A little boy visiting his grandparents and given his first slingshot. He
practiced in the woods, but he could never hit his target. As he came
back to Grandma's back yard, he spied her pet duck.
On an impulse he took aim and let fly. The stone hit, and the duck fell dead. The boy panicked. Desperately he hid the dead duck in the wood pile, only to look up and see his sister watching.
Mary had seen it all, but she said nothing. After lunch that day, Grandma said, "Mary, let's wash the dishes ." But Mary said, "Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today. Didn't you, Johnny?" And she whispered to him, "Remember the duck!" So Johnny did the dishes.
Later Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing. Grandma said, "I'm sorry, but I need Mary to help make supper." Mary smiled and said, "That's all taken care of. Johnny wants to do it." Again she whispered, "Remember the duck." Johnny stayed while Mary went fishing.
After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Mary's, finally he couldn't stand it. He confessed to Grandma that he'd killed the duck. "I know, Johnny," she said, giving him a hug. "I was standing at the window and saw the whole thing. Because I love you, I forgave you.
I wondered how long you would let Mary make a slave of you." Guilt is based on the fact that someone knows that they have violated Gods righteous law. To deal with this we confess our sins to God.
This means that we honestly agree with him that we have done wrong and we stop giving excuses. Godly sorrow moves us to make permanent changes that break that cycle of guilt and sinful behavior.
There is also another kind of guilt that is false. This is based on personal feelings rather than facts. Satan accuses forgiven sinners and causes them to live a defeated life by reminding them of former things they did or did not do. Remember the duck?
Satan wants you to think that God is disgusted with your behavior and that you are hopeless. Have you believed the enemies lies? Has guilt kept you from living a victorious life? Have you truly repented?
If you have repented then remember Romans 8:31-35 (NIV) What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
If you are truly guilty then ask for forgiveness and God will forgive you. If you are falsely guilty arise above the devils accusations and remember nothing can separate you from the love of God. Don’t look at the rear view mirror but look through the windscreen into the bright future that God has for you.
On an impulse he took aim and let fly. The stone hit, and the duck fell dead. The boy panicked. Desperately he hid the dead duck in the wood pile, only to look up and see his sister watching.
Mary had seen it all, but she said nothing. After lunch that day, Grandma said, "Mary, let's wash the dishes ." But Mary said, "Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today. Didn't you, Johnny?" And she whispered to him, "Remember the duck!" So Johnny did the dishes.
Later Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing. Grandma said, "I'm sorry, but I need Mary to help make supper." Mary smiled and said, "That's all taken care of. Johnny wants to do it." Again she whispered, "Remember the duck." Johnny stayed while Mary went fishing.
After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Mary's, finally he couldn't stand it. He confessed to Grandma that he'd killed the duck. "I know, Johnny," she said, giving him a hug. "I was standing at the window and saw the whole thing. Because I love you, I forgave you.
I wondered how long you would let Mary make a slave of you." Guilt is based on the fact that someone knows that they have violated Gods righteous law. To deal with this we confess our sins to God.
This means that we honestly agree with him that we have done wrong and we stop giving excuses. Godly sorrow moves us to make permanent changes that break that cycle of guilt and sinful behavior.
There is also another kind of guilt that is false. This is based on personal feelings rather than facts. Satan accuses forgiven sinners and causes them to live a defeated life by reminding them of former things they did or did not do. Remember the duck?
Satan wants you to think that God is disgusted with your behavior and that you are hopeless. Have you believed the enemies lies? Has guilt kept you from living a victorious life? Have you truly repented?
If you have repented then remember Romans 8:31-35 (NIV) What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
If you are truly guilty then ask for forgiveness and God will forgive you. If you are falsely guilty arise above the devils accusations and remember nothing can separate you from the love of God. Don’t look at the rear view mirror but look through the windscreen into the bright future that God has for you.
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