14/06/2014 - LESSONS TO BE LEARNT

• 
• 
• 
• 

Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your words. Psalm 119.67

Nobody likes, but God knows how necessary it is for us to be afflicted. Being extremely deceiving, man’s heart makes decisions that separate us from God. Thus, in His absolute wisdom, the Almighty let us go through some afflictions so that we may return to spiritual sanity (Jer 17.9-10). So those who don’t learn the lesson will never be accepted as children, and bastards are not given the same love.

The psalmist confessed he was on the wrong way. One of the saddest attitudes is when a person hides their sinful behavior. To praise God with empty words is not enough when your heart knows that something wrong has been made against someone else and it has not been settled yet. In the same way, a partner who diverts something will not be in peace nor be forgiven unless they confess what he has done.

An individual will only fall in sin if he doesn’t keep in his heart what the Bible says. It’s not enough to tell God you have made a mistake and you that you have regretted by crying and asking for forgiveness. Jesus says that if you take your offer to the altar and there you remember that someone has something against you, you are supposed to leave your offer at the altar and look for the person in order to be reconciled to them. Otherwise, the offer will not be accepted (Matt. 5.23-26).

This is so serious that the Creator prohibited the offender to give their offer because their hypocritical act could lead them to serious problems in divine presence. By invoking the Lord to receive a gift, which can be financial or life consecration, a person gets in contact to the sanctity of God; therefore, they should not act as a Pharisee. By being holy, the Father requires us to be so (1Pet 1.15-16).

The suffering the psalmist went through was hard, but worthy. He learned that what really matters is to obey the Word. You who are come from tribulation, have you learned the lesson yet? Or you will let the devil keep you in his filthy hands? Have you decided that you’ll obey the Word of God, surrender to the holy will of the One who is all in all (1Cor 15.28; Col 3.11)?

Nobody should have play with the Scriptures. Ananias and Sapphire thought the Almighty was not who he claimed to be, heart-knowing, so that they died before the entire congregation. Who hides their mistakes today will watch a terrifying movie of their life being exposed to everyone (Mk 4.22).

However, the one who confesses and leaves their sin will see that their dirty past has been forgiven and their blames thrown into the sea of forgetfulness (Proverbs 28.13; Micah 7.19). It’s up to you the decision that will determine whether you will be set free or not from the evil’s clutches. Whoever was brave enough to sin should also dare to confess and find forgiveness. Without it, God’s work will cease.

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares