Author: Bob

We have been deluded! Our national constitution states we have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Please notice it states the right to… pursue happiness, not a right to happiness. No earthly person or government has the power to grant, create, guarantee, or have any authority over happiness. The most critical factor in experiencing happiness is the path taken to it.

Since happiness is undefined, there are unscored millions of personal definitions that influence the path taken to experience it. Thomas Jefferson took the phrase from John Locke and incorporated it into our Constitution. Some suggest he used the word happiness as a euphemism for property or wealth. Since then, others have related it to relationships, a sense of well-being, or wonderfully memorable experiences. Each definition requires a different, complex road map.        

If happiness is something more enduring or sustainable, somewhere along the road it will require surrendering or sacrificing something valuable to you. It is the surrender factor that expresses value for whatever you envision as happiness. Jesus said, If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it (Matthew 10:39, NLT2). He also asked what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? (Mark 8:36, NLT2).  

The surrender factor is hard because it involves laying aside our right to independence, which our culture has led us to believe is the path to happiness. I want to urge you to take this surrender factor seriously because only through surrendering do you find authentic freedom from anything or anyone controlling you. Surrender is a marker on the road to true life and liberty. Refusing to take that step would bring your progress to an end. The surrender of our preferences precedes the abundant life as Jesus modeled for us.

After 25 years of waiting, Abraham received his promised son Isaac. His son was his greatest delight, his heart’s idol. God then made the most agonizing request of Abraham, to surrender his prized possession as a sacrifice to God. (Genesis 22) After Abraham surrendered his son in his heart, God spared Isaacs’ life and they walked home together. From this time forward, Abraham was free from all earthly bondage or relationships. God was now His closest friend. Abraham now knew what Jesus later said was absolutely true. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it (Matthew 10:39, NLT2).            

Those things we falsely believe will bring us happiness, may temporarily do so. The Spirit inspired Paul to clarify that delusion by writing as long as you did what you felt like doing, ignoring God, you didn’t have to bother with right thinking or right living, or right anything for that matter. But do you call that a free life? What did you get out of it? Nothing you’re proud of now. Where did it get you? A dead end (Romans 6:20-21, MSG). The strongest sense of well-being infused with hope comes by surrendering your rights, family, possessions, dreams, and achievements to God. Trusting Him to work all things for our good (Romans 8:28) is the secret to living the best life possible on this earth and forever.

God created us with a need for relationships. It is true some need relationships more than others, while others seem to go through an excessive number of relationships. Yet most everyone cherishes the good relationships they have. 

However, not everyone knows how to be a good friend. When I was a teenager, I found out who I considered to be my two best friends, were only so because their parents knew that if I was with them, they would not do something terrible. While I appreciated their parents’ trust, my trust level in so-called friends faded away. I wondered what Jesus experienced that led Him to feel as John recorded. Jesus didn’t trust them (the people), because he knew human nature (John 2:24, NLT2).

Whatever that experience was, while it led to Him being cautious, it did not hinder Him from wanting relationships. The same has been true for me. Despite my unintentional reticence, I have been so grateful for those who have faithfully been a good friend to me for decades. I am humbled and feel deeply indebted to them for their patient love.   

I experienced another level of awe that God, the Creator of all that there is, loves me the way I am. David expressed his awe of this when he wrote what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? (Psalm 8:4, ESV). It is beyond my ability to understand that God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8 (NLT2). What would motivate God, who needs absolutely NOTHING, yet gave so much for each of us, especially me? 

Jesus made a very insightful statement to disciples when He told them, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you (John 15:15b, NIV). That friendship was certainly not because of their behavior, knowledge, or ability. In fact, He said, You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit–fruit that will last (John 15:16a, NIV).  

I was so awestruck with that this morning it kept bouncing around in my mind and brought tears to my eyes. We find a clue to what motivates God to call someone His friend in the words He said before he made the above statements. He said, You are my friends if you do what I command (John 15:14, NLT2). He is NOT referring to obedient behavior! We all know a person can force him/herself to preform right when their attitude wreaks with selfishness. He is referring to the attitude of the heart that motivates a person to perpetually do what He commands. The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts (Isaiah 57:15, NLT2)

We are not only His friends, He also treasures those who love Him with their whole being. (Ex 19:5; 2 Chron. 16:9) I have sensed deep within that I am God’s treasured friend, not because of my performance or knowledge, but solely because my heart is obsessed with giving Him my all. Rest assured, when your inner being is totally in love with Him, you, too, are His treasured friend. Let your mind soak on that incredible fact!

It is amazing how young children so often ask why? Suppose one asked you, why do we have the Bible? What would you tell your child? Knowing the answer to that can motivate you to want to study it more. So, let us process an answer together.

The Bible begins by presenting God as the prime energy source, the King of all creation. The dominate theme throughout the Bible, explicitly in Jesus’ teachings, is the Kingdom of God. The kingdom refers to a governing authority, so the kingdom of God refers to the range of God’s effective will. It is present wherever what God wants done is done. Anything/one who obeys His word is within His kingdom. Refusing to obey only brings harm to oneself. His kingdom has existed from before creation and will never end (Ps 145:13, Dan 7:14). God is the one who not only created all things but also holds all that is physical exists together.     

The first chapters of the Bible record His words being so authoritative that He spoke all things into existence. After a physical universe including stars, vegetation, birds and beasts, He then created man and woman in His image. He made them superior to all His other creations by reflecting in them many of His own virtues. One such feature was a creative mind; another was a free will. He gave them authority to rule with limited control over a limited part of His creation—the garden of Eden. There He placed safe boundaries for them in which they could live without want. His ultimate purpose for all humans was for them to join Him in ruling and reigning over all His creation.  

Unfortunately, Satan seduced Adam and Eve to choose to become independent from their King’s authority. This resulted in a totally just God having to put them out of His perfect Kingdom. Knowing this helps us understand the reason for the Bible. The Bible is God’s primary tool for communicating who He is, His love, laws and ways to His trophy creation. 

Although God’s trophies failed by choosing to be independent instead of obeying God, their choice only delayed His purpose from being fulfilled. Included in God’s curse on Eve for her costly choice, He promised it would be one of her offspring (Christ) who would bruise Satan’s head, which Jesus did several millennia later.  

He inspired everything in the Bible to be written in multiple literary forms to communicate with fallen and depraved humanity. In contrast to being angry and vindictive, God longed to interact with humanity so they could know His gentle authority and His reckless love for them. He was so passionate for them to turn around and individually reverse Adam and Eve’s choices that He sacrificed part of Himself (His Son) to pay sin’s penalty of death. For those who choose to turn around and receive His forgiveness, He regenerates and through His Word tutors them in His truth and ways so they not only could they live without want but also prepared to rule and reign with Him for the rest of eternity.  

Imagine being privately tutored and reshaped into Christ’s image by the invisible prime energy force who created you! Can you identify with the man’s anticipation after discovering a hidden treasure in a field? In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field. The merchant who discovered a pearl of immense value shared the same eagerness. He enthusiastically sold everything he owned and bought it! (Matthew 13:44-46, NLT2)

What have you been willing to sacrifice to have the prime energy force reshape you into the likeness of God’s Son through serious study of the Bible? And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Mark 8:36 (NLT2).

I have been intrigued with God’s ways which are far more complex than my mind can comprehend.  He inspired Isaiah to write “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9, NLT2).  Yet we are repeatedly told to learn to know God.  That is a paradox which is a statement that seems contradictory yet is true.  Another paradox in God’s ways is that He gives gifts of grace, which by their very nature cannot be earned, while at the same time requires a person to exert serious initiative in order to experience that gift.  When I ponder such truths, it reminds me that I am not God—I am only a finite human and must accept that fact.  When others face such a paradox they either assume God does not exist or they reshape a god in their likeness with their limitations (Romans 1:22-23).  Paul said of these folks for ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused (Romans 1:20-21, NLT2).  Others respond by finding themselves in such awe they bow in worship before Him.  I once heard that a man with an experience is not at the mercy of a man with an argument—and I have experienced too many encounters with Him to dismiss His reality and superiority. 

God brought the early Hebrews to the promised land and told them He was going to “give” it to them (Nu 13:2).  I am not sure what they assumed about how they might receive that gift but given their later response, they made a false assumption.  Of course, receiving this gift sounded great to them UNTIL they reached that land and God told them they had to fight giants and take fortified cities in order to possess that gift. 

Consistent with the nature of God, He told them while they would certainly have to fight battles with their own strength to receive this gift, He would go with them and give them His power to bring down city walls and defeat the giants.  The point seems obvious that He wanted them to be fully engaged in taking the land but was also requiring them to take huge risks to trust Him to do what was beyond their human abilities. 

God works the same way with you and me.  It would be fantastic if when we surrendered all that we are to Christ that He would suddenly fill our minds with complete knowledge of the Bible, instill in us an overpowering desire to spend hours talking to Him and studying the Bible, and courageously share our faith with others.  Oh yes, and fearlessly take repeated high risks to do whatever He whispers for us to do.  But that is NOT God’s ways.  He wants us deeply invested in our spiritual growth and service to Him and others.  Like the early Hebrews He insists on us trusting fully in Him to do whatever we are incapable of doing.  Paul wrote,  … work out your own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12b, ESV).  Paul reported of his own life that’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me (Colossians 1:29, NLT2)  For us that means straining to take initiative to follow His promptings regardless of our thoughts or feelings, remaining humble and learning from our failures and with the passion of an Olympian, discipline our mind and body to learn to love and do as Jesus did.  If we give our all to do our part, God will fulfill His promise to do His part and give us the victory.

What does God want me to do with the rest of my life?  I have been asked that question scores of times.  The question tells me that the person asking has a desire to do God’s will.  Therefore, that question is music to my ears.  On the other hand, is there a more insightful question to ask? 

Connie and I have really enjoyed watching the TV series, The Chosen, a perceptive movie series on Jesus’ life.  It is interesting to note that Jesus’ disciples never asked what they were supposed to do the next day or the rest of their lives.  Why do you suppose that was the case?  Could the reason be a clue as to what God might have for us to do next in our life? 

In the simplest form, they did not ask Jesus that question because of their time with Him naturally supplied the answer. They wanted to go with him and do whatever He led them to do.  The closer your relationship is with Christ, the less you will feel a need to ask what He wants you to do.  Any person who walks in daily fellowship and obedience to Christ will already be in the center of His will.  The Holy Spirit’s role is to guide each of us step by step to do God’s will. Walking closely with Him each day guarantees that you will be exactly where He wants you to be.  To put it another way, you would have to refuse all the Holy Spirit’s nudging or other forms of guidance to get out of the will of God.  

How can we grow to live that close to Christ?  You do so by regularly examining what the Bible says with the intention of obeying the truth revealed in that quiet time with Him.  By walking in that kind of growing relationship a dependency and sensitivity to Him naturally occurs. It is like a married couple that grows in their mutual love.  That loving union produces a sensitivity to what their partner is thinking or wanting to the point they begin to think like each other. 

My daughter’s dog we regularly dog-sit, naturally watches my eyes and listens to the tone of my voice to see what I want her to do and vice versa.  In that context the Psalmist wrote  Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he has mercy upon us. Psalm 123:2 (ESV)  In another place he wrote I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you. Psalm 32:8-9 (NKJV) God the Spirit longs to gently daily guide us as we seek to know His ways through our study of the Bible.  By not spending that quality time with Him in His word, we eliminate 80% of the guidance He wants to give us.  God compares the more independent ones to being like horses or mules that must be controlled by painful bits and bridles. The wise person wakes up and exchanges the bit and bridle guidance for the simple glance of His eye .

When Jesus’ disciples desired Jesus enough to leave their businesses or skill sets to follow Him, they began receiving experiential knowledge that He was their source of life.  Learn from them. The closer you get in relationship with Christ, the less you will feel a need to ask what He wants you to do with the rest of your life.  What might the questions you have been asking reveal about your relationship with God?  What guidance has the Bible already given that is your next step to having a closer relationship with the Almighty God?  If your current study method is not delivering more experiential knowledge of God, seek out a new way to study it.

Did God create the world, all forms of life and set up all things in motion according to the laws of nature then sit back to watch what would come of it?  Sometimes it seems that way.  Back in the day Doris Day sang words that went, “whatever will be will be, the future is not ours to see, Que Sera Sera”.   Have you ever absent-mindedly made a request to God then sub-consciously walked away thinking as Doris Day did might shield you from disappointment? 

Classical deism, associated with the extreme rationalism of the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries, held that God did create this world but then walked away leaving humanity to their own devices and the laws of nature.  In Jesus’ day, the deeply religious Sadducees did not believe in angels or spirits, the resurrection or an afterlife, or that individual communication with God had any merit which also classified them as Deists.  Later Thomas Jefferson and other founding fathers also held that belief.   Churches today actually practice deism although they may not know or claim it.

Prayer in and of itself can be nothing more than pious words or wishful thinking.  Jesus’ brother James emphatically stressed  a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven (James 5:15, NLT2).  What activates an answer to prayer is not eloquent religious or repeated words. It is the conviction that God does reward (instead of piousness, hopeful fantasy or religious practices) that produces results for whatever is prayed including the forgiveness of sins.  The Bible says it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him (Hebrews 11:6, NLT2).  No matter what our culture or religious world may think, say or do, God not only created all things, He also actively keeps all things in His control—even when it feels like His ways hurt us more than help us. 

I certainly do not understand all of God’s ways or why some prayers are not answered.  But I am certain unanswered prayers do not mean He is detached, hard of hearing, looking the other way or ignoring my prayers or the very bleak situation!  I have lived long enough to experience one reason for not answering prayer is that a bleak situation may be only a part of a bigger picture that when mixed with all elements is for a greater good.  Connie, my wonderful wife, has struggled with a life-threatening blood disorder since last November.  We, along with many others, are continuing to pray for her need.  While we are most grateful and praise God for each sign of progress, we also know things could turn bad for us.  Amid that we both have a strong, uncanny peace that whatever He allows in our future will be for good, ours as well as everyone watching us journey through this cloudy season.  It is like holding each other closely yet loosely allowing God’s love and wisdom to be manifest through it.  For us it is not a matter of whatever will be will be for us. It is whatever will be will be well orchestrated by our awesome God and will be perfect—no matter what temporary effect it has on our mind or emotions.

I urge each person to seriously consider just what your practice reveals you believe about God.  Does it show you are convinced God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1, NLT2), or does it show you subconsciously believe He rarely if ever intervenes in the life of humans today?  Do you intentionally mix spirit faith that God hears and is ready to help with your prayers or do you mouth words you have been indoctrinated to say?  

Memories mystify me sometimes.  I do not remember what I need to remember yet do remember silly incidents of my childhood.  I was about five when mom must have baked up something I really liked.  When invited to go to my friend’s house to play, I recall telling his mother what I remembered to be mom’s recipe for whatever it was I thought had been so tasty.  I remembered his mom asked me if I was sure those were the correct ingredients and I confidently said what I told her was correct.  However, as years passed and that memory repeatedly came to mind, I only hoped to God that boy’s mother never tried that recipe.  It probably would have made that family sick!  Like a beacon that memory has reminded me that what I may be convinced is so right may only be my foolish, prideful thinking. 

Confidence is invaluable; but it does not prove we got it all right.  Eugene Peterson paraphrased, Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence. (1 Corinthians 10:12, MSG) Paul wrote My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me (1 Corinthians 4:4, NIV).

I have been intrigued with Jesus’ encounter with a rich young man in some position of authority in Matthew 19.  Yes, he had it all but also had a deep reverence for God as shown in how well versed he was in what the Bible said.  He was enough of a seeker of truth to come to ask Jesus, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16, NLT2).  When Jesus told him to keep the big ten commandments, he probed to learn more.  After Jesus listed a few of them the man responded with confidence, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments, …what else must I do?” (Matthew 19:20, NLT2).  We may not be young, rich and in authority as this guy but whether we say it or not, I suspect most seasoned believers can identify with how this man was thinking about his spiritual life.  In fact, far too many of us have even stopped trying to learn anything more about God or what His word says to us.  We just want someone to confirm what we already pretty much know and practice as a Christian.  But does that confidence mean we are totally correct?  Are we more dependent on our self-confidence than God-confidence as Peterson wrote? 

Jesus recognized this guy had his life together so He touched his most sensitive spiritual nerve by saying to him,  “If you want to be perfect [complete], go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Matthew 19:21, NLT2).  I must hand it to the guy for not proudly blowing Jesus’ statement off since that is what hardened Christians tend to do.  The man took Jesus’ words to heart and knew Jesus had called him out to go all-in and follow Him.  With all the air in his confidence balloon suddenly gone and now sucking for air, in deep sorrow he made a simple choice, an unfortunate one yet simple.  He chose to continue to trust in what he had instead of taking a risk to get serious about his faith journey with God and go all-in.

Your life is the sum of the responses you have made towards God.  Once God makes Himself known to you, what you do next is your decision.  Your reaction reflects what you actually believe about Him.  Whenever the Lord whispers to you, you can expect it will require some sort of adjustment in how you think, behave and otherwise live your life.  What adjustments has He asked you to make?   It is not too late to go back to when He called you out and be reconciled with Him.  Yes, it will be a costly challenge, but it will be worth it at the end of the day.          

Far too often when we do something well it leads us to taking the credit for having produced such superior results.  We see the depth of that misguided thinking when we read something profound that Moses, Paul or another Bible character did or said.  We unconsciously attribute what happened to that person’s genius or talent rather than to God who inspired and empowered the person to do or say it.  It was this misappropriation of glory that led the mighty man, Samson, to fall into the hand of his enemies and disgrace the nation.

The highly revered apostle Paul identified with that deceptive shadow and wrote even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud (2 Corinthians 12:7, NLT2).   Even Paul had to wrestle with this misguided impulse.

After declaring the blessings and strength of a person who trusts in the Lord, Jeremiah reveals the source of wrongfully assuming the credit for God’s workings by writing, the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9, ESV).  Some like to fantasize that once a person becomes a believer, that evil nature was eradicated by Christ’s death.  Paul obviously did not see it that way.  He had a God-given desire to do right but he also saw his sin nature as a roaring lion waiting to pounce and defeat him.  To overcome that risk, he revealed his strategy by determining so now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me (2 Corinthians 12:9b, NLT2).  

The Psalmist clarified the victories the early Hebrews experienced by writing; they did not conquer the land with their swords; it was not their own strong arm that gave them victory. It was your right hand and strong arm and the blinding light from your face that helped them, for you loved them (Psalm 44:3, NLT2).  In recounting his ministry Paul wrote, [to make mature disciples is] why I work and struggle so hard [as an Olympic athlete pushes his/her body to the limit in the finals], depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me (Colossians 1:29, NLT2).  A true believer strains their ability [no arm-chair quarterbacks or laziness] to work with God then trusts Him to multiple her/his efforts to complete what needs to be done.   

We tend to think we do not have to go out of our way to be like Jesus.  We can do some pretty good things on our own.  We are not that bad.  I have found the average person feels he/she has little daily need for God’s grace or mercy.  But that is due to the deception of the heart.  We can always find people to compare ourselves with and thereby feel decent about ourselves.  But when we compare ourselves to the true standard—not our friend, not our neighbor, but to the conviction, attitude, love and behavior of our model Jesus Christ,—we realize we are not as hot as we thought.  Paul wrote Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it (2 Corinthians 13:5, MSG).  Are you aware of God’s Spirit within affirming your intuition that He is living within you?  If you were arrested for being a Christ-follower, would there be enough evidence in your attitude, passions and daily lifestyle to convict you ‘guilty as charged’?  I must continue to press myself to do all I am capable of doing as I also depend on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.

I have discovered my deceitful heart is my worst enemy, not the devil.  How about you? 

I have visited with countless individuals whose past failures continued to haunt them—no, more accurately, they continued to defeat them on a daily basis.   Each breath of hope fades into the ever-present dark cloud that pursues them.  Candidly, I truly grieve for them because I know the routine waves of hope followed by defeat are emotionally and spiritually exhausting them.  They say they believe God can deliver them from their draining malaise, but the cycle still persists for them.  Too many have taken their life in order to escape the constant defeating sequence.  I often wonder how this will end for each of them.

I have not studied nor read of scientific studies of this cycle of defeat.  I can only offer from my limited observations that it seems partially related to the confused expectations or what Satan and company perpetually bring to their memory.  Judas Iscariot was one of Jesus’ disciples, who failed Jesus in a miserable way.  I do not know exactly what was in his mind when he betrayed Jesus but based on his subsequent response, I suspect he may have had a risky strategy in mind.  He had hoped to force Jesus to exercise His supernatural powers in such a way that would lead Him to become the earthly king he and the other disciples had fantasized would happen.  That strategy had worked for Mary in getting Jesus to turn water into wine which launched His earthly ministry.  

In Judas’ case, his heartbreaking failure prompted him to throw the blood money of 30 pieces of silver on that floor at the feet of the chief priest and elders.  Unfortunately, that did not stop the loud haunting voice within from reminding him of the gravity of his unexpected failure.  He could not bring himself to believe he could be forgiven and therefore chose to take his life.

Lay that episode along side of Peter, another of Jesus’ disciples, who also miserably failed Jesus after vociferously vowing he would never do so.  After he had unexpectedly failed Jesus, like Judas he too was deeply remorseful and expressed it by going out to weep bitterly.  It was at this point of the two men’s failures where each made a choice in how they would respond to their devastating action.  For unknown reasons Peter must have chosen to trust enough in God’s forgiveness, enough at least to walk out the consequences.  After the resurrection, when Jesus faced Peter, He did not rebuke or even chide Peter for his cowardly choice. Instead, He gave Peter three consecutive opportunities to reverse each betrayal by confessing his love for Jesus.  Yes, it could be said that betrayal and denial are two different horrendous sins, but both would be classified as totally unacceptable by God!  The difference was not so much in what they did but in how they responded after they did their despicable deeds.  Judas would not allow himself to believe he could be forgiven while Peter at least thought perhaps God would forgive and cast his lot to wait and see his consequence. 

If you are ashamed of your past and try as you may to have hope only to have it melt away in a matter of time, can I encourage you to be as Peter and at least give your past failure to God and trust in His character to do for you what He did for Peter and innumerably more through the centuries.  Trust He has and will continue to forgive you, not because you deserve it but because of His incredible love, grace and mercy for sinners like you.  I have recommended to many through the years to take a helium filled balloon and attach a paper with your sin to the balloon.  Then take it out and with your confession of faith in God’s character, love and forgiving nature, say as you release the balloon to ascend skyward, “God, I now give my shameful past to You.”   Then allow His love, peace and hope to embrace you as the balloon fades into the heavens.    

When you go to a doctor because you have a pain somewhere in your anatomy, the doctor’s role is not to treat the symptom but to identify and treat the source of the problem.  To do so the medical practitioner reaches into his/her bag of all she/he has learned in undergraduate studies, medical school, residency to discern the root cause of your pain.   With the diagnosis the physician prescribes medicine or treatment that hopefully will get rid of your pain. 

A sinner is not a sinner just because they break God’s laws.  In fact, they may not even be aware they are breaking His laws.  Paul explains in Ephesians 2 the root cause of what makes a sinner.  He says a sinner is dead (like a spiritual zombie) or unregenerated leaving them virtually blind to the evil they consciously or unconsciously practice.  He says in v 2  the cause is following … the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air [Satan], the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient (NIV).  He then explains in v 3  the sinner lives … gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts (NIV).  What is often categorized as sin is simply misdirected deeds that are the fruit of our spiritually blind condition.  It is this inner darkness that makes the person by nature objects of God’s wrath, not just the symptomatic sins they do.

I write this because unless we understand the total depravity of our inner being, we will never really understand our need for God’s great mercy and grace.  When we do become aware of a wrong deed we have done, normally we try to somehow a) justify it, b) call our sins ‘mistakes’, c) glibly expect God’s mercy to forgive us d) ignore it as no big deal, OR e) we try to exercise more self-discipline or behavior modification, so we do not repeat it. 

Unfortunately, the other alternative of mentally or emotionally acknowledging that we have broken God’s laws only brings us temporary relief, that relief is not sustainable.  Only when a person becomes aware that his/her nature is irreparably broken and he/she lacks the ability to heal him/herself, is that person able to sense their desperate need of God’s mercy and grace.  When that person humbly admits their depraved condition and asks God to do what only He can do, they will then discover a sustainable peace and joyful regeneration by God’s Spirit that makes them alive after being dead.  It is this supernatural transformation that gives us the desire to love and obey God and the connection to His ability to literally live a life in Jesus’ likeness.

Have you been treating sin’s symptoms rather than root cause?  Has your life consisted of cycles of failures to be like Jesus and trying harder next time?  Or has it consisted of being very aware of your need for God’s continued mercy and grace and asking for more of them to empower you to live the better life?  God is not angry when we sin.  Jesus’ closest disciple wrote if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness (1 John 1:9, NLT2).  He is a like loving parent whose child has fallen and skinned his/her knee.  Humble confession of our hopeless sin nature brings God’s immediate forgiveness.  The most critical factor is remembering we are sinners not because of our failed efforts, but because we follow our sin nature that tells us we can make ourselves better next time.  Have you been genuinely enjoying God’s grace and mercy or are you still trying to fix yourself through self-discipline, self-help or positive thinking?  Hope and freedom come from leaning on God’s provision and cooperation with His guidance.