GodsView : Nothing "Safe" About Secret Sin!

GodsView : Nothing "Safe" About Secret Sin!:                                                                                                                                             ...

Nothing "Safe" About Secret Sin!

                                                                                                                                                     
Jesus' exposition of the law is a devastating blow against the lie that image is everything.
Our Lord taught repeatedly that sin bottled up on the inside, concealed from everyone else's view, carries the very same guilt as sin that manifests itself in the worst forms of ungodly behavior. Those who hate others are as guilty as those who act out their hatred; and those who indulge in private lusts are as culpable as wanton adulterers (Matt. 5:21-30).
So Christians are not to think of secret sins as somehow less serious and more respectable than the sins everyone sees. Here are three reasons secret sin is especially abhorrent:
1. Because God sees the heart.
Scripture tells us "God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7). No sin — not even a whispered curse or a fleeting evil thought — is hidden from the view of God. In fact, if we realized that God himself is the only audience for such secret sins, we might be less inclined to write them off so lightly.
The Bible declares that God will one day judge the secrets of every heart (Rom. 2:16). He "will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil" (Eccl. 12:14).
Not only that, secret sins will not remain secret. "The Lord [will] bring to light the things hidden in the darkness" (1 Cor. 4:5). Jesus said, "There is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms shall be proclaimed upon the housetops" (Luke 12:2-3). Those who think they can evade shame by sinning in secret will discover one day that open disclosure of their secrets before the very throne of God is the worst shame of all.
It is folly to think we can mitigate our sin by keeping it secret. It is double folly to tell ourselves that we are better than others because we sin in private rather than in public. And it is the very height of folly to convince ourselves that we can get away with sin by covering it up. "He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper" (Prov. 28:13).
All sin is an assault against our holy God, whether it is done in public or in secret. And God, who beholds even the innermost secrets of the heart, sees our sin clearly, no matter how well we think we have covered it.
2. Because sin in the mind is a fruit of the same moral defect that produces deeds of sin.
When Jesus said hatred carries the same kind of guilt as murder, and lust is the very essence of adultery, He was not suggesting that there is no difference in degree between sin that takes place in the mind and sin that is acted out. Scripture does not teach that all sins are of equal enormity.
That some sins are worse than others is both patently obvious and thoroughly biblical. Scripture plainly teaches this, for example, when it tells us the sin of Judas was greater than the sin of Pilate (John 19:11).
But in His Sermon on the Mount Jesus was pointing out that anger arises from the same moral defect as murder; and the one who lusts suffers from the same character flaw as the adulterer. Furthermore, those who engage in thought — sins are guilty of violating the same moral precepts as those who commit acts of murder and adultery.
In other words, secret sins of the heart are morally tantamount to the worst kind of evil deeds — even if they are sins of a lesser degree. The lustful person has no right to feel morally superior to a wanton fornicator. The fact that she indulges in lust is proof she is capable of immoral acts as well. The fact that he hates his brother shows that he has murder lurking in his heart.
Christ was teaching us to view our own secret sins with the same moral revulsion we feel for wanton acts of public sin.
3. Because hidden sin involves the compounding sin of hypocrisy.
Those who sin secretly actually intensify their guilt, because they add the sin of hypocrisy to their offense. Hypocrisy is a grave sin in its own right. It also produces an especially debilitating kind of guilt, because by definition hypocrisy entails the concealing of sin. And the only remedy for any kind of sin involves uncovering our guilt through sincere confession.
Hypocrisy therefore permeates the soul with a predisposition against genuine repentance. That is why Jesus referred to hypocrisy as "the leaven of the Pharisees" (Luke 12:1).
Hypocrisy also works directly against the conscience. There's no way to be hypocritical without searing the conscience. So hypocrisy inevitably makes way for the most vile, soul-coloring, character-damaging secret sins. Thus hypocrisy compounds itself, just like leaven.
Beware that sort of leaven.
No matter who suggests to you that appearances are everything, don't buy that lie.
As a matter of fact, your secret life is the real litmus test of your character: "As he thinks within himself, so he is" (Prov. 23:7). Do you want to know who you really are? Take a hard look at your private life — especially your innermost thoughts. Gaze into the mirror of God's Word, and allow it to disclose and correct the real thoughts and motives of your heart.

GodsView : Fearless Living in Fearful Times!

GodsView : Fearless Living in Fearful Times!: More than two thousand years ago, Jesus' disciples knew what it was like to experience fear and worry as they faced an uncertain futur...

Fearless Living in Fearful Times!

More than two thousand years ago, Jesus' disciples knew what it was like to experience fear and worry as they faced an uncertain future. Jesus said something they really hadn't heard Him say before. He told them He would be leaving, and it turned their world — as they knew it — upside down. But then He went on to share some words to calm their troubled hearts. These words ring true in light of world events today and can calm our troubled hearts as well.
Let's consider what Jesus said to His disciples:
"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." (John 14:1-3 NKJV)
Jesus starts by saying, "Let not your heart be troubled." Another way to translate this phrase is, "Don't be agitated or disturbed or thrown into confusion." He didn't say, "Mull over your problems." Rather, He said, "Don't be troubled." Life is filled with trouble. It seems that once you have one problem resolved, three more take its place. Job 5:7 says, "Man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward" (NKJV). It is so true. From the moment we come into this life, there are all kinds of troubles awaiting us.
While there are reasons to be troubled in life, there are greater reasons to not be troubled. In Jesus' words, we find three reasons why we don't have to be gripped by fear, and why we can find hope in hopeless times.
Reason one: We know Jesus. Jesus told His disciples, "You believe in God, believe also in Me" (verse 1). What is He saying by implication? "I am God. You believe in God the Father. I am God the Son. Believe in Me. Trust Me." In the original language, this is a command. Jesus was not just asking the disciples to believe. He was commanding them.
There are times in our lives when we don't understand why God did or God did not do a certain thing. When I don't understand something about God, I always try to fall back on what I do understand. I do understand that God loves me. I do understand that He is looking out for me and has my best interests in mind. I do understand that no matter what happens, He will see me through.
Reason two: If you are a Christian, you are going to heaven. Jesus said, "In My Father's house are many mansions" (verse 2). God has placed eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). This simply means that we sense there is more to life, and that keeps us moving forward. No matter what experiences we have had, no matter how wonderful they were, they were just a glimpse of what is still ahead. No matter what happens to us on this earth, it pales in comparison to this great hope. There is a better world ahead, something far greater than what we are experiencing now.
Reason three: Jesus is coming again. Some day, in the not-too-distant future, Jesus Christ will set foot again on Earth. It might be sooner than we think. When the Lord returns, He will not merely send for us, but will come in person to escort us to the Father's house. He said, "I will come again and receive you to Myself" (verse 3). He will take us with Him to heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
Yes, there are some things we are afraid of, and rightly so, because it causes us to be discerning and careful. But we need to keep our fears in perspective. Jesus said in Matthew 10:28, "Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (NKJV).
With this in mind, let's think about what we should really be afraid of. The worst-case scenario is not dying. The worst-case scenario is dying without Jesus.

GodsView : Scientific Proof of GOD Part-3 (Unlocking The Myst...

GodsView : Scientific Proof of GOD Part-3 (Unlocking The Myst...

Scientific Proof of GOD Part-3 (Unlocking The Mystery of Life)

GodsView : The Cure for Worry!

GodsView : The Cure for Worry!:    I have yet to meet a person who does not worry. It’s part of our DNA. Some people are more prone to it than others. It’s just a fact of ...

The Cure for Worry!

   I have yet to meet a person who does not worry. It’s part of our DNA. Some people are more prone to it than others. It’s just a fact of life; everyone worries to some degree or another.
Jesus understands this.
He doesn’t get mad at us when we worry.
But he does let us know that we don’t have to worry. This was one of his main points in the Sermon on the Mount. Here is what he said; “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear” (Matthew 6:25). Then he added, “don’t worry about tomorrow” (verse 34).
“Worry” is an interesting word in the Greek language. It refers to a care or anxiety that is troubling. This kind of worry, according to The Complete Word Study Dictionary, “brings disruption to the personality and the mind.”
Life can be very troubling at times to all of us. This trouble can wreck us on the inside and even shut us down. When this has happened to me, I’ve felt trapped, almost functionally paralyzed. It’s no wonder Jesus tells us not to worry.
But what’s the cure. How can we power through the troubling times? How can we turn worry into peace? Here are three important truths that have helped me.

• Cast your cares upon Jesus. Both Peter and Paul met with troubles of every kind. Worry could have consumed both of them, but they learned to cast their cares upon the Lord. They both knew the Lord cared for them (1 Peter 5:7), and that his peace would guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6, 7).
• Give thanks. Paul encourages us to give thanks in all things and even equates this as God’s will. I admit that seems hard to do, especially in the most trying of times. But even in those times…

1. Jesus is actively working all things together for your good (Romans 8:28).
2. Jesus is meeting all your needs according to his riches in glory (Philippians 4:19).
3. Jesus’ love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:7).

• Seek the mind of Christ. God’s Spirit lives in you. Trust him to give you wisdom for the situation. He will not let you down. His ways will lead to growth and maturity for you.

Yes, we all worry. We get agitated, confused and unsettled about life. When that happens, know that Christ and Christ alone can soothe your heart and ready your mind for the situation. As Proverbs 3:5, 6 states; “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
This is the cure for worry.

GodsView : Will God Just Let Go of You?

GodsView : Will God Just Let Go of You?: “ …being confident of this very thing, that He who hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippian...

GodsView : Will God Just Let Go of You?

GodsView : Will God Just Let Go of You?: “ …being confident of this very thing, that He who hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippian...

Will God Just Let Go of You?

“…being confident of this very thing, that He who hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6
If you want to grow in your walk with God, there are some things you're going to have to learn about God, and one of them is surprising. Sometimes God will seem to pull away from you. You wouldn’t think He would work in this way with us, but He does.
Three encounters from the life of Jesus help us see this.
A Woman from Phoenicia
You can read about her in Matthew 15 and Mark 7. Jesus and His disciples have traveled down by the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon where the wicked Phoenician people lived. Here comes a woman who is not Jewish and had no claim upon Israel's Messiah. But she hears—Jesus is in town! In desperation she comes crying, “Oh, Jesus, have mercy! My daughter is vexed with the devil.” What did Jesus say to her? “Do you think I would take the children’s bread and give it to dogs?”
That’s painful to read, isn’t it? Most of us would have replied, “Well, no, I don't guess so. So long. Goodbye.” But the story is far from over. Her chin started to quiver. I suppose her eyes welled with tears, and she said, “That's right. I have no right to the children's bread. But she even the dogs…” And she uses a different word for “dog” than the one Jesus used. He used a word meaning “household pet,” but she uses a word that means yellow, mangy, back-alley dog. “Even that kind of dog gets the crumbs that fall from the children's table.”
Jesus’ heart of compassion breaks, and He says, “Woman, great is your faith. It will be done.” What’s going on here? Jesus is testing her to see if she will persevere—if she will push through whatever might turn her back to pursue the Son of God.
 A Poor Widow and an Unjust Judge
In Luke 18 Jesus tells a parable about a poor widow who comes to an unjust judge. He won’t pay attention to her, but she keeps on asking. Finally he gives in. The Bible says (v. 1) “He spoke a parable unto them to this end that men ought always to pray and not to faint.” The point is not that God is unjust or unapproachable. Jesus is saying we need to get hold of God and say as Jacob did, “God, I'll not let you go unless you bless me” (Genesis 32:26).
The Emmaus Disciples
In Luke 24, a third incident: two disciples on the road to Emmaus, shuffling along halfhearted and broken. Of all the places Jesus could have gone that Resurrection afternoon, look where He shows up. Jesus Himself walks along and reasons with them from the Scriptures. Then… 
²⁸ They drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. ²⁹ But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” 
And He did. He acted like He wanted to go on, but what He really wanted was to stay. But He would not have stayed had they not constrained Him to stay with them.
From the Old Testament this time, two more incidents will cast more light.
The Angel Wants to Leave
In Genesis 32, Jacob finds himself in a familiar place: trouble. Having left his conniving father-in-law, he hopes to return to his homeland, but his estranged brother, Esau, whom Jacob has cheated out of his inheritance, just may revengefully take Jacob’s life—and those of his wives and children. Jacob is a shady character at this point. But years ago God had made a covenant with his grandfather Abraham.
In one of the most memorable events in the Old Testament, Jacob tries to rest before the meet-up with Esau, but in the night he is pounced upon by a man. Who is this man? Later on Hosea tells us that it was the Angel of the Lord, none other than the pre-incarnate Christ. [For an in-depth study of this incident, visit Love Worth Finding’s “Digging Deeper” study for March, “I’m Broken—God Can’t Use Me!”] ßDAVE—please insert a hot link to that March Digging Deeper here.
The Lord started this wrestling match. The focus is on what He is trying to do with Jacob. Finally He (the pre-incarnate Christ) puts Jacob’s thigh out of joint and says “Let Me go.” Jacob says, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
What’s going on here? Could the Lord have gotten away if He wanted to? Of course. But when He says, “Let Me go,” you have to understand that in His heart, He did not want Jacob to let Him go. He was thinking,” I surely hope he doesn't. I hope he doesn't.” You see, the Lord didn't want to get away.
God did not love Jacob for what he was but for what He knew He could make out of him. For in spite of all his faults, Jacob had a heart for God. Do you?
Elisha, the Fly Paper Prophet
Do you remember when Elisha said to Elijah, “I want a double portion of the spirit that rests upon you”? Elijah replied, “Well, if you're with me when I'm taken up, you'll have it.” From that time on, Elisha stuck to Elijah like glue on fly paper. Elijah would say, “Go back now. I'm going somewhere else,” and Elisha would say, “I'm going with you!” Elijah would start for another place saying, “You stay here,” and Elisha would say, “Wherever you go, I'm going!” It seemed as though Elijah was trying to discourage Elisha, but he wasn't. He was testing him.
Learn something about how God works. Many times God will appear as though He wants to go from us, as though He does not want to hear us, as though He does not want to bless us. And if you deal with God just on that surface level, and God says, “Let Me go,” and you let Him go, you're going to miss a blessing you could have had.
When God saves us, He's not finished with us. The work has only begun. He is shaping us to be “conformed to the image of His Son,” (Romans 8:29). It is a lifelong journey. God is not letting go of His child.
But have you let go of God too easily? Oh friend, listen. God wants us to come to that place of total, absolute dependence upon Him, where we say, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
Doesn’t God Let Go of People Sometimes?
We are not speaking to the child of God here, but to the lost person: The Bible teaches that a person can so insult God, can say, “No” to the Holy Spirit of God so many times, that God's Holy Spirit will cease to work in their heart.
Three times in the first chapter of Romans, God speaks of giving up on people: “…and God gave them up…” “…and God gave them up…” “…and God gave them over.” The old‑time preachers used to call that “when the lights go out on the road to hell,” when the Holy Spirit no longer speaks to a man.
Before the flood, God said, “My Spirit will not always strive with man.” (Genesis 6:3). If you are not a child of God, don't get the idea that Holy Spirit conviction is going to always stay in your heart. You may come to a place of sudden destruction in your spirit as well as in your mind, where the Holy Spirit no longer speaks to you and God no longer draws you. God says, “If you continue to harden your neck, you'll be destroyed.”
God does convict us. We are often reproved (Proverbs 29:1). Nobody goes to hell unloved, unwarned, unconvicted. Not a one. God strives with us, God knocks on our heart's door, God reproves us, God calls us over and over again. The one God may let go of is the one has no desire to be saved.
But let me give you good news. If you have a desire to be saved, that's because the Holy Spirit of God is still working in you. He loves you with an infinite love, and that He has spoken to you over and over again, and He's speaking to you today.
The hymn writer penned,
“O Love that will not let me go, I rest my weary soul in Thee.
 I give Thee back the life I owe,
That in Thine ocean depths its flow may richer, fuller be.”

GodsView : Why Forgive?

GodsView : Why Forgive?: When I see people who claim to be followers of Jesus who are completely unwilling to forgive, I have to wonder how much they really know o...

Why Forgive?

When I see people who claim to be followers of Jesus who are completely unwilling to forgive, I have to wonder how much they really know of the forgiveness of God. Jesus taught the disciples to pray, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" (Matthew 6:12).
Jesus was teaching that we, as believers, should pray for personal forgiveness. I believe that every Christian should go to the Lord on a regular basis and say, "Lord, forgive me of my sin." There are all kinds of areas in which we can fall short. Sin is not only breaking God's commands, but it is also failing to do what is right. It is a good idea to say, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."
Of course, we are living in a culture that doesn't like forgiveness. When is the last time you saw a movie that exalted forgiveness? I can think of a lot that dealt with payback and vengeance. We live in a culture that believes in the old adage, "Don't get mad, get even." In this uptight society, it is the exaltation of vengeance and violence everywhere you look.
Buried in the Old Testament is a classic picture of forgiveness, not only of a man forgiving a man, but also of God forgiving us. It is the story of a man who, when he became the King of Israel, wanted to do the right thing. It is a story of love and forgiveness, demonstrated by King David toward a man named Mephibosheth. Saul, David's predecessor, hated him. Filled with paranoia and jealousy, he wanted to put David to death. He put David on the run. For months, David was hiding in caves, going from place to place, trying to get away from Saul.
Saul had a son named Jonathan who became good friends with David. One day, David made a commitment to Jonathan and promised he would always look out for Jonathan, as well as his family members.
When Saul and Jonathan were killed on the battlefield, David came into power. He never paid back Saul in the way he deserved. He just left it in God's hands. You would have understood if the first thing David wanted to do as king of Israel was to kill any relative left in Saul's house, any potential rivals to the throne.
Instead, David asked, "Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?" (2 Samuel 9:3). Upon receiving an answer, David ordered Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, to be brought to him. That dreaded knock on the door finally came for Mephibosheth. He was brought before David. And to his surprise, he was unconditionally forgiven and accepted. His grandfather was the mortal enemy of King David, but David received him into his home as a member of his family. David could have had Mephibosheth killed, but he did not. What a great story of forgiveness.
I want you to know something. Forgiveness is not just suggested in Scripture. It is commanded by God Himself. I don’t know about you, but I am not the kind of person who naturally wants to forgive. To be very blunt, I am the kind of person who wants to hit back. That is my nature. I don't defend it, but I do recognize it as a sinful aspect of who I am.
There are a lot of people who are eager to accept God's forgiveness, but they haven't forgiven other people. According to Jesus, our generous and constant forgiveness of others should be the natural result of our understanding of the forgiveness that God has extended to us.
If you are a true follower of Jesus Christ, then you must ask God to help you forgive those who have wronged you. Ephesians 4:32 says, "And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."
First we need to admit our own need for forgiveness. Then we need to extend that forgiveness to others. "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors," Jesus taught us. This is what we need to do.