My Sin and Shame

Scripture

He [God the Father] made Him [Christ the Son] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

~2 Corinthians 5:21, NASB

Quote

I’ll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon the cross.

~Tim Hughes

Can you imagine someone loving you so deeply and completely that they are willing to take your sin and shame, and not just yours but that of the every human being. This includes perverts, pedophiles, murderers, rapist, liars, abortionists and even arrogant preachers.

If there is one thing that could get me down and keep me down, it would be the weight of my sin, guilt and shame. I have done some low down despicable things. There are some sins that I have confessed only to God. One of the reasons I long for heaven is to be totally separated from all my sin and shame. The only reason I am getting to go to heaven is Jesus willingness to become my sin and bear my shame in His own body on the cross. Jesus made it possible for me to become righteous like Him. How could I not love Him!

• Joe David and I attended the COLS of Myrtle “Millie” Smith yesterday. Although I did not know Mrs. Smith, I know her children and grandchildren. Some of you might remember Judy Payne {Jan Fields sister-in-law}. Judy donated $6,000 on our first church van. I don’t think I will ever forget the Wednesday morning when she called. Millie Smith was Judy’s mom. Judy has two brothers, Alvis and Randall. Alvis was our neighbor on Craze Road back in the 90’s. I know all of you remember Matt and Anna Brown: both faithfully attended DBC back in their high school days. I got to disciple Matt one on one. Millie was Matt’s grandmother. Judy stayed single after Roy’s accidental death until her children were grown, then the LORD gave her a second good man to love and protect her, his name is Bill Welch. Both Judy and Bill are active in church and love Jesus. I got to visit with Matt just a few minutes after the service and I got to meet his wife. Matt is a fine young man. Most of you remember the night Tray, John and Matt wrecked on 36. It is a miracle that these boys survived.
• I saw Randy Lewis last evening at Ironman. He just finished another round of chemo and was feeling weak but still going. He said he had gained two pounds. Everyone loves Randy. He wants us to continue praying for him which we will do.
• I wake up in a new world practically every day. I generally make my plans the night before but sometimes they get changed. Harold and I were going to work on my old Ford tractor today but I’ve  had  to alter my plans. I have some hard visits to make and I have to get ready for Sunday. If you want to say a short prayer for me, I have no objections.

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Guilt, Horrible Guilt!

SCRIPTURE

I turned away from God, but then I was sorry. I kicked myself for my stupidity! I was thoroughly ashamed of all I did in my younger days.’

~Jeremiah 31:19, NLT

QUOTE

The greatest shame is have none.

~Pascal

I was in Jeremiah 31 yesterday when I came across this verse. The first thing that popped into my mind was, “This could be my life verse.” I can’t number the times I’ve wanted to kick myself for my stupidity. Actually, Jeremiah is speaking prophetically for the future Israel who comes to realize that Jesus was the Messiah and that they missed the truth because they were living in rebellion against God. You see one day and I think soon, Israel is going to acknowledge that Jesus is the Messiah and then they are going to express shame and regret for not seeing the truth sooner.

Bennard

Sin produces guilt and guilt produces shame and condemnation. You and I are helpless; we are powerless to do anything about sin, guilt, shame or condemnation. Thankfully, Jesus on the cross, during the three hours of horrible darkness, took upon Himself our sin, guilt, shame and condemnation. God made HIM who knew no sin to become sin for us all. [2 Cor. 5:1] Jesus deliberately remained powerless so they we would have the privilege of being freed from sin, guilt, shame and condemnation. We are no longer helpless because He was. The morons who mocked Him thought that His remaining on the cross in a helpless state was proof that He was not the Son of God. He refused to save Himself in order to save us.

On a hill far away, stood an old rugged cross, the emblem of suffering and shame. How I have come to love that old cross where the dearest and the very best for a world of lost sinners was slain. Try to convince me that George Bennard was not inspired when he wrote this hymn.

TODAY WE PRAY FOR THE WORLD

• Regular schedule tonight: Supper at 5:30, AWANA at 6:15 and GATHERING at 6:30.
• GOLDEN GIRLS this Saturday morning 9:30 at Cracker Barrel in Hartselle.
• Chloe Bug surgery went well, PTL.
• Good thing I worked on blog when I got home from work because I was at West Park until 9:00 PM which is too late for Seniors and it was also too cold. Big Mama and Josie Tate went home after 2nd inning.

Spiritual Sensitivity

SCRIPTURE

 Then He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him, and He grew sorrowful and deeply distressed. My soul is overwhelmed with grief, to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me. He walked a little farther and finally fell prostrate and prayed.

~Matthew 26:37-39, The VOICE

QUOTE

We ought never sin; yet we always should have sorrow for sin.

~Watchman Nee

Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and for the better part of a week, He taught daily in the Temple, in broad open daylight and He healed the sick. He transformed the Temple from a market place to a ministry place, from den of thieves to a hospital for the hurting. Toward the end of the week as they neared Passover, Jesus begins to feel the weight of the cross. The atmosphere at the Last Supper in very heavy and from there He goes to the garden of Gethsemane. He takes Peter, James and John  into the garden. After asking them to pray for Him, He goes further into the garden but with each step the sorrow and stress mounts. Jesus was overwhelmed with grief to the point of death. Jesus was feeling the tremendous weight of our sin and shame. It was so traumatic that blood oozed through his pores like sweat. This kind of trauma if sustained will kill a man. A part of that unbelievable burden that Jesus bore was our indifference; our unawareness of the battle being fought. While Jesus was sweating blood, the disciple who represent us were sleeping soundly.

How sensitive are we to sin? Are we burdened  in the least about sin and what it is doing to our culture? We may feel a tinge of guilt now and then or of the shame that accompanies sin but we do not have the holiness, the purity to be burdened by our sin nor the worlds.  We are too backslidden to be burdened. It was such a burden on Jesus that He fell on his face. Our sin and shame were such a weight upon His back that it pushed Him to the ground literally crushing the life out of Him. You know what we need more than anything else? It is not a raise, not a new car or house, not even a new president: we desperately need spiritual renewal…old fashioned Holy Ghost REVIVAL, the kind that makes us conscious and broken-hearted over our sin.

A SOAP OPERA IS A SOAP OPERA

June and I anxiously awaited the final episode of THE LAST SHIP this past Sunday night. The USS Nathan James contains the lab and the scientist that can save the world. It is commanded by the heroic Tom Chandler who has led his crew half-way around the world giving Dr. Rachel Scott time to come up with a vaccine for the Red Flu which is whipping out one-third of the world’s population. One big problem, it was not the final episode. It is nothing other than a night-time soap opera and will not resume until the summer of 2015. Are you kidding me; I don’t even buy green bananas. I don’t even know if I will be around by the Summer of 2015.  Sunday night was the final episode of the season leaving us hanging on thread. We are not much closer to a solution than we were after episode one. I hate soap operas for this very reason.  When I sit down, I want to watch something that reaches a conclusion. I came up out of the recliner Sunday night saying, “June, what have you done. You got me hooked on a soap opera. This blasted thing has no ending.” Soap Operas don’t bother her but they drive me crazy. What ever you do, don’t get hooked on the last ship.

• Tonight is our end of Summer Celebration. We do have water slides coming so Youth and Kids need to dress appropriately. We are doing nothing on the inside. Everything is out side and it is basically a picnic so bring your lawn chairs and a pic-ah-nic basket with food in it. We furnish burgers, dogs, buns, ice, paper products. You bring drinks or homemade ice cream or anything that will go with hamburgers. We begin at 6:00. Clara was sick yesterday: pray that she gets better. Shohn planned this event and I hate for her to miss the fun.
• Congrats to Catfish and Sally on the healthy birth of their baby girl Cora Grace. She looks just like Willard. {Kidding Fish}
• Big week: Remember the events for Friday and Saturday.
  • Breakfast for Football Team Friday morning at 7:00
  • Luncheon for Senior Adults Friday at 11:30
  • 5th Quarter after ball game Friday night.
  • Bro. Bryan Mission Trip Saturday morning at 7:30
• I intended to write a prayer for our School Teachers yesterday but did not get around to it. June and I were at hospital all morning and I had to go to my stomach doctor in the afternoon. Today, we pray for the WORLD. I have been burdened for Israel lately: pray for the peace of Israel. It’s coming or should I say, He is coming.
• I am looking forward to the week-end. I do love LABOR DAY WEEKEND. Aren’t we blessed. As June and I rode home from HH yesterday in the heat; I thought, wow, isn’t it great to have cars and A/C. I would hate to ride from Huntsville in a wagon in this heat, amen. I love horses and mules but I thinks cars are great.

Despising the Shame

SCRIPTURE

Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

~Hebrews 12:2, NASB

QUOTE

The greatest shame is to have none.

~Blaise Pascal

It is practically impossible for us to understand the shame associated with the cross. The cross was the most cruel form of execution ever devised by man. Roman citizens were beheaded; the cross was reserved for slaves, foreigners, thieves, murderers and rebels. There was no honor in being nailed to a cross. Yet I believe Jesus’ greatest dread was the vicarious act of becoming sin for us. I could not become sin because I was born in sin. I know what it means to feel dirty and unclean. I know the horror of guilt and the stain of shame. Jesus was holy inside and out. He was as pure as light. In His 33 years, He touched sin but sin could not touch Him. He was without sin; therefore He was without shame, guilt or fear but He knew that once He was nailed to the cross, He would become our sin and shame and bear the full weight of it in His own body.

We are talking about every sin, not just those we take lightly like gossip, robbing God or laying out of church. He bore the shame of pedophilia, homosexuality, perversions of every sort, child abuse, cowardice–all the sins that we despise. Would you want to die with the shame associated with homosexuality? We will never know how much it cost for Christ to bear all our sin and shame on the cross.

• Quiet day on Monday which is fine with me. We did have good attendance and good offering Sunday, very good. Praise the LORD!
• Had a good visit with Judy Davis today. She is home doing well. Judy teaches our Senior Adult ladies and does a great job. She stays in touch with all her members.

Front Pew Shower for Stacy and Danielle

 

Stacy and Danielle

Entire Bailey Bunch: Be quiet or you will wake Datchie!

Struggling With A Guilty Conscious

SCRIPTURE: “O my God, I am utterly ashamed; I blush to lift up my face to you. For our sins are piled higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached to the heavens.” [Ezra 9:6, NLT]

QUOTE: Some people feel guilty about their anxieties and regard  them as a defect of faith but they are afflictions, not sins. Like all  afflictions, they are, if we can so take them, our share in the passion of  Christ.~C.S. Lewis

COMMENTARY: Notice in the scripture above the three highlighted words– sins, guilt and shame. Adam and Eve sinned, they became guilty and they felt ashamed. In a fallen world, we sin, we feel guilty and shame collects like ice on the wings of plane. From time to time I really struggle with my wellness verses the sickness of my friends. Why are they sick instead of me? Why are some folks, including many children, in a wheel chair while folks like me walk around? Am I more deserving? Not in a million years! I will say this: I am sick of sin, beginning with my own. I have done things and said things that hurt other people and I am sorry. What Peter did once; I’ve done a hundred times. One thing is certain, this world is far from perfect. I could probably name you at least a dozen things about this world that I don’t like–Abortion, bloodshed, cancer, death, envy, false prophets, greed, hunger, injustice, judges on the take, killing, liberals, mediocrity, narcotics, oppression, pimps, queens[fooled you, didn’t I], rock music, sexual preditors, taxes, Unitarians, vice, war, xerox, yes men and zippers.  Can I ever be truly happy in this world?  I know the answer is a resounding NO!  Maybe one of the reasons why God doesn’t fix everything for us here and now is that He wants us to long for the hereafter. If that is His intention, it is working. No guilt in heaven fair; no sin or sickness there and what I long for most of all is to dwell in the shadow of the Almighty. Oh that will be glory for me! It will be glory for all who put their trust in Christ. It would not be right for me to tell you what wrong with this world without telling you what’s right with Jesus which is everything.

By the way: I hope C.S. Lewis is right. I know his quote encouraged me.

EXTRA: Folks, I don’t know what to expect anymore. I woke up around my usual time yesterday and June [who is always awake] said, “They changed the forecast, it is not going to snow.” I get to work and middle of the morning, the clouds do look like snow so I tell TLC, “I going to the hospital before the weather gets worse.” I came out of DGH and you could see ice collecting beside the buildings. I start back to the office via Hartselle and by the time I get to West Hartselle, visibility is about 200 yards and people are driving 20 MPH. I  thought,“There is no way it can stick at these temps,” but it came in such abundance for 30 minutes that it did collect. It is a good thing it was 38*. Had we known it was going to leave as fast as it came, we could have all stuck tight but we didn’t know. June and I were out late last night: we attended an Elvis concert at 12 Stephenson Road. I do prefer Elvis over MJ, if you know what I mean.

Keep praying for Gary.

Ray’s Branch