"A Good Conscience"

We read from God: "...and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame." (I Pet. 3:16) How important is a good conscience? The goal of preaching/teaching (or it should be the goal) is to create a good conscience within the believer (I Tim. 1:5). When we speak of a good conscience, it is a sense of well being that produces a stability and confidence. When one has a guilty conscience, they are uncomfortable, dissatisfied, aware of their failures and it creates frustrations and one is easily agitated! A guilty conscience has knowledge of their deficiencies and fear begins to grow within. Have you ever done something you knew was wrong and when you faced the one you were closest to, you found yourself either irritated at some little something or overly sweet and nice to get from being caught? That's a guilty conscience at work.

Too many are ruining their lives by not keep a good conscience because they step into sin rather than do what is right staying away from sin. When the conscience is defiled, a persons faith will never move forward. They will drown in their misery, their guilt all the while their conscience becomes slowly seared to where eventually, they will feel no pain! (This is where a lot of bad attitudes come from!) That's the most dangerous position to find yourself. The hardening of the heart is part of that process. Once the conscience is seared over, lying comes easy, sin can be followed and practiced without much concern and the road to doom lay ahead. Something will happen...something major!

She was 18 years old. She let her boyfriend talk her into a sexual relationship. He pushed her and ranted on her until she finally gave in. No one else knew. In teaching a class one Sunday morning, I remember looking at her and she would look away, not wanting to make eye contact or really pay attention. That just did not seem like her. A few days later, my phone rang and here was this precious young lady crying and in the state of panic. She shared with me what had happened and said all through the class, she felt I knew what had happened. She was praying she wasn't pregnant (to which we found out later she was) and she felt so cheap and defiled. You see her conscience was crying out, screaming "You're guilty!" and it was taking her down quickly. If she does not make the proper moves, it could have devastating effects on her life.

Most people choose to ignore their conscience when they know they have performed some disapproved act. That's when all the games start. The faking, the inner turmoil, your self esteem, deception and lying and it will take you completely away from God if it is not dealt with. So, that lead us to this. When you know your conscience is defiled, you know you are guilty, there are one of three choices you will make: (1) IGNORE! When one ignores their conscience when it is guilty, you must also ignore the will of God. That's where the searing process will begin and a life of misery one sets for themselves. (2) JUSTIFY! One can look to ease their guilt by finding fault with someone else for their failure. The blame game begins. A guilty, burden conscience that starts blaming others for their practice will lead you down a road so far from God. You hear people say, "People can't judge me!" That's the blame game and it will not end up good. You will eventually cut off every person that really cares and could help! (3) FACE IT! If one would be honest in their heart, come to God openly, no pretending, no blaming, no faking but an humble honesty, they will find relief for their guilt and favor in the eyes of God. Remember, the blood of Jesus is to cleanse the conscience! (Heb. 9:14)

"About Love"

We have such a shallow understanding of God's love. That will always be! We do not realize everything that is involved in love. Oh, we read I Cor. 13, the love chapter and other Scriptures but do we really grasp hold of His love? Preachers often teach on the 'agape' love, (I am one of those), but defining words still doesn't bring out God's intended desire through His love. Sometimes we have grown so accustomed to definitions and religious chatter, we have grown unimpressed with love. If we would spend a little more time listening to God speak through His word rather than religious chatter, the truths revealed might impact our lives a little more.

The death of Jesus is not just an act of dying. It seems we hear that every single Sunday when one speaks at our communing with the Lord in His supper. People want to dramatize the pain, the suffering, but it goes beyond that. The love of Jesus in His dying was a redeeming death, an atoning and sacrificial death. By me writing this, one will read what I just wrote and think, "I know that!", but do we really? The cross was God's way to man to open his eyes to what God's love is toward us! We must be careful that we do not cheapen the love of God and bring His love down to some "defining words" in the Greek or some dramatic way of dying. We are too 'sugary' in our thoughts on love. That's why more focus should be given to God's word, allowing Him to explain what He means.

I guess what I am driving at is one thing about the love of God. When we start making His love about our happiness and contentment we miss God entirely, which means we miss the purpose of His showing His love. Our happiness is not what God was driving at. He was concerned about our eternal well being and our holiness!!! Too many are using God and His love as a personal delight, a self centered passion that drives us to take from His love driving us to fulfill our selfish ideas and ways! Just look at our approach in worship and daily living. Look at our outreaches that have taken the love of God into some type of "hand out government commodities!" We teach the lost to use God's love for other things than what God wanted. Nice, soft, frilly, give you whatever you want is a love that is completely self consumed. Read the Old Testament about the sacrifices and see what God is driving at. Read why He gave His commandments, His word and see what love was driving at. Look at the mercy and grace that were extended in the days before Christ (and they were there) to see the love God wants. Read carefully I John 4:9-14 and let it speak about the love of God. Love is about righteousness, holiness and truth! That is the very nature of God. Well, I think I may have over-stated what I wanted to convey and I am not sure I understand what I am trying to say, but I do know one thing...the love of God, when properly applied and understood will bring us to our knees and move us in haste toward Him!!

'Godly Character"

God is trying to grow character in us! We need to be people of great character and I don't mean "be a character!" Character is tried integrity. It is being sound in upright behavior with honesty and sincerity. In other words, it is doing right, with the right attitude no matter what! Character is what produces hope in an individual (Rom. 5:3-4).

Sometimes people are harsh and rude. When one is that way, that reveals their character. Sometimes people have 'smart mouths' and that is a revealing of their character. People are put in situations and they will cheat when no one is looking. That's their character. I've seen in the church where unloving and harsh men are placed in leadership roles (such as an eldership). Servants of the Lord are to be gentle and respectable in their behavior (I Tim. 3). That's their character. Jesus makes no one 'smart mouthed', mean or nasty!!

The danger that exists is many times people cannot discern a person of godly character from a person of charm. Dale Carnegie made loads of money with charm! Absalom stole the hearts of Israel over his father David because of his charm (II Sam. 16). People follow someone who is charming and smooth and the become blinded to the honest evaluation of their true character. We seem to have great difficulty distinguishing true, godly character and a person with an outgoing personality!

God's word warns to watch out for those with "...smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting." (Rom. 16:18). Paul made absolutely certain he was "not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God." (II Cor. 4:2) Many people can have charm about them, but no godly character. Preachers are favored because the man is exciting or has a great personality. That can blind people to the character of the man. I was attending an assembly where the congregation just loved their preacher (which I was thankful they do.) They spoke of his delivery and his sermons. I listened and it didn't take long to realize, he was a professional entertainer!! He told stories at the right time to move the emotions and was great at holding ones attention, but had little application to God's word. When he used the word, it was often misused! He was charming but had no character. Someone asks, "How do you know?" A man of character will be honest placing God first and foremost, using His word to create faith and not rely on their speaking ability!!!

Salesmen, con-men have to be charming and lovable! They are trying to take people in. Character is discipline. Character has a purpose. Character is what makes one do right in the difficult situations. Character makes one follow through with their word. Character will not compromise God and His ways. Character is not rude, hateful or mean. Character can be 'tough' when it needs to be and can make calls in difficult situations but it will be tempered with godly love. It takes godly character to preach the truth, to stand for right. True Christianity is about character. Character is gained by persevering in difficult situations and God uses those difficulties to build His character in each of us.

"REPENTANCE"

John came preaching repentance for the Jewish nation, preparing the way for Jesus. People were coming out confessing their sins and being baptized (Matt. 3:1-6). John made certain the people understood that just saying "I'm sorry" was not repentance! (Luke 3:7-9) True heart repentance leads to a change of direction and lifestyle. Godly repentance produces fruit and visible fruit is product of a repentant heart.

Many times people say they are repentant for what they have done or practiced but in reality, all they do is just feel badly or sorrowful for what they have done. "I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us." (II Cor. 7:9) Read the words carefully! "...you were not made sorrowful, but sorrowful to the point of repentance!" People feel sorrow but it is nothing more than an emotional response. They do not change their hearts! To be moved by sorrow, that moves one to doing the will of God, that is true repentance. "For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death." (II Cor. 7:10) I have seen too many, during an emotional struggle speak of repentance or openly admit to their failures, but they never have a sorrow that leads them to doing the will of God from the heart. It is a short lived, emotional response only to turn into the same road again. It is a repentance that will lead one into death! No life of God! Little desire to change their attitudes toward the Lord (or the ones they hurt)! It is simply sorrow of the world and there is little fruit involved.

Years ago, there was a fellow in the Lord's body that had mistreated his wife until she left him. It hit him hard and he came forward, admitting his wrongs. But I was disturbed about what I saw. There was very little change in his life. He still seldom came to the assemblies and Bible studies were definitely out of the question. One day he walked in my office to speak. As we were going through things, he opened the door for my thoughts. I shared with him I can see what is coming down the road if there aren't some heart changes. I spoke to him that he would eventually meet another woman, get emotionally involved wanting to marry her, the elders will tell him 'no', it will offend him and he will leave! He said that would never happen!! Guess what???? It happened almost exactly the way I said.

I am not a prophet and do not claim to have any special insight. There are patterns and as one studies God's word, you can see those patterns. Worldly sorrow or sorrow of the world will only produce death. Godly sorrow will lead one into doing the will of God, producing a repentance without regrets which is seen in a changed life!

"GOD"

One of the greatest mistakes made by people is their lack of understanding God and His nature. Many have taken God, because of His great mercy and compassion, and turned Him into an idol! The Almighty is made into 'fluff' and He will always respond to our whims and ways. That is a very dangerous attitude and road to walk when one thinks God will always be there to help, no matter what one thinks or what they choose, even if they are doing no harm to another. "Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, and You cannot look on wickedness with favor." (Habakkuk 1:13)

God is a lover of people. He cares deeply for the eternal destination of each and every soul. I cannot begin to grasp His love and concern. However, He is also a God of justice, righteousness and truth! Love demands those characteristics. God cannot do things unjustly. It is impossible for Him to be unrighteous and He always upholds and stands in the truth. To minimize any of these is to create a 'god' different than the Almighty!

Here is where mistakes are made. I hear many, who speak about the path they choose to walk, or their direction of their lives. They are comfortable with their choices, never realizing this truth: "There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." (Prov. 14:12) Many seem to think their lives, their choices are the right choice but it will take them into death, spiritual death. How does one avoid that? If the path we have chosen does not take us upward, deeper into the things God, more dedicated, more concerned for spiritual food and less concern for the world, more love for His children, our brothers and sisters, we are not going to arrive at God's intention. "For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite and whose glory is their shame, who set their minds on earthly things." (Phil. 3:18-19) The deception for many is their own desires become what they go after, not the desires of God. Their minds are constantly set on earthly things (which is fleshly). The things they take pride in, glory in are things that will eventually take them down into shame.

What is more sobering to the mind is how God deals with each person. "For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness." (II Thes. 2:11-12) To not love the truth, to not pursue the truth has drastic consequences. God will send a deluding influence to take you away, further from Him, while you think you are alright! What a scary thought. Why would God do that? Because His righteousness and justice demand that!! When people want to believe what is false, follow thinking that is false, He makes certain they find it. That's what they choose and He opens the door to find the deception they go after. It is true, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." And God will help you along that way if that's what you want. I encourage us to pause and re-think about what we seek, who and what we love and where our lives are really headed. God loves, God cares and God is merciful but His truth will stand as He has no part of any deception, half-hearted devotion in the lives of anyone.

"Learning To Move Away From Fleshliness"

The hardest thing for many in Christ is to determine if they are being fleshly or spiritual. Most cannot tell the difference. Too many are taking personal ideas and testimonies, finding some verses in Bible that they think validates those ideas and thoughts and think it is being spiritual. Whenever one takes God's word, combines it with self made thoughts, it becomes fleshly. Fleshly people have little to no power to change into the likeness of God because the things of God are reduced to human levels. A spiritual person is one who lines up with the character, thinking and will of God, to please Him alone, letting go of their personal thinking and desires.

Recently I was reading some one's facebook. They spoke like the world, thought like the world and tried to apply it all to God. It was sad. I wanted to write on their wall to share with them about their fleshly mind set, but I realized when you try to correct the fleshly, they will respond fleshly, taking offense. When you correct a spiritual person, they will take the direction and love you for it! If I were fleshly, I would go ahead and take the liberty to write, thinking I was helping. That's what many do. They cannot say 'no' to their desires.

In Acts 2:38, there are two things that happen at our "new birth." (1) Forgiveness! A complete cleansing of our sins wiped away. (2) Given the Holy Spirit! Why? To lead our lives in another direction, away from our fleshliness and fleshly reactions. That means a new power is involved. Our minds must be set on the Spirit, not our flesh so we can draw from the spiritual things of God. It's not magical but simply a yielding, a willingness to allow God to take us in another direction when we encounter situations in our life. Instead of thinking how situations affect us, or take us down, we have the opportunity to think in terms of what the Lord is trying to teach us and train us in, looking out for the benefit of others rather than yourself. When in certain situations, most never consider others but how everything affects them! That's being fleshly. You will react fleshly, using your own thinking and feelings to determine your course of action. We need to embrace our forgiveness, which many do, but they never "die" to themselves and give God complete right over their thinking and actions. You can really see it when people hold to grudges and hurt feelings. All that matters to them is how they have been treated. They never believe they have "died with Christ" so the old, fleshly self is still in commission and it will just grow stronger and stronger with age.

The most important factor to overcoming your fleshliness is your mind set. Grasping hold of our "new birth", realizing we have "died" is the secret to finding true power and strength to overcoming. Setting our minds on things above, not on the little sayings of people, the little religious quotes that we think is spiritual. God is trying to change us from within and His power wants to work, but fleshly thinking and reactions will thwart His actions. God cannot and will not work in fleshly minded people. The Scriptures tells us if "you are living according to the flesh, you must die!" (Rom. 8:13) That should get our attention!

"Gaining Discernment"

One of the greatest needs of our day and time is the need for discernment. Discernment is the ability to distinguish between things, choosing the best course. For many, their discernment is so lacking, they cannot distinguish between what is spiritual and what is fleshly. While at a workshop some years back, they were selling tee shirts with the Budweiser emblem on the front. In the emblem it said, "God-wiser! When you say 'God', you've said it all!" The lack of DISCERNMENT! People who claim to love the Lord cannot distinguish between things and are easily led astray because they have no discernment. It is too easy to get caught up into every one's ideas and thinking. We need to be able to recognize and analyze situations where we won't get trapped or swept off into some one's fleshliness or our own.

Where does one begin to gain spiritual discernment? You have to understand the importance of the word of God and a willingness to allow it to lead. "For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant." (Heb. 5:13)It begins with milk from the word. As a baby feeds on milk, they have little understanding of danger or directions. For those in Christ, milk is what puts one on the road. Drawing, drinking and growing in the milk of the word. It is the milk that allows one to grow into bigger things. But we need to go beyond the milk so we can grow into the word of righteousness. "But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil." (Heb. 5:14) Solid food is for the mature! How does one become mature? Practice!!! One must practice the word of righteousness. Practicing the word of righteousness is how one trains their senses to discern good and evil. It is easy to be carried away by our senses. People allow their feelings or natural thinking to carry them away into things that aren't spiritual and they cannot see it. They have never learned to have their senses trained to discern because they lack practicing the word of righteousness.

The danger comes when people don't mature. People who have been in Christ for 30-40 years or longer and they think they are mature, but their thinking and actions reveals they have moved little. "Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing."(Heb. 5:11) A person dull in hearing is a person who has little practice of the word of righteousness, much less little reading of the word. A person dull in hearing is one who does not take the word to heart. For instance, you hear God's word about holding to a grudge or know what God speaks to those who hold to such. But you still hold to them. I personally had an individual share with me that they were hurt years ago by some brethren and they sat week after week, listening to sermons, classes and still holding to their hurt. They have no discernment in their life and they are dull of hearing! They will end up in the end losing their souls because they hold more to their "senses" of hurt than the word of God. They cannot discern because they will not allow the word to train them! They cannot discern between good and evil, seeing the evil they are trapped in!

When we focus on the wrong things, think with the wrong mindset, we will become dull and sluggish in our spiritual well being. We will talk like the world, think like the world because we are the world's! The only way out? God must permit!!! (Heb. 6:3) God will permit only if our hearts will take in His word, let His word lead us and teach us. Then we will begin to come into having our senses discern between good and evil.