Secret Things

Deuteronomy 29:29 says…

The secret things belong to the LORD our God,

but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever,

that we may observe all the words of this law.

Ponder with me a moment on

The secret things belong to the LORD our God…

One of the secret things God keeps is our sin, that is, our confessed sin.

Meaning the sin that we have handed over to God for His care and keeping.

That is something precious between you and God.

Psalm 103:10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.

12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

13 Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.

14 For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.

I don't know about you, but I find great comfort and conviction in these verses.

Could we say that confessing our sin to God brings out His lovingkindness?

Could we say that confessing our sin to God brings out His compassion?
Either way, we can say that God does know us.
That God knows that we are fallen creatures.

Most of all, can we say that fearing God,

brings not an authoritative school teacher attitude,

but an attitude of love that goes beyond our understanding?

Take a look at Psalm 32:1

HOW blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered!

The word “covered” means “concealed” and to conceal means to “keep secret”.

This means that

it is God who

covers,

conceals

and

keeps our confessed transgressions

and sins a secret.

Confessing our sins to God is the same thing as putting our sins in a safe secure place where no one else can find them and use them against us in such a way that God will not allow for our growth, discipline and well being.

I know many people, including myself who sometimes struggle with being open about their faults, failures, shortcomings and sins.

Look at politics.

You want to run for office and what is the first thing that the opposite party does?

Thats right.

They dig deep into your past to find any bit of information that they can use against you.

Alarmingly, when they do find out the dirt from your past, it is not for your restoration or help, it is only used for your detriment and destruction.

Know any so called “Christians” like that?

Huh, I can name about a dozen or two right off the bat.

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that we should hang our sin on a clothes line so anyone passing by can see it.

What I am saying is, is there anyone who really knows you?

Not the good, happy, smiley stuff.

I mean the stuff you regret, the stuff you wrestle with, the stuff that has been hanging on you, trying to kill you for years.

Does anybody on this earth KNOW YOU?

I would bet the answer is no.

One of the verses that you will probably NEVER see being lived out in a “church” is James 5:16

Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

Could this lack of confessing our sins one to another be a reason that we no longer see authentic healing in the church today?

Some of us have the “pray for one another” down.

But can you recall ever coming across a truly open heart?

A heart that was filled with the burden, the pain and the heartache of sin?

A heart that is tired of holding it all in?

A heart that just wants to be clean and God brought that person to you because YOU know from experience what that poor soul is struggling with?

I wish I could tell you where that body of believers is.

What is in my Heart?

Hebrews 3:15 while it is said, TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME.

To “hear” means to “learn and be informed”.

To “harden” means

to MAKE hard,

to MAKE unyielding,

to MAKE unfeeling...

it also means to MAKE injured and toughened...

When we injure our bodies, they immediately go to work repairing the damage.

It's first move is protection mode...

rerouting our bodies defenses to the area of hurt and damage because a healthy body will begin to defend itself against attack.

Just like what we do with our hearts...

Our hearts get wounded and the first thing we do is guard and defend them.

And how do we defend our wounded hearts?

We toughen them up.

A tough heart is an unhealed heart that has scabbed over.

How did this happen? 

Tough wounding memories have attached themselves to the heart .

The once tender heart ends up being calloused and scarred.

Isolated from further contact.

It hurts with each and every beat of the heart.

Each and every moment of hope,

or love,

or acceptance that our heart experiences is soon put down.

Why?

Because of painful memories...

A painful past can result in a painful present.

What does God have to say about our heart?

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?

What does this mean?

It means that if YOUR heart can lie to you, it will.

It means that...

YOUR heart could be lying to you.

YOUR heart could be deceiving you.

God hasn't lied to you.

God hasn't deceived you.

God hasn't broken His promises to you..

Your heart was hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

You start to believe a lying heart, and you will build up all of your defenses based on a lie.

Such as...

Jesus loves you... that's a lie.

Jesus can heal you... that's a lie.
You can trust Jesus... that's a lie.

Jesus cares about you... that's a lie.

Jesus wants to heal you... that's a lie.

You can rest assured in knowing that there is one thing that a lie will never tell you... THE TRUTH.

Agree?

Then you do agree with Jeremiah 17:9?

The heart is more deceitful than all else

And is desperately sick;

Who can understand it?

Think about it...

Do these words condemn you?

Do these words bring hopelessness and frustration to you?

Do these words tell you to give up?

If they do, then your heart is wounded and it is lying to you.

The response that this verse should bring is the knowledge that you cannot fix your own broken heart.

Your heart is broken in pieces and I am telling you that you and your heart have no idea about how to put the pieces back together again...

Only God can heal your heart.

2 Thessalonians 3:5 May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.

What Happened?

Its a sad memory when we think about past friends who once were close but now they have turned away from us and we no longer speak to each other.

Its even sadder because we tried to make amends, 

we tried to come to an understanding, 

but the other person refused to listen. 

They refused to hear words coming straight from our heart. 

Its a tragic event when one of you wants peace, restoration and fellowship while the other is filled with anger, hatred, resentment and bitterness...

A voice that once caused rejoicing and good warm feelings now holds a memory of sadness.

What happened?

A heart grew hard.

Sounds like me sometimes.

I was going through some old Bible Study notes and found this.

6/6/08

It was 90 something degrees with a heat index of like 105. I was at a customers house doing a repair when the carpet guy showed up and his wife had come along with him. 

The carpet guy asked the home owner if it was ok for his wife to come inside where there was air conditioning, and the h/o said certainly, have her come in right now and have something cold to drink too...

I did not know this... 
I only saw a woman sitting in an old beat up white van with the windows down. 

There was no breeze, only sunshine and heat. So I mentioned it to the h/o and she told me that she had already spoken to her husband about her coming in. Her husband had already gone out and told her that it was ok to come in, and yet his wife refused. 

 

Why? 

 

Her husband told me that a while back he brought her into a customers home without asking and the customer went off on the both of them, not only that, but the home owner called the man who hired the carpet man and complained to him. 

So there sits that lady, in the hot sun. In an even hotter van.

All because she can't forget and forgive a mean, selfish, uncaring, rude, woman who yelled at her.

THE COME BACK KID

THE COME BACK KID

Why did the Holy Spirit choose Peter to preach the Gospel?

LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT PETER’S QUALIFICATIONS.

Mark 8:31 And

1. He (JESUS) began to teach them (instruct, preach)

 that

A. the Son of Man MUST SUFFER many things

B. and BE REJECTED by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes,

C. and BE KILLED,

D. and after three days RISE AGAIN.

32

2. And He was stating the matter plainly. (boldly, confidently, openly, publicly)

3. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. (censure, sternly warn)

WHY PICK PETER TO PREACH THE GOSPEL?

Peter was not afraid to correct wrong teaching…

33 but turning around and seeing His disciples,

 He rebuked Peter

and said, get behind Me, Satan;

 for you are not setting YOUR MIND on God's interests,  

but man's.

WHY PICK PETER TO PREACH THE GOSPEL?

Sometimes Peter thinks just like the devil.

NOW LET’S MOVE FORWARD A COUPLE OF YEARS…

Matthew 26:31 Then Jesus said to them, You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, "I WILL STRIKE DOWN THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP OF THE FLOCK SHALL BE SCATTERED.'

32 But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.

33 But Peter said to Him, Even though all may fall away

BECAUSE OF YOU,

I will never fall away.

HERE IS VERSE 33 IN MARK 14:31

Mark 14:31 But Peter kept saying insistently, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" And they all were saying the same thing, too.

DENY-To refuse to recognize or acknowledge.

WHY PICK PETER TO PREACH THE GOSPEL?

Peter is not afraid to question authority even if it’s Jesus.

NOW, BACK TO MATTHEW 26 picking up at verse 69.

Let’s find out why Peter was picked to Preach the Gospel…

NOTICE THAT PETER HAS ALREADY DISTANCED HIMSELF FROM JESUS…

Matthew 26:69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard and a servant-girl came to him and said, You too were with Jesus the Galilean.  Notice-the 1^st girl speaks directly TO Peter.

70 But he denied it before them all, saying, I do not know what you are talking about.

Do you tend to crack under pressure?

Guess what?

So did Peter. Hmm.

Do your convictions get stronger or do your knees get weaker when you find yourself in a situation where you really should speak about Jesus, but you just don’t?

Guess what?

So did Peter. Hmm.

Anyway, this is a serious event Peter is going through.

He has already begun to back away from Jesus...

And when is THAT ever a good thing?

PETER DENIES KNOWING JESUS.

To turn the eyes, the mind, the attention to anything.

Get the picture here…

A no name, not important servant girl walks up to Peter and states an observation. You too were with Jesus!

And then Peter turns it into a public event by announcing to everyone present that he is clueless when it comes to Jesus…

Have the non important events of the day been bothering you lately? Are the little things adding up?

How about just turning them over to Jesus when they pop their little vicious heads up?

It’s when we hold onto some stupid grudge that the other person, knowingly or not, has control over our life.

In Peter’s case, one like servant girl was used by God to irritate the heck out of Peter. It’s also a real good reason why Jesus would choose Peter to preach the Gospel. After all, he hears one little thing and then has to announce it to everyone!

PETER MOVES A LITTLE FURTHER AWAY FROM WHERE JESUS IS.

71 When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and said to those who were there; this man was with Jesus of Nazareth.  Notice-the 2^nd girl speaks not directly to Peter, but to the people AROUND Peter.

Just an observation.

Did the servant girl speak in an angry, loud, and accusatory; let’s get him tone of voice?

Or was she just speaking to the group she was a part of?

We will never know those answers. Why?

Because we are not supposed to know.

It’s just not important.

Think about John on the Island of Patmos.

Remember when he heard (I think) the thunder and he was going to write down what they said, but God told him not to?

Did you ever think that John was the only person on earth who knew that?

Are you the only person on earth who knows that you are a Christian?

My point is, the person who hurt you is insignificant in Gods eyes.

What’s important is when Peter started to distance himself from Jesus, that’s when Peter’s problems began.

Anyone, anything cause you do distance yourself from Jesus?

What was Peter’s problem?

Here’s my guess.

When we sin against God, the time between the carrying out of the sin and the confessing of the sin to Jesus, is to be a time of reflection.

Why did you do what you did?

Really, take the time to figure it out.

It’s after we know why, that we can go to God with the truth of what is truly in our hearts.

Peter’s problem?

I think he was internalizing his agony.

You know, holding it in.

Come on, Peter already KNEW that he was going to deny Jesus because Jesus is the one who told him so!

Peters knows that Jesus knows everything.

Call it fear or pride or whatever.

I think maybe Peter was so disappointed with himself that he reached the point where he thought, that’s it. I’m done.

I can’t do this Jesus stuff.

I can’t handle the guilt of all my mistakes and failures.

I can’t get along with other Christians.

I have been told that I am a gifted bible teacher but nobody seems to want to listen to me.

Uh, ignore that last sentence…

Peter was in agony and he was holding it all in…

Does that sound like you?

I don’t mean everyday. I mean when you are wrestling with a sin that is seeking dominance in your life?

Not only that, but you are giving in to it?

(NOTE TO WIFE: No worries Hon.)

Maybe you need some conviction?

John 16:7 But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.

8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;

9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me;

If you are a Christian, then you have the Holy Spirit of God living within you and HE is the one who is wrestling with that flesh of yours and He is trying to use you!

But Peter is holding it all in…

Peter has to confess.

Peter has to agree with Jesus that Jesus is right.

That Jesus is ALWAYS right.

As long as you are in your flesh you will from time to time be irritated by the Holy Spirits battle with your flesh.

Have you reached the conclusion that some battles are not your own? That maybe they actually belong to God?

 Are you more aware of Gods ability to sustain us now that you are battle scarred?

Wow, what a tangent.

Sorry.

Hope it spoke to someone…

But realize that Peter is continuing to withdraw from Jesus.

And his worst is yet to come…

72 And again he denied it with an oath; I do not know the man.

PETER

COMPLETELY DENIES

ASSOCIATION WITH

JESUS.

73 A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, Surely you too are one of them; for even the way you talk gives you away.  Notice-people not directly involved are now seeking the truth from Peter.

Isn’t that supposed to be a joyous time of opportunity to share your faith with someone who is lost?

Isn’t that the great commission?

Are their some roosters crowing in your life?

How are you going to react?

Like Peter?

Well, obviously, no, but we still need to understand that apparently God takes the following verses pretty seriously.

1 Corinthians 1:27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,

28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are,

29 so that no man may boast before God.

God wants someone that He can use.

Somebody who has been humbled and knows deep in their heart, that only by a miracle, can God use them.

And they know that Jesus is their miracle.

Peter’s getting there.

But first he has a few dragons to slay.

74 Then he began to curse and swear, I do not know the man! And immediately a rooster crowed.

PETER TOTALLY ABANDONS JESUS.

Yes, abandoned means forsaken or deserted, which is what that passage means, but abandoned also means unrestrained or uncontrolled.

Peter went right back to his old self.

And he demonstrated it by his fisherman language.

And to even make a stupid oath.

Back to the old man being in charge.

And I want you to know that so far God sees all what Peter is going though. I can’t say what I think God is thinking, but I think He thinks that these are good qualifications for a leader of Jesus’ “church”, the Disciples and God’s little lambs that would be coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus.

NOW HERE IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS WHY PETER WAS PICKED TO PREACH THE GOSPEL.

75 And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.

And he went out and wept bitterly.

WEPT- extreme uncontrollable sobbing.

BITTERLY-

1.    EXTREMELY HARD TO BEAR

2.     CAUSING EXTREME PAIN

3.    EXTREMELY HARD TO ADMIT

4.    EXTREMELY PIERCING

This is what you call being broken.

It’s giving up playing games with God.

It’s admitting that you have nothing to offer God but your broken self.

It’s knowing that you are the one who should get punished.

It’s an overwhelming sorrow for the sins that you have committed.

It’s falling at the feet of Jesus and washing His them with your tears…

It’s finally knowing and experiencing God’s amazing ability to forgive.

That is when you truly know God’s grace…

Peter’s problem?

Romans 9:30 What shall we say then? That Gentiles, (Peter was a Jew) who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith;

31 but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.

32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,

How do you know if you are living by works?

Well, do you hate what you are doing?

Not does it wear you down, or is your life difficult, but do you really hate what you are doing?

If God called you to it, then is joy in it.

Try to find the joy.

Peter backed down many times, he even gave up at one time.

Did that bother him?

I think so, but Peter always came back for more.

Facebook comment on GAY RIGHTS

The comment on Gay Rights is below, but before you read it I want to admit that I have been struggling with some attitudes. My own of course!
Anyway, this whole blog was to be based on what I may find in the soil of my heart. I don't like what I have been finding lately.

Bear with me. 

How can I post on a blog something which I don't even want to look at myself?
Oh geez, don't freak out. I am not in some grievous, unrepentant sin.

I have to admit that I even struggled with posting the following on facebook because I am tired of being persecuted by "christians" for what I believe. What really upsets me is that most Christians think themselves experts on wisdom and godly character. When the truth is all of us are learning.
I am not angry, I just don't seem to care anymore. Maybe it's my way of coping with the last church disaster. I am not perfect, but geepers, I even cut my hair because the pastor told me to! And I did it because I believed that God wanted me to do it. I am serious about that. But all I got was grief from the leadership. Never another church member, just the leadership.

Before you start commenting about me feeling sorry for myself or that pity party crap, try to understand that if someone tried to shoot you every time you stood up, you would either stop standing up, or you would leave that place.
Well,  after almost 3 years, I did leave that place. but I left before I learned to just stay sitting. In other words, I got shot at continually.

Ok, hope something of that made sense to you as I was trying to just give you a feel for what I am currently wrestling with.

Ok, here is the Facebook post...

One of my favorite quotes is by Mark Twain. It goes like this...

"In religion and politics, people's beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second hand, and without examination".

True Christianity is lived in submission to the leading of the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures.
There are many "preachers" out there who use this truth to their advantage. I can name several that I know personally. They corrupt, misrepresent and shame Christ.

The problem with the Christian way of life is that non believers will always be upset with committed Christians because the true Christian life is one of holiness. Every Christian ATTEMPTS to live this life and every Christian fails miserably on a daily basis. Its when as a Christian you force that same life style on others, you go beyond what Christ did while He was here on this earth. (Is earth capitalized?)
You cannot legislate morality. God has done that. It is His ways that we are called to follow. But what to do about "gay rights"?

In the constitution, it says, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

As a born again believer, as I am and was when I attended your wonderful, not boring class, I must place Scripture above all. This includes its proper interpretation. Homosexuality is a sin. Period. Now what do I do about it? God made the rule already. We don't need a law governing homosexuality. Now as an American, I voluntarily submit myself, as the bible says, to the law of the land. This includes your rights AS AN AMERICAN (not a gay man or heterosexual man) .

Now how do we grant gay people their constitutional rights which are, "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

I honestly don't know. Jesus never forced morality or good behavior on anyone but the self righteous teachers, rulers and judges. So that can't be right. Admitting that I do not have the answers, I just want to make the point that God instituted marriage. Gays or anybody else who does not believe in the Christian God of the bible should not get married. Don't try to change our historical and spiritual rights to marriage. Create a law and call it GAYRRIAGE. Let that law which spells out the legalize govern the gays.

Bill, in your class, you demonstrated to me that you are open to discussion and courteous of another's feelings or viewpoint, while not giving up your convictions. Saying that I thank you for being open about your convictions but that woman's article had noting of your character in it. It was blatantly hurtful, vindictive and untruthful.

Some of the religious nut cases out there along with the fanatical gays give a bad name to people like me who are trying to live a life of peace and personal commitment to Jesus. I don't fear or loathe gay people. I find lesbians to be very interesting people. I love chatting with them about anything. Especially home renovation projects.

I don't force my beliefs on the gay people that I know, but they do know where I stand. Jesus took the punishment for my sin upon Himself so that I could be free of guilt and condemnation. But most of all because I have a Father Creator who loves me. I want that for you as a person and all people who deal with the situation of homosexuality. If I was a pastor, and an obviously gay couple wanted to attend, three things would happen.

First, I would welcome you and ask you what it is that you are seeking for that you came to this church.

Second, I would instruct you my stance as shepherd over this particular flock, that ALL HAVE SINNED and fallen short of the glory of God. This includes the sin of homosexuality.

Now being assured that my job of protecting the flock given to my care is accomplished, and the gay couple wanted to learn more about Jesus, then I would...

Thirdly welcome the both of them in. I would instruct my flock to do the same. People need love and security. If you cannot find it in the body of believers, then Christ is not among them.

Understand that when a passage about sexual sin comes up, the truth of Gods Word will be preached with as much passion and commitment as I would if I preached about Jesus forgiving the adulterous woman.
A gay mans sin is no greater than any sin that I commit.
Jesus didn't come to save the gay person from their gayness. Jesus came to save us all from our SIN if we would repent and confess our sin to Him He is faithful and just to cleanse us from all our unrighteousness.

Thanks for the dialogue and I will shut up now.

Its me. The Facebook post is done.
What do you think?
Would love to hear your viewpoint.

Bob