Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Are You of the Truth?

1 John 3:19-22, New King James Version (NKJV) Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.
1 John 3:19-22, New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 byThe Lockman Foundation
19 We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him 20 in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.

1 John 1:9, New King James Version (NKJV)

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9, New American Standard Bible (NASB)

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

(Thought you might like to see how two of the Translations I use compare. I also like the New English Standard Bible as well).
My Comments: This week, in fact in just the last couple of days I have wrestled with my conscience. My sin nature wanted me to take a plant snip growing at the bank so I could either find out what it was or just plant it in my yard and have one. Some would say, "It is a small thing, no one will care or even know." This in fact is what my sin nature kept telling me every time I went to the bank and saw it. I would forget while in the bank to ask if I could take a snip and then go back out and argue with my sin nature. This happened at least three times over the last few days. I really wanted that plant snip. I have seen it growing in other places over the years and like it and I wanted it. Satan played on that desire. God kept me faithful and true. Today when I went in I remembered to ask. They allowed me a snip and I took it to the plant store and now know what it is and have a snip that is planted in my planter. And I was true to God's command to Love. Love does not let me steal.

Asking was what God wanted me to do. It was the right thing to wait. It was the right thing to not give into temptation or the desire of the flesh. My conscience prodded me to do the right thing. I would have felt and been untrue to my faith in Jesus the Christ if I had given in. I praise God for the strength to be faithful. This was not always the way it was for me growing up.  Yet with God’s grace it is the way I choose to be now. I choose to be true to the Commands of God and to take that would not be loving God or my neighbor.

I find God is working on me in other areas of my life as well. One is how I view others even those of my own family. How my love for others is growing, Less and less I say things or even think things that are unkind and do not build up or help others. When my husband was alive (he passed in 2012) he would caution me if I said something about another person that was not kind. He was a gentle man who loved greatly and in 36 years I hardly ever heard him say anything unkind about another human being. Now because of him I hear my conscience faster and louder when it comes to interactions and reactions. I bless God I had the pleasure of David in my life. I bless God I have the Holy Spirit who encourages, teaches and inspires me to try harder and to do better.

When I fall short of the goal I know the Holy Spirit will comfort me and in His understanding of me, He will help me to do better each time. I also know those lessons will continue, get harder and repeat until I get strong enough and have understanding. Then when I am tempted because I have been trained in the truth of the Word of God, I will attain the goal. When I make the wrong choice and choose sin over being true to God I know because I am His and have accepted Jesus as my Savior that I am forgiven as soon as I repent and turn away sin. Jesus in the desert for 40 days is my inspiration. He strengthens me to overcome my sin nature yet is there to pick me up when I fail. I praise God for His eternal love and kindness to me a sinner. I praise Him for leading me to the truth.

Abba, we raise ourselves up to You in all humility and faith. We want to do what is right yet we fall short. Give us the strength to walk away from temptation. Give us, Lord; Your strength to stay in Your light, on Your path and be filled with Your Living Water. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit continually teaching us and helping us to be more like You. Forgive us Father when we fall and know we are broken inside when we hurt our relationship with You who loved us so much You sent Your only begotten Son so we would be forgiven and able to be in heaven with You. So we may be adopted into Your family Abba.

Thank You Abba for all that we have and especially for our relationship with You, for the truth of Your Word, for Your Son Jesus the Christ, for filling us with Your Holy Spirit and for forgiveness. In Jesus name I pray with the Holy Spirit. Amen. 
Rebishka

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