Convinced, Judged and Opened

 

Convinced, Judged and Opened

1 Corinthians 14: ²⁰ Do not be like children in your thinking, my friends; be children so far as evil is concerned, but be grown up in your thinking. ²¹ In the Scriptures it is written,

 

“By means of people speaking strange languages
    I will speak to my people, says the Lord.
I will speak through lips of foreigners,
    but even then my people will not listen to me.”

 

²² So then, the gift of speaking in strange tongues is proof for unbelievers, not for believers, while the gift of proclaiming God's message is proof for believers, not for unbelievers.

²³ If, then, the whole church meets together and everyone starts speaking in strange tongues—and if some ordinary people or unbelievers come in, won't they say that you are all crazy? ²⁴ But if everyone is proclaiming God's message when some unbelievers or ordinary people come in, they will be convinced of their sin by what they hear. They will be judged by all they hear, ²⁵ their secret thoughts will be brought into the open, and they will bow down and worship God, confessing, “Truly God is here among you!”

 

============

 

Walking into a church, I noticed everyone was dressed nicely, the place was neat and clean and everyone had a smile on their face. It felt weird, almost like a group of aliens from another planet had taken over. They spoke to each other in Bible verses that I was unfamiliar with and made me stand up and introduce myself, as if I wasn’t already uncomfortable enough.

 

• I felt like I was on the outside of the group.
• I felt like I was not “clean” enough for this group.
• I felt like I was more of a burden than a willing participant so I left and never came back.

 

Paul concludes addressing the use of speaking in tongues. He mentions this gift is valuable, but can be disruptive to those who are not believers. He tries to explain the purpose of saying anything needs to be for GOD.

 

My Observations

• GOD wants me to share my testimony which includes my sins.
• GOD wants me to be free to share how I am forgiven for all my sins.
• GOD wants me to want others to be free to see JESUS as the solution, versus HIM being the problem.

 

Making JESUS the problem is usually not done on purpose. I mean, well-meaning people, who may have gone through a lot, try to explain that JESUS is the answer to every problem, and HE is. But sometimes this group can forget they are “still” sinners who need guidance by the HOLY SPIRIT daily.

 

GOD wants me to see people different. It is not “us” who are believers versus “them” who are unbelievers. It is “us” who are all sinners. No one sin is greater than another and anyone who confesses their sins and believes that JESUS is the one and only forgiver, will be saved eternally. I am convinced I am a sinner, judged by my wrongs and open to saying JESUS forgave me for my past, current and future sins.

 

Challenge

 

• How do you think salvation should be spoken to someone you know who may not believe in JESUS?
• If you attend church regularly, what do you notice about testimonies?
• Will you take baby steps in telling people about your deepest sins so they will be willing to turn their life to JESUS today?

Secret Plans

 

Secret Plans

Romans 2: ¹² The Gentiles do not have the Law of Moses; they sin and are lost apart from the Law. The Jews have the Law; they sin and are judged by the Law. ¹³ For it is not by hearing the Law that people are put right with God, but by doing what the Law commands. ¹⁴ The Gentiles do not have the Law; but whenever they do by instinct what the Law commands, they are their own law, even though they do not have the Law. ¹⁵ Their conduct shows that what the Law commands is written in their hearts. Their consciences also show that this is true, since their thoughts sometimes accuse them and sometimes defend them. ¹⁶ And so, according to the Good News I preach, this is how it will be on that Day when God through Jesus Christ will judge the secret thoughts of all.

 

============

 

Looking out the window, I wished I could be outside playing. Overhearing how other people slipped away from school at lunch gave me an idea. I would try this myself. I planned my escape carefully and did accomplish my goal. Of course I did this on the very day my parents chose to be at home. Now I had to lie and pretend I was sick. I never made it outside.

 

• I have had many wrong thoughts that I wanted to do.
• I have had many wrong thoughts that I wanted to act on.
• I have had many wrong thoughts that I turned into plans and the plans turned into actions.

 

Paul writes about the Gentile’s and the Jew’s connection to the Law of Moses. He states, the Jews have the Law and are judged by it but the Gentiles do not have the Law but still act according to the Law because it is written in their hearts. He then sums up his statement by saying JESUS will judge the secret thoughts of all.

 

• GOD wants me to put HIS ways in my heart.
• GOD wants me to ask HIM to clean my heart because I do not know how evil I can be.
• GOD wants me to take every thought that pops in my mind and place them through HIS ways to see if I should act on it.

 

Temptation is not fair. I mean, humans are like sheep who sees another patch of yummy grass when it comes to sin. BUT GOD, being the shepherd, guides me away from the dangers of sin by giving me a way to avoid it.

 

GOD will judge my deepest secret plans that no one knows about. HE will show everyone what I have hidden in my heart. Any hatred, lust, greed, lie, cheat, anger, doubt, or fear, will be brought to the surface and put on display. I believe, the pain will be lessened by exposing my sin before HE does. I am glad GOD forgives me for the sin I hide in my heart.

 

• What are you hiding?
• Do you think you are getting away with the secret sin you have?
• Will you grow up and stop justifying your secret plans that lead you to sin and ask GOD to clean your heart so you can be guided by HIM today?

GOD saw that too?

John 3: ¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

¹⁹ This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. ²¹ But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

============

My boss’s boss sent an e-mail to a group of us one day.  It was a humorous “R” rated clip that showed the reaction of a man seeing a nude woman in a strange place. Wow! I thought to myself. Here I am a follower of GOD receiving this tempting video.

Then another thought said “watch it again.” I guess after watching it eight or ten more times I finally got offended. But how cool was it to be in the “in crowd” Huh?

• Every sin that I do alone is done in the middle of a large audience.
• Every sneaky thing I do will be broadcast to everyone.
• Every time I think I am “getting away” with something only makes sin easier to do.
• Every action I do is seen by GOD.

JESUS knew every sin I would ever do and HE died for me anyway. HE saw me watch the video “then” and HE sees my fear and doubt and disbelief in HIM “now.” There is nothing I can do or think that is hidden from HIM.

• Coming into the light means I can openly admit to GOD and humans that I am a sinner.
• Coming into the light means I actually try to understand what GOD wants instead of telling HIM what I think I need.
• Coming into the light means I am truly sorry for the sins I do.

Can you imagine how embarrassing it is to have every secret thing that I have done put on the news? GOD’s grace is amazing so HE doesn’t broadcast my baggage, for now. I do know it’s coming one day though, so I try to get practice broadcasting my sins as much as I can.  I guess my statement is changing from “they are sinners” to “I am a sinner.”

• What sin are you trying to hide?
• Are you on the wrong path right now?
• Can you forgive yourself because GOD has forgiven you for “all” your sins?
• Won’t you tell someone about how GOD has forgiven you for “that” sin?

My exposed secrets

Luke 8: ¹⁷ For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.

============

“Tipping” was slang for “Tip-Toeing” or quietly exiting a place that you didn’t want the population to know “where” you were and more importantly “who” you were with. Fortunately for me I wasn’t very good at it.

My car was extremely noticeable with its missing grill, torn up hood and mustard yellow color it was a distinct give away to my local. The next day people would come up to me and ask “who were you “tipping” with? I saw your car.”

• I can fool some of the people all of the time but I can never fool GOD.
• I can try to hide what I am doing but GOD will broadcast it to everyone one day.
• I can attempt to take secrets to the grave but GOD will awkwardly bring them out “now” before I had a chance to explain them to my loved ones.

Secrets tend to hold me back from fully proclaiming GOD’s great news. I think to myself, “my reputation is at stake, what will they think of me if they?” BUT GOD says something different.

• GOD wants me to tell the liar I have lied and I am forgiven by JESUS.
• GOD wants me to tell the lust filled husband I have been filled with lust too and I am forgiven by JESUS.
• GOD wants me to tell the blamer I have blamed others trying to make myself look good and I am forgiven by JESUS.

By confession my sins no longer have power over me. Yes some sins make my words ineffective, BUT GOD can use them to bring sinners like me back to HIM. HE wants me to proclaim forgiveness is just a confession away and my eternal life is solidified because of CHRIST.

• Do you have a secret?
• Are you attempting to take that secret to the grave?
• Do you realize your secret is making your relationship weaker not stronger?
• Won’t you come clean and confess so GOD can use your life?