The Devil's Work
There was a time in this country when blacks were forced to feel ashamed because of the color of their skin. That was pure evil.
But now another race is being pressured to feel ashamed because of the color of their skin. This is equally evil.
If you have ever been guilty of racism toward another person, you must, for the sake of your own soul, go back and apologize. But if you’ve stood against racism your whole life, then have more respect for yourself than to confess to sins you’ve never committed.
False guilt and false shame are the Devil's work.
God’s work is redemptive, releasing us from our actual shame and guilt.
God doesn’t hold us accountable for sins we haven’t committed, but the Devil does. God doesn’t hold us accountable for the sins of previous generations, but the Devil does. God doesn’t seek to keep us locked under the bondage of shame and guilt, but the Devil does.
But God does hold us accountable for the sins we have actually committed. And by the power of Jesus' blood, He promises to wash them away.
In your search for redemption, make sure you seek it at the right altar.
"There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28).
"God does not show favoritism" (Romans 2:11).
Be Perfect!
"'Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.' When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, 'Who then can be saved?' Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible'" (Matthew 19:24).
God issues rules and commands not because He expects that we will be able to keep them, but because it is the only way to show us how far we all fall short. When God appeals to rules and laws it is to teach us that we shouldn't rely on rules and laws.
We naturally associate faith with religion, Yet, one of the remarkable things about Jesus' ministry was that he was always at odds with those who were the most religious. That's because, more often than not, religion focuses on what we have done for God.
Jesus, on the other hand, focused on what God has done for us. He understood that religion is really about faith in one's self. Rather than trust in human effort, biblical faith trusts in the mercy and forgiveness offered to us in Christ.
Sadly, too many fail to see this. Blinded by their own pride, they end up self-righteously clinging to the rules. What these people fail to see is that God uses religion as a tool to create a dilemma that no religion can solve.
But the humble will see how they fall short and will begin to search for something more. They will turn from the hypocrisy they experienced in their own failed efforts to be good enough and search for grace.
And that's when, just beyond the condemnation of the Law, they find the mercy and acceptance of the Temple. That's when, just beyond Jesus' words “be perfect ... as your Father in Heaven is perfect,” they find a perfect Savior who goes to the cross to exchange his perfection for their sins (Matthew 5:48).
Those who go beyond religion find grace, while those who get stuck in legalistic religion remain condemned by their own failures to uphold the legalistic demands of their religion. Instead of ever saving themselves, they become trapped in the fruitless effort of trying to save themselves.
Getting Ahead of God
My friend Mike retold this story in a training session many years ago. It seems he was out in the woods of his old homestead with his 8-year-old son. They were trekking through the woods that Mike had known like the back of his hand since he was the age of 8. He wanted to share these woods with his son, but his son kept on running on ahead of him. He would call out to him and say, "Son, I want you to go that way," pointing to the left. His son stopped and looked at the fork in the path and said, "What way dad?"
Mike finally stood still and wanted to see how the situation would play out. He again pointed to the left and said, "That way!"
"Which way, dad?"
"Son. I want you to stop and wait for me."
Mike's son then turned around and waited for his father to come up next to him, take his hand, and then proceed to lead him in the right direction.
Far too often, we as Christians tend to rush ahead of God. We want to get to the blessings, and we have no idea how to get there. And we rush ahead, with God all the while pointing in a direction and saying gently to us, "Go that way!"
We respond with frustration because we are not following, but trying to force God's hand and have Him go the way we want to. But God's desire is for us to wait, to be patient, and allow Him to lead us where He wants us to go.
the psalmist in 139 asks God to "search me, know me, and lead me." God knows us and has searched us. But if we want to go where He wants us, we have to allow Him to lead us.