Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture but before we do that I wanted to tell you a little story.
Years back, I was trying to lose a little bit of weight, so I grabbed one of my backpacks from out of the house and found some really big boulders up on the side of our hill. Slowly I stacked them all inside, and it was so heavy that I was actually amazed that the straps didn’t break on me. That summer I walked quite a few times down to the lake and back, but the weight of those rocks was extremely grueling, and I couldn’t wait to get back home once again just to take it off.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
Many times when people get involved with sin, they will become filled up with grief for the severity of their foolish actions. Like a backpack with too many boulders stuffed inside, God wants to remove the heavy burden of our sins for us.
Psalms 38:4 “For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.”
All of us have sinned at one time or the other, and even though Paul was an Apostle that was used greatly by God in the New Testament, he called himself the chief of sinners. That’s a pretty humble statement coming from a man in that position. Humility is the path to repentance. Jesus talked about a humble publican who was so consumed with grief that he was beating on his chest before God.
Luke 18:9-14 (KJB) And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
There are many people who cannot get forgiven for their sins simply because they are too proud in their hearts to apologize for the wrong things that they have done to God and others. Pride is a quality to keep away from in the Christian Life.
James 4:4-10 (KJB) Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
Even when David had sinned before God, he was filled with extreme humility and grief for what he had done.
Proverbs 15:33 (KJB) The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.
Psalms 51:1-11 (KJB) Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
You must also remember that even though each of us have sinned, Jesus is sinless, and His sacrifice is our perfect atonement unto God.
Hebrews 4:15-16 (KJB) For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
The Lord wants to wash us from all of our iniquities, but we must humbly confess them.
1 John 1:9 (KJB) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Matthew 11:28-30 (KJB) Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Unconfessed sins can become a great burden on one’s heart, but the Lord Jesus came to free us from them all. In many ways it has always reminded me of getting back home with that heavy burden, and taking off,……
…….My Backpack
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.
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