Yesterday I was chastised by a reader who after reading Words for the Day said I did not have enough faith in God.
Huh?
I have more faith in God than anyone I know; I just don’t have faith in ME.
I have a friend who is literally riddled with guilt over sin. Most people including this person would like to remove all sin from their lives, but find it exceedingly difficult to do so. My friend is experiencing extreme frustration at having committed sin to the point of fearing a complete breakdown.
Sunday when I stood in the pulpit in Honey Lake Church I donned a shoulder length wig, fake mustache, wore sunglasses, hat, and old clothes, and carried a half full bottle of Jim Beam in one hand and a baseball bat in the other. I tried my best to look as I did in 1970 before I accepted Christ.
I spoke of the day I accepted Christ in my life and asked God to forgive me of all of my sins. Then I walked over to the foot of the cross and began laying items at the base of it. I put a syringe, baggie that looked to contain meth, some Zig Zag rolling papers and a bag that looked to contain pot, a bottle of pills, a half full bottle of Jim Beam, a pack of cigarettes, a .357 magnum, 9mm auto, .25 cal. revolver, switch blade, brass knucks, and baseball bat at the base of the cross. Then I removed the wig, mustache, and old clothes and put them underneath it too. I told the congregation that this is what happens when we get saved, the old person dies and a new person is born.
Underneath the old hippie/criminal clothes I wore a suit and tie. I spoke of my new life as a Christian and how I got married, had kids, got a job, worked hard, and tried to get my life straightened out and amount to something. I told them how my hard work paid off and I got promoted again and again, and again, until finally I started my own company.
And then the money came . . .
I pulled out a large wad of cash and showed it to the congregation, and then I showed them the keys to a Porsche, gold ring, gold necklace with doubloon, flask, (yes, I’d laid the Jim Beam down but picked it right back up again), and I told them how I ended up with 15 cars, five houses, boats, plane, and other stuff. I spoke of dressing like an arrogant pimp with my silk shirt unbuttoned to display gaudy jewelry, $2000 handmade Italian suits, wearing Gucci pointed shoes, working out to get buff, and strutting around like a peacock in full courtship mode.
Then I walked over to the cross and I laid all of that junk at the base of the cross too. I told them that I discovered that none of that stuff filled up the hole in my heart and the only way that I could find to obtain peace, joy, and love in my heart was to focus on God, because it can only be obtained through Him.
Guess what? I’m still laying stuff at the base of the cross today; things like anger, profanity, lust, not treating people like I’d like to be treated, and so on. I’m not perfect and I never will be as long as I remain in the flesh, but I’m trying.
I ask you this morning, what do you need to put at the foot of the cross? (Gossip, coveting, idols such as money, power, fame, achieving significant things, failure to tithe, sex, lies, and videotape, addictions, treating others well) . . . Sigh . . .
Perhaps the most difficult thing to put at the base of the cross is GUILT. Can you imagine what I’ve done in my life to feel guilty about? What about the Apostle Paul? King David? If you’re guilty of black sin, you are not alone; we are all guilty of black sin.
Jesus died for those horrible sins and forgave every last one of them. Folks I have faith in God, but it isn’t easy to be a Christian and the Bible tells us that. In many ways a Christian living in this world is like an alcoholic living in a liquor store. We are constantly surrounded by fascinations that take our focus off of God and lead directly to sin.
We will not always win those battles, so don’t drown yourselves in guilt. Yes, we need to walk the walk, but no one is perfect, “no not one”. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that satan really wants me back on his team, (he wants you too). I was one of his star players. He comes after me with “gusto” with a seemingly endless quiver of enticing arrows and to be perfectly candid he wins an occasional battle, but through the strength of Christ I’m winning the WAR and that is what I try to keep in mind in order to keep my sanity.
It isn’t easy being a Christian, but it is worth it.
In a nutshell the hard part about being a Christian is living in this world. So yes I do long for the day that I’m not living in this world and I’m perfected and free from temptation, sin, and its consequence. I think any rational Christian should feel likewise. That is not to say I’m opting for an early departure, because I still have work to do, but I do look forward to it.
It’s difficult to fall into the darkness when we are possessed by the Holy Spirit and surrounded by friends who remind us of these things on a daily basis. In that light I’m appreciative of all of you who write in daily and tell me how much reading Words for the Day means to you and how you want me to continue. I intend to continue as long as the Lord will allow, but please just don’t think I’m some kind of saint or make me out to be something I’m not. I’m just a rotten sinner and the best thing about me is that the righteousness of God covers those sins and I’m forgiven.
Below the Apostle Paul acknowledged that he still had not been able to forget the past nor achieve perfection. In spite of that he told us to forget the past and focus on looking forward instead.
Forgive yourselves already and look to the future . . . Selah . . .
Phil. 3:13
No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.