be saved" - Rom. 10:13 So how do I tell the "good guilt" from the "bad guilt"? For one thing, God's guilt is for the purpose of restoration, while Satan's guilt is to drive a wedge between you and God. God's guilt is specific as in - "you have done this bad thing, and need to make it right", while Satan's guilt is general. He wants to make your sin your identity as in - "You just stole. You are a thief. How can you say you are a Christian? How can you think God loves you?". And thirdly, God will never - EVER convict you of a sin He has already forgiven. "I even I AM he who blotteth out thy transgressions for my name sake, and will remember them no more" - Isaiah 43:25. So if you are repeatedly being guilt tripped about the same old sin, and have confessed it to God, the conviction isn't coming from Him, but from the enemy. Tell him (the devil) to take a hike. Tell him - "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit". Romans 8:1 Halleluiah what a Savior. |
 |