Do I Hear Guilt?

 

 

Gail Casteen – CBN, com

“Guilt!?! Do I hear guilt?” My friend could easily make me laugh. Even though I laughed every time she asked, her question awakened me to the fact that I’d chosen to shoulder guilt rather than let it go.

Guilt feels to me like a heavy, dark secret that others should never see. Yet, something as simple as making a minor blunder with a choice of words or a course of action can send me spiraling down into guilt. Often, it’s twin, shame, would come along for the ride. It could be nothing deep and dark to anyone, except to me! Still the guilt and shame dogged me.

I confided in my friend about everything. She knew things about me that only she and God knew. For years she would ask, “Guilt, do I hear guilt?”  Then she would follow with a second question, “Jesus died for that, so why are you carrying it?”

Great question. Why was it so easy to slip into the darkness where my less-than-stellar life events were tucked away? The place where when things went wrong, I believed I deserved it – I knew those secrets.  Sometimes it was as simple as, “I should have said this instead of that.” Or “Why did I do that?” Or “When will I learn to think through things instead of embarrassing myself?”  You know the questions.

When she moved across the country, I found the person asking those questions was ME! The answers were invariably, “Yes, I DO hear guilt.” and “Yes, Jesus DID die for that.” So, how do I get out from under that burden? I know. I know… repent! (Hearing that very word – REPENT – carried more guilt!)

In chapel one day, I heard a simple teaching that changed everything. When the teacher started talking about ‘repentance’ I had this sinking feeling, “Oh no. That’s all I need, one more message to make me feel worse about myself.”

But it didn’t go that way. He wasn’t preachy or condemning. He simply stated the fact that repent is made up of two Greek words, ‘meta’, meaning change, and ‘noeō’ meaning the mind. It means to change your mind! What a revelation! Think differently.

I had work to do. I had to learn that when I repented, God heard me and forgave me. That’s where I had to change my mind. It is finished! Once I go to Him and say, “Please forgive me”, it is done. That change of mind has carried me a long way.

As I learn to think differently, I am enjoying a new element of freedom I never imagined. Paul had it right when he said,

Therefore, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit. (Romans 8:1, AMPC).

Go ahead and read all of Romans 8.  Boy-oh-boy! Talk about freedom.

Take Him at His Word, dark places are illuminated with His Life. He has brought us to this point of joy and liberty to empower us to be who we want to be in Him. Better yet, He’s setting us up to live our lives as He designed us from the foundation of the world.

Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love (Ephesians 1:4).

We live in a guilt-free zone! Thanks to Jesus!

Where God Leads, God Equips

 

 

Nadia Yvonne Lopez Ayuso ,  cbn.com

I never imagined I would become a CBN host. Since I was little, I was always very shy, in addition to having a small attention deficit that made me be more in the clouds than able to follow the thread of a conversation. I liked to sing, so I cultivated that dream, and at age 19, it led me to be in media circles.

I worked hard, and although I could sing in front of thousands of people, my social skills remained the same. My heart seemed like a bottomless barrel, and nothing filled it… until I met Jesus Christ. I was finally able to experience the joy that I had long sought. I wanted to tell the entire world that Jesus Christ is real, that He really exists!

Then came the invitation to become part of Vive Más, but the idea of not being able to do well terrified me. I thought if I could not follow a conversation, then how could I interview someone? However, the wonderful production team embraced me and never got tired of supporting me. This experience brought a most special meaning to me from this verse:

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:9-10 NIV).

Currently, the Vive Más program has been running for more than four years and God continues to develop my communication skills to carry His message through it. We share God’s wonderful works and see how people are rescued for His kingdom, day by day.

But something completely unexpected also happened during my journey. I can now carry on a conversation! God uses music to take me to places where there are many people who do not know Christ, and my new skills in conversation allow me to share Christ wherever He leads me.

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15).

Sowing the Word of God is sowing love, and in due time we will reap what we sow. This love will not necessarily come from those people with whom we share, but God’s love will fill our hearts with the joy of His presence and the knowledge that we are fulfilling His will in our lives. We may not see the fruit, but we can rejoice in having participated in the work! In this way, we will not get tired of doing good, because our joy is already fulfilled.

Let us do good all the time seeking to reflect God with our behavior, love, and patience. Let us not expect to see all the work finished overnight. Instead, let us sow patiently and in due time we will reap precious fruit with an abundance we never imagined. It is a fallen and oppositional world but we can focus on the fact that one day the work will be complete, and we will enjoy the reward that comes from the Lord.

“Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds” (Isaiah 3:10).

The greatest reward is to be able to serve and be useful tools in the hands of the Lord. Let us not grow weary of doing good, because even if we do not have the skills, those whom God calls, He trains.

What is the weak area of ​​your life that you need to give to the Lord? Do you think He would equip you if He called you?

Ditch the Rotten Fruit

 

Allen Carter – Head of Development/ CBN Europe

Have you ever gone to the refrigerator or the fruit bowl to find that the fruit you recently bought has begun to perish? At that time, you can choose to remove the perishing item or leave it to decay, causing the other fruit around it to decompose. There is much about rotten fruit that is unappealing; unless dealt with appropriately, the smell will linger, the fruit will decay, and spread decay to other fruit.

The Bible talks about the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23:

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (NLT)

These fruits are cultivated by the Holy Spirit in our lives. In verses 19-21 we read about “bad and rotten fruit,” which is the result of the works of “the sinful nature.”

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarrelling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.

It’s unpleasant to deal with the rotten fruit of the sin nature. However, left unchecked, the consequences have serious repercussions.

Like literal rotten fruit, the acts of the sin nature begin to affect our lives and negatively influence those around us. Daily, we must choose to either continue following the desires of the flesh—or we decide to get rid of the rotten fruit and allow the fruit of the Spirit to be evident in our lives.

The choices we make ultimately determine whether we walk in peace or discord. Each choice positively or negatively affects us not only individually, but equally impacts those around us.

In Luke 6:43-45, Jesus says:

“A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.”

From these verses, we see that our speech is an indicator of the condition of the heart. For out of the abundance (the overflow) of the heart, the mouth speaks. The words that we speak have creative power. They can build up or tear down; they can be life-giving or words of death that destroy.

Let’s pray:
Father, thank You for Your Spirit that produces good fruit in our lives—for our own benefit, and for the benefit of others. Let our attitudes and speech overflow with Your goodness, that You may be glorified. In Jesus’ name, amen.

You Have an Inheritance in God

 

Brenda Williams –  cbn.com

A few months ago, I woke up with the Lord saying that He was teaching me the “love of the Father.” This was very exciting! I’m now listening, waiting, and looking for ways in which I continue to see His love expressed. Everything the Lord does is out of His love for His sons and daughters.

My dad left us when I was three years old. I grew up the middle child of a single mom doing the best she could. I honor her for seeds planted during Bible study with my sister and me at the kitchen table. Through the people the Lord put in my life, He’s teaching me what He is like as Father. And, like an earthly father, the Lord wants us to “graduate” and walk into the higher learning of His kingdom through our one-on-one relationship with Him. Galatians 4:1-2 shows us that we are “heirs” and that God puts “guardians and stewards” over us so we might grow up in all things into Him (Ephesians 4:15) and become mature believers.

My first pastor taught the Word chapter by chapter, verse by verse, and I learned the foundations of Christianity: Yahweh as the only God, Christ as His only Son, and the only way to eternal life; the Scriptures as the explicit, inerrant Word of God.

Later, the Lord led me to a church where I learned of the infilling of the Holy Spirit, His work in our lives, and the healing of old emotional wounds. Now I am seeking to learn the deeper truths of His Word and kingdom. The more time I spend with Him, intimacy with Father God deepens and a knowledge of His love in a more personal way than ever before. I pray we are all faithful in this pursuit.

As His heir, we have an inheritance and Christ wants us to receive all He died to give us.

Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are … a son, then an heir of God through Christ. 
(Galatians 4:6-7)

Jesus called His Father “Abba” as did the Apostle Paul. There are many names of God, but I find this one to be personal and endearing. It makes me feel like I can reach out and touch Him. Truly, we all can. Strong’s concordance explains that “Abba” is one of the most sacred names of God. Abba: our master and teacher, our creator who brought each one of us into being, imparting to us His likeness and bestowing on us His benefits as any parent would want to. Doesn’t that make you feel special? This Aramaic term reveals a deep, intimate relationship. This is God’s great desire for us. He cares about everything that concerns us and we can be certain of His faithfulness. Earthly fathers aren’t always faithful, but Abba is.

Even with the best dad the world has to offer, the void in our hearts will not be filled without knowing God’s love. Abba desires to fill every void in our hearts with His love and presence. I love it that His arms are always open wide to enfold us.

Lord, we open our hearts to You today and ask that You keep us hungry, make us teachable so we can grow up in You. Teach us Your love, the love that is like no other. Fill us with Your love that we may love others as You do.

Fully Known and Fully Loved by God

 

 

Tara Jackson – CBN.com

Embracing who God has made us to be unlocks a new level of freedom. I experienced this freedom in 2016 during my freshman year of college. It was the day I did a “big chop” and committed to wearing my hair in its natural, afro state.

To those who are unfamiliar with the term “big chop,” it’s used predominantly in the black community to refer to the act of cutting off one’s chemically relaxed hair in order to revert back to their natural hair texture. A relaxer (or perm) is a chemical treatment that is applied to curly hair to make it straight. In a nutshell, a big chop is a commitment to wearing one’s naturally curly hair instead of choosing to chemically straighten it. Perms can come with a few major side effects, including extreme burning and scalp irritation upon application of the perm, scabs on the scalp, and, over time, hair loss. You may be wondering, why in the world would anyone get a perm with all those adverse side effects? One word: acceptance.

As a child, the term “good hair” only represented one thing for me: straight, long hair… a European standard of beauty. Based on those qualifications, I did not make the cut. From passive remarks to outright insults of my hair and other kinkier hair textures of African descent, it was evident what was deemed acceptable and desirable for my hair was driven by society. I felt trapped. Thankfully, God’s life-giving Word provided a way out.

You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you. (Song of Solomon 4:7 ESV)

God’s Word outweighs every fleeting beauty standard of this world that strips image-bearers of their true worth. Numbers 23:19 is the Scripture that silenced any lingering doubts about God’s view of me:

God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind.

If God cannot lie, then He cannot lie about me; if He does not change His mind, then His declaration about me is definite. The decision to wear my natural hair is an outward expression that I believe what God says I am: beautiful.

While my testimony is about falling in love with my hair, my story is not unique. Every day, fellow image-bearers of God are made to feel “less-than” due to societal standards. Whether it be weight, height, accent, skin tone, etc. the world is constantly spreading the message that what God has declared “good” (see Genesis 1:26-31) is not good enough. If you are struggling with acceptance, know that you are fully known and loved by God. There is nothing you must alter to gain His acceptance. You are God’s masterpiece.

Follow God … Not the Crowd

 

 

Jennifer Scribner – CBN. com

When I was about eight years old, my mom realized that I needed reading glasses. Back then, kids who wore glasses were made fun of in school. I was also a tomboy so I was teased every day about something and I eventually felt like I didn’t “fit in” with the other kids in my class. Because I was raised in a Christian family, I respected others and followed the rules but I eventually began to act out in order to be noticed and feel included. I joined in on the name-calling and insults being hurled by the other kids. I’d even be a distraction in class by doing things that would make everyone laugh. The teacher didn’t appreciate it and I got called out on it. I knew better, but I wanted people to like me.

Recently, I was reading through the book of Galatians and was surprised to learn in Chapter two that even Peter, one of God’s closest Apostles, succumbed to some peer pressure. Peter had apparently been socializing with unsaved Gentiles. His conservative Jewish friends would have expected him to teach the Gentiles that they needed to follow the Jewish laws (including circumcision) to be true believers and accepted as Christ followers; but Peter did not. So, when those friends arrived in town, he distanced himself from the Gentiles because he didn’t want it known that he wasn’t living up to the conservative teaching standards.

The Apostle Paul was in Jerusalem at this time and knew exactly what Peter was doing and was quick to expose him in front of everyone:

Later, when Peter came to Antioch, I had a face-to-face confrontation with him because he was clearly out of line. Earlier, before certain persons had come from James, Peter regularly ate with the non-Jews. But when that conservative group came from Jerusalem, he cautiously pulled back and put as much distance as he could manage between himself and his non-Jewish friends. That’s how fearful he was of the conservative Jewish clique that’s been pushing the old system of circumcision. But when I saw that they were not maintaining a steady, straight course according to the Message, I spoke up to Peter in front of them all: “If you, a Jew, live like a non-Jew when you’re not being observed by the watchdogs from Jerusalem, what right do you have to require non-Jews to conform to Jewish customs just to make a favorable impression on your friends from Jerusalem?” (Galatians 2:11-14 MSG)

Like Peter, I felt embarrassed when I was called out in front of my class. I had to apologize for disrupting the class and my teacher. If I felt humiliated as a child, I can only imagine how Peter must have felt as an adult. As a Christian in my mid-40’s, my glasses are now fashionable, and my tomboy ways are more appealing, but most importantly, I realize that obedience to God’s commandments is so much more important than worrying about what other people think. Instead, I should use every opportunity to share the good news by setting a good example for non-Christians to follow.

Pray with me:
Lord Jesus Christ, please help us to stay true to You and Your pure Gospel message. You tell us that Your grace is all we need and to love You with all our hearts, souls, and minds and love others as we do ourselves. As we learn to walk through this life, please give us the courage to avoid peer pressure and the strength to stand on what we know is true about You. Use us to love others into Your kingdom and represent Your open arms and nail-scarred hands.

Pleasing God

 

 

Vernell Windsor – cbn.com

Have you ever been called upon to explain your misbehavior? I remember being in grade school and Sister Susie (changed to protect her identity) poked me in the head to turn around and pay attention. I was humiliated by her actions, but I have no recollection of what distracted me in the back of the room. My lack of attention to her teaching upset her.

One common thread in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is to give God the greatest respect and obey Him by keeping His commandments.

The writer of Ecclesiastes said it this way,

The last and final word is this: Fear God. Do what he tells you. And that’s it. (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 MSG).

From the beginning of time, people have gotten off course from following God’s commandments and paying attention to what He says is important. In Galatians 1, the Apostle Paul admonishes believers for getting distracted from the true teachings of Christ and believing a distorted version of the Gospel:

“I can’t believe how you waver—how easily you have turned traitor to him who called you by the grace of Christ by embracing an alternative message!” (Galatians 1:6).

In his passion for them to understand the seriousness of their ways and why he cares so much about the true Gospel message, Paul says,

“Do you think I speak this strongly in order to manipulate crowds? Or court favor with God? Or get popular applause? If my goal was popularity, I wouldn’t bother being Christ’s slave. Know this—I am most emphatic here, friends—this great Message I delivered to you is not mere human optimism. I didn’t receive it through the traditions, and I wasn’t taught it in some school. I got it straight from God, received the Message directly from Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:10-12).

Pleasing the Lord made all the difference for Paul and he wanted the same for the Galatians. He poked them on the back of their heads with his strong words to get them to pay attention to the true Gospel message. We can all benefit from the reminder to focus on Christ regardless of life’s challenges.