How to avoid a guilt trip!

Most of us feel guilty from time to time. We often wish that we could turn the clock back and do things differently!

There are times when it is right to feel guilty. If we have genuinely wronged someone guilt is the God given mechanism that warns us that ‘action needs to be taken’. Sometimes we can rectify the problem and make amends. Other times it is outside of our power to reverse the effect of our actions. It is only right that we should fix the problems that we have caused where possible.

Having said this, many mistakes in life are not really significant in the general scheme of things and will not make a big difference in our lives. Courtesy and true friendship, decency and honesty will however ensure that we behave in ways that are commendable.

A more worrying aspect of life is that of human beings and their relationship with God. In our current society we are in danger of being unaware that we have disobeyed our Creator (and therefore owner) and that he does not tolerate people who break his law. I was aware from childhood of the fact that God had stated his principles (the 10 commandments in the Bible) and that I was incapable of living up to them. The passage in the Bible that explains God’s standards is Exodus 20. The New Testament passage that states that we are not capable of living up to these standards is Romans 3:23 ‘For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God’.

Now, contrary to public opinion God gave his Law to make us feel guilty and not to make us feel good. The Bible says ‘Now we know that what things so ever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God’. The reality is that when you and I hear the Bible preached and become aware that God is holy and has his standards; we then realise that we cannot live up to his standards and get feelings of guilt. I lied, I lusted, I took something that did not belong to me (time, emotions, things etc) and as a result I am guilty and am limited as to what I can do to rectify the situation. My offence is firstly against God (Psalm 51:4) and will also often be against a fellow human being.

So we all need to go on a guilt trip – but not for long. When the awareness of our wrong living is heightened and guilt is triggered we will be forced do something about it. That is God’s plan.

What can we do? Again God in the Bible tells us what there is no point in doing! God says in Romans 3:20 that no action on our part will satisfy him because our problem is one we were born with (Psalm 51:5). The problem is reflected in our actions and behaviours but it is deeper than that. God says rather bluntly in the Old Testament that all the right things we do are like filthy clothes. We can never be good enough for God, ‘There is none righteous, no not one’.

I say again ‘what can we do’? The answer again comes from God. He says ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved’. The Lord Jesus says ‘I am the way, the truth and the life’. The early Christian preachers preached ‘neither is their salvation in any other for there is no other name under heaven, given among men whereby we must be saved’. God’s Son (The Lord Jesus) came to earth, lived and then was put to death on a cross. God was punishing him for sin, sin that he did not commit (for he is God and perfect) but that sin that he was prepared to atone for. He paid the price God demanded to put away sin and to provide forgiveness for us.

Go on a guilt trip? No way - admit your guilt to God and then accept his offer of salvation through trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ. You will experience inexplicable joy.

For more information and further explanations of the message of the bible via videos, blogs and podcasts please visit www.seekthetruth.org.uk

Key Principles for Successful Living

How we live our lives is vitally important. There are principles that guide each one of us. These could be positive or negative guidelines by which we live our lives. If we will live by God’s principles, we can expect to see His favour and blessing.  If we live by what ‘seems good to us’ it can often take us down a path we would later regret. Have you ever considered what are the principles by which you live your life?   The earlier we discover and apply these, the better, but it is never too late to begin!

 

Principle No 1 – You can be forgiven

 

We can and need to receive forgiveness from God. ‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.’ Because Jesus paid for our sins in full; we can know what it means to be forgiven. ‘He cancelled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.’ God is willing to remove our sin from us. ‘As far as the east is from the west’, so far is He willing to remove them from us.

 

Why does the Bible say, ‘as far as the East is from the West?’ Why did does it not say as far as the North is from the South? This is one great picture of God’s love. The North and South pole are definite points. You can go to those spots. But there is no East or West pole. When you get there, you can still go further to the East. So, in a very real sense, when God says, ‘as far as the East is from the West’ He means that He has totally and forever removed our sins, they are not coming back to haunt us.

If all else fails read the instructions!

I really don’t know about you, but one of the most maddening things that I find about people is that they don’t listen and don’t follow instructions. We all know that happens so often in everyday life. We know that people are told things and they don’t even listen. It could be to do with our health or our money but we often ignore the advice that we are given. Or sometimes people are given guidelines but they ignore them and just do it their own way.

I am writing to point people to what God says in the Bible. But God wants them to listen and to follow His instructions for life. For instance Jesus said one day, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by Me” (John 14.6 – the Bible). If you follow that instruction you will become a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ.

If you come to understand that Jesus is the Son of God you’ll believe what he said. He said I am the way to God, you can’t come to God any other way. Why then do people go to religion? Why do people try all sorts of different things?

Peter (one of the early preachers) he said, “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men where by we must be saved” (Acts 4.12 – the Bible). Peter doesn’t give you a choice or alternatives. He says on the authority of what God has said in the Bible there is no salvation any other way.

We need to be rescued, we need forgiveness, we need to be brought to God and there’s only one route because God decided it and it’s through faith in Jesus Christ.

Would you rest on the work Jesus did when He died on the cross. I wonder if today you would simply hear the voice of God and refuse to harden your heart and do what He says:

·      Turn from your sin

·      Obey the gospel

·      Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

    God says if you follow my instructions you’ll be saved. I trust that God will richly bless you today.

    For more information and further explanations of the message of the bible via videos, blogs and podcasts please visit www.seekthetruth.org.uk

How do you know that #Jesus actually existed? - Sunday - The Daily Diary of a Bible Blogger

Of course the New Testament, which has proven to be a reliable historical record, attests to His life. 

On top of that, there are more than thirty sources outside of the Bible that attest to more than a hundred facts regarding Jesus’ life, teachings, crucifixion, and resurrection. 

Take, for example, Flavius Josephus, a first century historian. He affirms, not only that Jesus lived, but that He was “a doer of amazing deeds,” that “Pilate condemned Him to be crucified to die,” that He was a teacher who “won over many Jews and many of the Greeks” and that He was reportedly seen alive by His disciples after His crucifixion. 

A second extra-biblical source would be the Babylonian Talmud. This collection of ancient Jewish writings mentions Jesus, even saying that He was killed on the eve of Passover, just as the Biblical account describes. 

Other sources include the Roman historian Tacitus, the Didache, Pliny the Younger, Suetonius, the Gnostic gospels (e.g., the gospel of Thomas), etc. 

The Encyclopedia Britannica, fifteenth edition, devotes 20,000 words to the person of Jesus Christ and never once hints that He didn’t exist. 

The evidence is certain. Jesus of Nazareth was a real person.

Read our blog tomorrow to discover the evidence that Jesus made the most radical claims of any character of history.

More information and contact details can be obtained on www.seekthetruth.org.uk

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