The Lord is always faithful to show me the things I need to know (notice I did not say want to know) and most of the time in ways that leave me without excuse. I find myself feeling like King David must have felt when the prophet Nathan said to him, “Thou art the man ... by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme.”

We read in the Word, “The word of God is quick, and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) Yet we think that we will escape that experience, mostly because we fail to remember that after verse 12 comes verse 13 that says, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: But all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”

We live in a society whose attitude is often “everybody else but me,” and it doesn’t matter whether it concerns responsibility, laws or ethics. For instance we may know it’s the law to, you fill in the blank, yet how many times do we find ourselves justifying why we don’t have to follow a particular law, ethics or responsibility?

The most common excuses are, “I don’t think it’s right, I don’t agree with that,” or we just ignore it. I think you understand what I’m talking about.

Sadly, this attitude has infiltrated Christianity. You don’t think so? Quick, can you honestly say you aren’t thinking about something right now that you have done or still do that if revealed to the world would give occasion to the enemies of God to blaspheme God?

Blaspheme means to despise, scorn or speak evil of. We would think behavior that would give occasion to those in the world looking for an excuse to scorn and speak evil against God would be something to avoid wouldn’t we? Yet we still find ourselves doing these things, even rejecting the revelation that we do these things, whether by a message from a minister, a newsletter, even the Holy Spirit. Why? Because whether we want to admit it or not, we truly believe we are capable of knowingwhat’s best for us in our lives and we will do whatever it takes and justify it however we must, so we can do what we want to do.

We read in Zechariah 7:9-10, “Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, execute true judgment,and show mercy and compassions every man to his brother: And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.” Yet time after time we find ourselves slanting our judgment in favor of our own, showing mercy and compassion only if it’s in our best interests, and imagining all kinds of evil against our brothers in our hearts - we are quick to think bad about someone aren’t we?

Verses 11-12 shows how we usually react to being shown these things. “But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.

Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit.”

I said the Lord is always faithful to show me these things and I’m glad He does. I will admit, “I am the man,” I cannot do anything but admit the truth. I am a sinner. I have fallen short of the glory of God. Like Paul, I have found that when I would do good, evil is present with me. I have a choice, and sometimes I make the wrong one. I often feel as Paul, “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of thisdeath?” When I’m shown how I’ve fallen short, I run to the rock (Jesus) because I have a high priest (Jesus) which is touched with the feeling of my infirmities;

was in all points tempted like I am, yet without sin and because of that I can come boldly to the throne of grace, that I may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Repentance requires admitting we have a problem, then dealing with that problem, bringing it to Jesus, asking for forgiveness and trusting Him to help us not to do it again. Or, we can try to justify why we’re doing fine as we are because we think we know what’s right and reject the truth we’re shown. Which will you do?

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Editor’s note: Charlie Newman is pastor of Avoca Christian Church. To contact him, e-mail pastor@ pastorcharlie.net, or write in care of The Times at [email protected] or P.O. Box 25, Pea Ridge, AR 72751.

Church, Pages 2 on 07/13/2011