Live Before You Die - day 14

Dying to self, what do we mean?  It means we die to our desires, our ego, and our will.  Sometimes this even means dying to our own vision.  But you may say, "I'm sure my vision is God-given.  It is His will."  Yet there is an inherent danger.  It is possible for the calling, promises, and vision God has given us to become our main ambition, making them opponents of God, for He is not willing to share our hearts with anything - not even with good things.

Many of us are willing to surrender until it begins to hurt, but true surrender is painful.  Some people are willing to surrender as long as it is logical, but true surrender is not subject to our rationale.  Others can surrender what is bad and harmful, but God is not satisfied.  To God surrender is not complete until it is all encompassing, exhaustive, total.  It is not simply saying, "your will be done," but it includes, "Not my will."  This death to self is not some form of divine sadism.  God always has life in mind. Just as a gardener prunes off the old branches so new ones can grow, God desires to remove that which hinders life and growth.  This place of death is also the place of birth, and it is how God's purposes are born in the earth!

What if He asked you to lay down your gift or talent, the thing that defines you - the thing in which you find self-worth?  Could you lay your promise on the altar as Abraham did Isaac, or push your treasures into the dumpster as John Wimber did?  Have you checked to see who is sitting on the throne of your heart?  Is it you? Is it your vision?  Is it your dream?  Or is it Jesus?

Resurrection only follows death - death to self, death to your will, death to your desires, and death to your dreams. It is in these painful moments of surrender that God's kingdom is established in us, when we pray with Jesus, "Not my will, but Yours be done."

Daniel Kolenda, Live before you die

Live Before You Die - day 13

God's eternal glory will penetrate the natural world through broken men and women.  And when the kingdom of God comes into contact with the fallen world, we begin to see heavenly effects:  the sick are healed, the dead are raised, bondages are broken, and the supernatural begins to happen.

As we travel on the journey of discovering God's will, the narrow road cuts through a dark valley where God tests our hearts and breaks us.  The breaking process is uncomfortable but very important to endure if we want to see God's will done in our lives.  The valley of brokenness is where we learn to say, "not my will, but Yours, be done." This brokenness, while painful, releases amazing power and makes us useful to God.

When we are broken vessels of clay, then God's power shines out, and all the glory is His.  This is why Paul says, "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God . . . that, just as it is written, 'Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord'" (1 Cor 1:27-29, 31). God loves to use broken vessels because through them He gets the most glory!

The world values the lofty, powerful, proud, and big.  God values a broken and a contrite heart, a heart that is humble and bowed low before the King.  In Isaiah 66:2 the Lord says, "'This is the one I esteem:  he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.'"  The psalmist says in Psalm 51:17, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."

A broken person is a person who is crucified with Christ.  It is in this kind of person that God's will is being done and in whom God's kingdom is present and flowing out to the world around him.

Daniel Kolenda, Live before you die

Live Before You Die - Day 12

Where Adam failed in the Garden of Eden, Jesus prevailed in the Garden of Gethsemane. And the key to Christ's victory here was the secret of His whole life, embodied in those seven immortal words, "Not my will, but thine, be done." The Roman soldiers seized Jesus and crucified Him, but they could not take His life, for He had already laid it down in Gethsemane.  "No one takes My life from Me," was Jesus's confession, "but I lay it down of Myself."

Many times people embark on the journey to discover God's will having already made up their minds about what they think God wants them to do.  And often what they are actually seeking is divine validation of what they desire.  If you truly want God's will for your life, you cannot simply pray, "your will be done." You must include, "Not my will."

The kingdom of God is present wherever God's authority is acknowledged and submitted to.  Jesus was praying for God's will to be done exclusively - the way it is done in heaven.  In other words, all other wills bow to the divine will, God's authority is recognized and submitted to, and everything comes into alignment with what the Father desires.

It all begins with the heart - it all begins with us.  Jesus said "The kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21). What was Jesus talking about?  He was talking about God's will being done in the hearts of men.  Human kings fight over land and spoil, but the real estate God desires is that of the heart.

Jesus said in John 7:38, "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'" He didn't say we would see rivers of water flow from heaven - He said they would flow from inside His people! God's kingdom is not coming out of the blue sky; it's coming from within us! God's will is that every believer becomes an annexation of His kingdom, a portal through which He can pour His glory and release His power into the world.  If you want to see God's kingdom come on earth, it starts with God's will being done in earth - in you!

Daniel Kolenda, Live before you die

Live Before You Die - day 11

God's purposes are like a freight train that cannot be stopped, and the most dangerous place in the world to stand is in the way of those purposes because they will not slow down to avoid running over you. If you doubt this, just ask Pharaoh, who refused to let the children of Israel go in the Book of Exodus.  God has absolutely no chance of losing.  We are the only ones who stand to lose when we fail to obey.

We have been placed in this world for a purpose:  to propel God's kingdom forward.  This is more than a preference or privilege; it is a divine responsibility and duty for which we will be held eternally accountable. Propelling God's kingdom forward is not a side issue - it is the reason you were saved, it's the reason you were born.

A voice says, “Cry!”

And I said, “What shall I cry?”

All flesh is grass,

and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.

 The grass withers, the flower fades

when the breath of the Lord blows on it;

surely the people are grass.

Isaiah 40:6-7

 

Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket,

and are accounted as the dust on the scales;

behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust.

40:15, 17

 

Movie stars, world leaders, and business tycoons all think they are very important, and nightly news reports would have us believe the world revolves around these people and their influence, power, and wealth.  But from God's perspective it is all nothingness and futility.  All of their wars, struggles, and efforts to rise to the top of the ladder are all worthless.  When all is said and done, what is the purpose of everything we do?

 

All the goods we acquire soon rot, precious moments are forgotten, and money evaporates as the dew.  The world keeps spinning and changing as people and kingdoms come and go.  But when we are seeking first the kingdom of God, it means we have made God's kingdom the priority in our lives.  Put God's kingdom first, and not only will you find ultimate purpose and meaning in life, but also even the small things will also take on significance.

 

Careers, life partners, finances, location, and education should never be our chief focus.  All of these things will be sorted out and added to us as we keep the kingdom of God as our primary concern.  As we seek God's will for our lives, we can be sure that it will never move us in a direction that is contrary to God's kingdom purposes.  Jesus says that if we seek the kingdom first, all these things will be added to us.  If you will set your sights on His kingdom and make that your priority, as you move toward it you will automatically come across everything else you need!

 

Many people think the kingdom of God is an ethereal and irrelevant topic, and they prefer to be "down to earth."  They have decided to first concentrate on putting food on the table and paying the bills.  This seems to be the responsible and practical thing to do.

 

But what Jesus taught is quite the opposite.  Jesus said, "Don't worry about what you will eat or what you will wear.  Your Father in heaven knows you need these things, and He will take care of you.  Instead seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you." (See Matthew 6:25-33.) Put the kingdom of God first, and everything else will be taken care of - physical, mental, and emotional needs included.  When we put anything ahead of Christ and His kingdom in our lives, not only will we miss God's kingdom, but we will also miss all the other treasures as well. 

 

We do not seek the kingdom however because we love its benefits - we seek the kingdom because we love its King!  When our love for the King becomes our paramount incentive, then and only then do we have things in the right order.  If we are driven by a philosophy or an ideology, a desire to make the world a better place or to see a new order established, then our ambition falls into the same category as communism, Marxism, socialism, and all the other "-isms."  Seeking the kingdom of God is in a category all by itself because it stems from a fountain deeper than any motive in this world - divine, supernatural love for the King.  This love is the foundation and the driving force behind the kingdom that will endure long after all others have crumbled to dust.

 

 

Daniel Kolenda, Live before you die

Live Before You Die - day 10

In the Lord's Prayer Jesus prayed, "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matt 6:10).

Every one of God's holy prophets since the beginning of the world has spoken about the restoration of all things.  Those prophecies will be fulfilled, the prayer of Jesus will be answered, and God's kingdom will come.  This is what we long for.  This is what we pray for.  This is what we work for - for God's kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven!  Regardless of what we do as an occupation, we all share a singular calling and mission in this life: to build God's kingdom on earth.

The building of God's kingdom on earth is not just something we should keep in the back of our minds and try to contribute toward whenever an opportunity presents itself.  Seeing God's kingdom come on earth must be our main ambition.  In fact, Jesus said, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matt. 6:33, emphasis added).

I see this scenario play out before my eyes every day in the West.  Our comforts and conveniences have often made us complacent and indifferent to a dying world.  We are often afraid to do anything that might disturb our cozy, pampered lives.

The gospel is not an optional topic of conversation best left out of the workplace. It is God who gave you your job, and He gave it to you for a reason.  God is calling you into the ministry - even if He positions you in a "secular" occupation.  Your calling is to propel God's kingdom forward in whatever sphere you find yourself.

The money in our bank accounts is not ours - it all belongs to God to begin with.  He is not only the source of all our provision, but He is also the One who has given us the ability to create wealth.  God hasn't blessed us so we can consume those resources on our own lusts and pleasures; He has blessed us so we can be a blessing.

If God has entrusted you with money, you must realize that you are not the terminus; you are a channel through which those resources should flow.  Yes, when water flows through a pipe, the pipe also gets wet!  When God's blessings flow through you, you are also blessed personally, but never make the mistake of thinking you are blessed because you are so special or wonderful, intelligent or talented.  As Mordecai said to Esther, "Don't flatter yourself!"

He's blessed you for a purpose, and your fulfilling that purpose is not a side issue - it's the reason you have those blessings in the first place!  If you won't do what God has called you to do, He will find someone else who will do it with joy!

Daniel Kolenda, Live before you die

For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)


 

Live Before You Die - day 9

If you are still breathing, it is never too late for God to intervene and restore what the locust and canker worm have eaten.  Disobedience to God's will is not a trivial matter.  God's grace does not guarantee that we will never have to live with negative consequences of our actions.  Many times, even though God forgives and restores, there are still scars that remain from disobedience, and often the process of correcting our errant route is long and painful.

If you are going in the wrong direction, before you do anything else, you need to stop!  Even if your mistake was not caused by deliberate disobedience against the known will of God, you need to acknowledge your mistake and ask for forgiveness.

For the child of God repentance should be a lifestyle.  To repent means to "turn," to change one's mind and direction.  We tend to think of repentance as primarily turning away from something, as in turning away from sin and making a one-hundred-eighty-degree change to the opposite direction. It is what you turn to that makes the difference. If we think of repentance only as a one-hundred-eighty-degree turn, then we fail to understand that sometimes a minor but crucial fine-tuning is necessary to keep us calibrated with the heart of God.

Repentance is the practice of the righteous.  We must constantly turn our hearts to God - from darkness to light, from the flesh to the Spirit, from the temporal to the eternal, from death unto life.  Sometimes repentance may have nothing to do with sin at all.  It may simply be a slight correction in mind-set or attitude that brings our spirits back into alignment with the Spirit of God.  Turn to Jesus and you will automatically turn from sin.

There is a big difference between learning from the past and living in it.  We need to learn from our mistakes lest we repeat them. But we cannot go back and change the past. We must move on with the remaining time we have and live from this moment forward in obedience to the will of God.  To live in the past is to insult the spirit of grace and the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross.  He paid the price so you could be forgiven from the mistakes of the past.  If you have been washed in the blood of Jesus, God does not condemn you, and neither should you condemn yourself.

Daniel Kolenda, Live before you die

Live Before You Die - day 8

When you find something that makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning, when you find something that challenges and thrills you, when you find something that you sense you were made to do, chances are you are getting close to discovering God's will for your life.  This does not mean that obedience, death to self, and sacrifice are never required or necessary.  But when a person is doing what he was created to do, there is a taste of sweetness in the sacrifice, a sense of fulfillment in the obedience, and an enduring hope in the suffering.

It was Paul who said, "I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Rom 8:18). And James even goes so far as to say "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds" (James 1:2).  How is it possible to have joy in the face of difficulties, trials, and suffering?  It is possible because when we are in God's will, there is an unexplainable grace that accompanies us.

"But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ" (Ephes 4:7).  Not only did He give gifts, He also gave grace according to the measure of the gift.  The Bible says this grace is given to every one of us according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Whenever God calls you to do something, He will always supply the perfect measure of grace so you will be able to operate in your gifting.  But whenever you try to operate outside your gift, you will find it difficult, burdensome, and miserable, because there will be no grace for it.

When God's gift and grace are resting on a person for a certain task or calling, he is able to do with joy what would seem difficult or even impossible to others.  Don't make the mistake of trying to force those around you to do what God has called you to do, and don't look down on them for doing something other than what you think is so important. Recognize that, as Paul said, "Each has his own special gift from God, one of this kind and one of another" (1 Cor 7:7).  If you think everyone should be doing one particular thing, chances are, that is what you are called to do!

Daniel Kolenda, Live before you die

Live Before You Die - day 7

"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart" (Gal 6:9).

If we desire to discover God's will for our lives, we must learn to recognize the characteristics of His will. 

God has already gone to great lengths to reveal to us in His Word what His will is for everyone - I call this the "standard will of God."  But in addition to His standard will, God has something tailor-made for each of our lives.  I call this the "specific will of God."

The specific will of God for your life will never go against His standard will - what He has already revealed to us in His Word.

God has a "good" will for your life, but He also has a "perfect" will.  His perfect will and the blessings that accompany it are reserved for those who are willing to be radically obedient and to wait when necessary.  There are moments when God's way will seem so difficult, so prolonged, and so unrewarding, while our idea will seem much easier, much quicker, and so much more enjoyable.  But it is only an illusion.

Finding the will of God always requires faith for the impossible and a childlike dependence upon Him.  The Bible is filled with the accounts of men and women who found their destiny in the perfect will of God by doing things that were impossible for them to do on their own.

God has given us the freedom to choose whether or not we are going to follow His will.  Settling for less than God's best for our lives is often the easy road, and good things are often the greatest enemy of the best things.  There is a perpetual conflict in the Christian life between what is "good" and what is "God."  Whenever we choose to disobey and do things our own way, something is lost that can never be restored.  God will forgive and heal, but He will not turn back the hands of time.

Many people have a vision given to them by the Lord.  But a vision that is not embraced and nurtured through the appropriate season of preparation will invariably die.  When God gives a vision, we must take some kind of action, or that vision will never become anything more than a fantasy.

One of the biggest misconceptions about discovering the will of God is that if something is truly part of God's plan for you, there will be no struggle involved in accomplishing it.  That is a myth!  If God has called you to do something, you will almost certainly encounter a significant amount of struggle.  God may actually even allow failures along the way, because He is more interested in the worker than He is the work.  The journey is an important process that matters very much to God.  The process of following Him in obedience, step by step, through many unknowns, trials, and difficulties, is a significant part of our development and preparation.  God uses the journey to teach us faith, to refine our character, and to equip us for the greater challenges that lie ahead.

Don't make the mistake of thinking, even for a moment, that just because you don't know today what God's will is for your life that you are not making any progress.  Something is happening right now.  Your faith is being stretched, and your patience is being tried.  Your spiritual ears are being tuned as you listen to hear the voice of God's Spirit.  God always prepares us in advance for what He has in store for us! That process may be uncomfortable, but it is necessary nonetheless.

Daniel Kolenda, Live before you die

Live Before You Die - day 6

God's kingdom is intended not to be confined behind the stained-glass windows of beautiful churches but to permeate the planet. The kingdom of heaven is designed to grow, multiply, and infiltrate all that it comes in contact with........

That can never happen if the only ones doing the work of the ministry are the apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, and evangelists.  Instead God's plan is for the real work of the ministry to be done by the plumbers, the high school teachers, the landscapers, the lawyers, and the doctors.  We need men and women who carry the glory of God and the gospel witness into the White House, Hollywood, Wall Street, Main Street, and every other area of culture and society.

The New Testament pattern is for those in fivefold ministry offices to serve the body of Christ by equipping the saints for the work of the ministry (Eph. 4:12).  The real ministers and ambassadors of God's kingdom to the world, the real players on the field, are the hundreds of millions of blood-washed saints who make up the body of Christ.  What a tragic loss we have incurred by perpetuating the mentality that the few of us in fivefold ministry are the "real" ministers and the rest are just spectators.

In reality, most Christians are called to serve God in "secular" spheres of influence.  But one thing is certain: no matter what God calls you to do, it is for His glory and for the expansion of His kingdom.  This is not about personal satisfaction.

Whether God calls you to full-time, vocational ministry or calls you to be His ambassador in the world of business, science, government, entertainment, or wherever, the principles are the same, the keys to discovering God's will are the same, the challenges and pitfalls are the same and, in the end, the reward will be the same.  Contrary to what many people believe, God does not reward us based on how many people we lead to Jesus.  He rewards us based on our obedience and faithfulness to His call and will.  May you be faithful and obedient in whatever field He calls you to so that in the end you will hear those words, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant" (Matt 25:21).

Daniel Kolenda, Live before you die

 

Live Before You Die - day 5

Preconceptions produce misconceptions that can blind us to what is obvious, and this happens to many people as they seek God's will for their lives.

Those things that bring confusion and over analysis need to be dropped.  Start with simple, childlike faith.  Trust that God has a plan He is trying to reveal to you. Believe that He wants you to discover it more than you want to discover it!

God's call to Abraham did not include specific coordinates, just a call to go.  As Abraham obeyed, God revealed His plan one step at a time.  ........more often than not God reveals His will in a much less extravagant fashion, and it often unfolds slowly, layer by layer over time rather than in a single, earth-shattering epiphany.

If God revealed His ultimate plan for our lives from the beginning, we would often find ourselves chasing a dream rather than following Him.  God didn't want to just send Abraham to his inheritance; God wanted to lead him there.

God's will is never revealed in such a way that it negates our need for dependence upon Him.  The real reward for following God is God Himself.  He calls to us to see if we will follow even without knowing all the details.  When He sees that we take a step of obedience, then He gives us the next step.

Jesus laid out a principle in Luke 16:10 that is absolutely essential in the quest to discover God's will for our lives.  Jesus said, "He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much:  and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much."  God calls us to small things before He calls us to great things. Many people want God to speak audibly from heaven and give them direction, yet they aren't following the small directions they already have.  If you aren't doing what you already know to do, why should God give you more instructions?  If you aren't being faithful in the small things, why should God entrust you with more important things?

As you follow Him in obedience, step by step and day by day, the picture will become clearer and He will entrust you with more and more. Eventually the day will come when you will look back on the many steps you took in faith and obedience, and you will see how the Lord carefully and strategically orchestrated each one in a way you never could have engineered in your own strength or wisdom.

Daniel Kolenda, Live before you die

Live Before You Die - day 4

While Gideon was still in his mother's womb, God called him a mighty man of valor, and God never gave up on that dream for Gideon's life.

When Gideon looked in the mirror, all he could see were disadvantages and shortcomings.  He doubted that he was capable of greatness and was not convinced the Lord had picked the right man for the job.  But the Lord knew exactly what Gideon needed to hear, and He spoke words that went right to the heart of Gideon's inadequacy:  "The Lord said to him, Surely I will be with you" (Judg. 6:16).

These were the words Gideon needed to hear, and these are also the words you need to hear deep within your spirit as you begin this journey of discovering God's will for your life.  "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Heb 13:5) and again in Matthew 28:20, "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of age." 

When we understand this reality and it becomes part of the fabric of who we are, then we will begin to view every circumstance, both positive and negative, as a situation God can put to work for our good and the furtherance of His purposes.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." 

Daniel Kolenda, Live before you die

Live Before You Die - day 3

Many times when we begin to break out of the old patterns and mind-sets that have held us back, rejecting the status quo and looking for higher ground, our greatest opponents are close friends, fellow church members, and even our own relatives.  In fact, it's interesting to note that the Midianites, being descendants of Abraham, were actually cousins of the Israelites.  It was these "family members," if you will, who had so oppressed Israel that they were cowering in fear rather than living victoriously.  The enemy knows how to use those closest to us to bring discouragement.  They say, "Who do you think you are? Do you think you're better than us?  We've known you since you were a child.  We've seen all your failures, and we know your faults.  You are just one of us.  Get back in your place!"

But God sees more in us than we see in ourselves, and our obstacles, failures, and shortcomings do not intimidate Him.

The architect of the universe spoke the worlds into existence, but He crafted Adam with His own hands and breathed into him with His own mouth!  God has crowned His creation with a masterpiece, which is distinguished because it is "handmade" by the great Creator!  And God continues to fashion mankind with His own hands.  Psalm 139:13 says, "For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb."

But before He began to weave you together in your mother's womb, He saw you in His eternal mind down to the smallest detail.  And before you were ever born, He had a dream for your life.  Perhaps as He was weaving you together in your mother's womb, He said, "I'm going to make this little girl into a mighty prophetess to her generation!"  Whatever His dream for your life might be, one thing is for sure:  His will for your life is beyond what you could ask or think!

Daniel Kolenda, Live before you die

Live Before You Die - day 2

If the burden we feel for people is our sole motivation for preaching the gospel or serving the Lord, it is just another form of humanism.

After Jesus had risen from the dead, He found that Peter had gone back to his old occupation - fishing. After cooking breakfast for Peter, Jesus pointed to one of the fish and asked this question, "'Simon [Peter] son of John, do you truly love me more than these?' 'Yes, Lord,' he said, 'you know that I love you.' Jesus said, 'Feed my lambs'" (John 21:15).  Note that Jesus didn't say, "Peter, do you love My lambs?" Then, "Feed My lambs."  Rather Jesus asked, "Peter, do you love ME?" Peter's ministry to the sheep was to be motivated primarily by his love for Christ, not his love for the lambs.

When we receive His gift of life, which cost Jesus His life, how can we spend it in the pursuit of our own ambitions, lusts, and gratification?  God forbid.  Instead, in reverent awe and profound love, we are compelled to pour our lives back out before Him like a drink offering, holding nothing back, giving everything we are in the service of the only King who will reign forever and ever.  Make no mistake -  this is not a waste.  It is our reasonable service.  We have been saved to serve.

Leonard Ravenhill once asked the question, "Is what you're living for worth Christ dying for?"  We were not saved so that we could be polished, decorative knickknacks sitting on God's shelf filling space in heaven for eternity.  We have been saved for a purpose, and the fulfillment of that purpose is the only acceptable reaction we can have to the great gift of salvation we have received.  You have been saved, not for salvation's sake, but you have been saved to serve.

Daniel Kolenda, Live before you die

Live Before You Die - day 1

I just started a new book titled Live before you die by Daniel Kolenda.  Mr. Kolenda is a missionary evangelist and president of Christ for all Nations.  I'd like to take the next days/weeks to share excerpts from this book and hopefully you will find them as informative and moving as I have.



The purpose of your existence is not to achieve your own happiness or success.  Your role is to advance a cause greater than yourself. 

Although our lives will one day come to an end, the kingdom of God will keep moving forward to victory, and herein lies our greatest opportunity.  With our mortal hands we can help to build God's eternal kingdom - and that is the greatest privilege any human being could have!

Paul realized he had been saved to serve.  He went on to tell the Romans that they should also present themselves to God as a living sacrifice, and then he added, "which is your reasonable service" (Rom 12:1).  In other words this is not some generous favor you are doing for God.  He purchased you and redeemed you with the blood of His Son.  He set you free from sin and bondage.  He has blessed you with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ.  In light of all He had done for you, your reciprocate service to Him is only "reasonable."  You have been saved to serve.

Guilt

….. the feelings of guilt you experience are not always proof positive of your guilt.  That’s because there are two kinds of guilt in this world – there is godly guilt, or grief, and worldly guilt, or grief.  Both claim your sinfulness, but not both are accurate. 

 

“Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment!” (2 Cor 7:10-11)

This means there is good guilt and there is bad guilt.

Guilt can be associated with actual sin, or guilt can be associated with regret, pride, or a misunderstanding of God’s Word.  The cause of godly guilt is always sin.  Godly guilt leads you to God, not to self.  And out of that comes your awareness of your utter sinfulness and your need for a perfect Savior.

Worldly guilt happens “when the guilt you are feeling is misplaced, when it is guilt not over sin but over failure, suffering, mistakes, embarrassment or a missed opportunity.  When you feel guilty after you’ve already confessed a sin to God, this is worldly guilt.  To continue to fret about it and hold on to it is to say God isn’t big enough to forgive you.  It is an affront to God and a lie of the biggest kind that comes from the prince of lies, the accuser from the garden.

Feeling guilty for doing what God loves but what man hates is not godly guilt.  There may be hurt feelings involved, but there is no guilt associated with obedience.  In Luke 14:26-27 Jesus says, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.  Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”

So there is no guilt in loving God over man.

As soon as guilt convicts of sin, confession is called for.  But if the guilt you feel doesn’t point to sin in your life, then that guilt can be discarded as useless and built around pleasing man, not God. 

 

There is no reason to be ruled by feelings of guilt when Christ came to remove your guilt.

 

 

Michael and Hayley DiMarco, Die Young