Tag Archives: guilt

What does peace mean to you? (John 20:20-21), April 28, 2017

Today’s Podcast

Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
I grew up in the 60’s and 70’s and you saw peace signs everywhere. Technology brought the Viet Nam War into our living rooms for the first time in history and we heard the daily body count from across the sea. Everyone longed for peace.
Scripture
1. John 20:20-21
2. Jesus: May each one of you be at peace.

As He was speaking, He revealed the wounds in His hands and side. The disciples began to celebrate as it sank in that they were really seeing the Lord.

Jesus: I give you the gift of peace. In the same way the Father sent Me, I am now sending you.

Devotional
1. What does peace mean to you?
  1. There will never be peace between nations.
  2. We can’t even have peace within nations as evidenced by our most recent elections here.
  3. We often can’t achieve peace in our own households as evidenced by divorce rates climbing toward 60%
  4. So what is peace?
2. Definition of peace: 1. freedom from disturbance; quiet and tranquility. 2.freedom from or the cessation of war or violence.
  1. Is this what Jesus promised His disciples and us?
  2. Freedom from disturbance; quiet and tranquility?
  3. Slander; persecution; martyrdom
  4. Where is the peace He promised?
3. If looking for peace in regard to our relation to the world, it will never happen
  1. The world hated Him and will hate us
  2. Promised trouble in this world and all who follow Him have found trouble if they share His message or live the life He demands of us
  3. The world opposes us and tries to turn us to their ways
  4. When we don’t they do everything they can to destroy us
4. So what kind of peace did Jesus leave?
  1. Inner peace
  2. Peace with ourselves and with God
  3. Freedom from the guilt that plagues us because of estrangement from God in our wickedness
  4. Doesn’t mean we’re murderers or robbers
    1. Although, Jesus says hate means murder
    2. Coveting, means robbery
    3. Robbing God with our tithes and offerings
  5. All have sinned against God
  6. Failed to honor Him and live the life He wants us to live
  7. We know we need His forgiveness
  8. He gives assurance of forgiveness and peace
5. What can you give in exchange for that peace?
  1. Nothing
  2. Nothing in all the world is worth the peace you can have in knowing your sins are forgiven
  3. Every follower of Jesus who is really all in for Him knows that
  4. His legacy is peace
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved. In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

God won’t be a scapegoat (John 9:3-5), March 1, 2017

Today’s Podcast

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
It sure is easy to blame someone else for the trouble we face, isn’t it? And it’s really easy to blame God. He’s a good scapegoat, but it usually doesn’t work out when we do.
Scripture
1. John 9:3-5
2. Jesus: Neither. His blindness cannot be explained or traced to any particular person’s sins. He is blind so the deeds of God may be put on display. While it is daytime, we must do the works of the One who sent Me. But when the sun sets and night falls, this work is impossible. Whenever I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.
Devotional
1. God came into the garden in the cool of the day. He wanted to talk with Adam after his day’s work was done. A day filled with caring for the creation over which God had given him dominion. Adam tilled the soil, harvested crops, cared for the animals in the garden. Life was really good. Work was satisfying. His companionship with Eve and God and the rest of creation seemed perfect. At least until this day.
  1. Sin had entered in
  2. Adam broke the perfect relationship he had with God because of his disobedience
  3. He felt his guilt and shame
  4. God came into the garden and what did his sin cause him to do?
  5. Adam and Eve both hid
    1. Their bodies from God and each other
    2. Sewed fig leaves together
    3. Hid behind the vegetation when God came to the garden
2. We all have a tendency to blame someone else for our sin
  1. Devil made me do it
  2. He tempted me
  3. He gave me the fruit
  4. Adam even blamed God as do we
  5. It’s God’s fault we fail to do what He asks
3. Until we own our faults and failures we cannot find healing from our sins
  1. If we confess our sins, He is able
  2. Opposing message, if we do not confess our sins, He is not able to forgive us
  3. Why? We fail to take ownership of our wrongs
  4. We fail to recognize our need for Him
  5. We fail to understand just how depraved and hopeless we are without Him
4. Jesus can work in and through us, but only when we are open and honest with Him and others. We must be vulnerable with Him. We must recognize just how much we need His grace, forgiveness, Him.
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

Fibber McGee’s Closet (Luke 11:42-44) November 10, 2016

Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Ecclesiastes 5-6

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Luke 11:42-44
Jesus: Woe to you, Pharisees! Judgment will come on you! You are fastidious about tithing—keeping account of every little leaf of mint and herb—but you neglect what really matters: justice and the love of God! If you’d get straight on what really matters, then your fastidiousness about little things would be worth something.
Woe to you, Pharisees! Judgment will come on you! What you really love is having people fawn over you when you take the seat of honor in the synagogue or when you are greeted in the public market.
Wake up! See what you’ve become! Woe to you; you’re like a field full of unmarked graves. People walk on the field and have no idea of the corruption that’s a few inches beneath their feet.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Some of you might remember the radio show, Molly and Fibber McGee. One of the most memorable things about the show happened rarely, but often enough that it became one of the hallmarks of the show. It has gone down as the historic way of identifying the whole series of weekly episodes. Whenever you mention Fibber McGee’s closet, people immediately think of that show and the times Fibber or Molly would open the hall closet door and you would hear the sound effect of falling objects fill the airwaves for the next two or three minutes. It sounded like everything but the kitchen sink, and maybe that too, was stuffed into that closet away from view.

It reminds me of a few people I know who keep impeccably clean houses. Spotless in every corner. So clean you could eat off the floors. But don’t open a drawer or a closet. Those are a disaster. Everything you can see is in perfect order, but when there is a closed door, behind it, expect a chaos.

A lot of people’s lives are like that, too. You might think things are perfect for them. They have the perfect house. The perfect cars. The perfect job. The perfect family. Everything looks good. But on the inside, there is nothing but turmoil. Inside the chaos that runs around their head and spirit every day crushes them. The smile they wear on the outside is just a mask for the agony they feel on the inside. The closets in their lives where the guilt and shame stays hidden away from the world are as full as Fibber McGee’s closet just waiting for someone to open the door and come gushing out for all the world to see.

The follower of Jesus who has repented, opened all those doors to let Him clean them out and get rid of all that guilt and shame is okay with opening all those doors, though. Paul said it in these words, “Therefore, now no condemnation awaits those who are living in Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King, because when you live in the Anointed One, Jesus, a new law takes effect. The law of the Spirit of life breathes into you and liberates you from the law of sin and death.”

We can open the closet doors and it’s okay for others to peak inside because the guilt is gone. The sin is forgiven. Jesus has swept our lives clean and given us a new lease on life. Satan tries to get us to close some of those doors and hide things away. But don’t keep them open. Let God shine His searchlight into the deepest, darkest corners of those closets and keep them cleaned out. It’s the only way to have real peace and joy and the abundant life Jesus talks about in His word.

The Pharisees tried to look prim and proper and keep all those external appearances up for everyone who could watch them. They didn’t know Jesus could see into the recesses of their spirit. But He could. He could open their Fibber’s closet door and watch the cascade of junk come tumbling out onto the floor. He could see all the things they tried to hide from everyone else. He knew their heart and wouldn’t let them keep their facade.

Jesus does the same with each of us. We might keep up appearances for a long time with those who see us occasionally or even see us a lot. But Jesus sees through us. He knows us intimately. He knows all our hidden secrets and opens the doors even we have forgotten about to reveal the things we need Him to sweep out of our lives. And He always comes with a bright light and a broom. He’s ready to clean out all those cobwebs and dirty corners. But He won’t go where He is not invited. Until we invite Him in to do His work in our lives, He remains on the outside and just knocks at the door asking to come in. Only when we open the door of our hearts and lives will He enter to do His work.

So what will it be for you? Will you continue to let Fibber McGee’s closet be the description of your life with all the junk that needs cleaned out? Or will you let the One who can purify your life from the inside out take charge and become the Lord of your life. All you have to do is open the door and let Him in. What do you say?

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.