March 19
We often hear people ask, “Who are you that you think you have the
right to judge me?” I have seen believers bristle at the judgment from others
on what they are doing, or what they are saying. While I do not enjoy people
judging me, I know that if I am ever to become like Jesus Christ, I am going to
need to judge myself. I am going to need to allow the Holy Spirit of God to do
spiritual surgery on me to remove the tumors of bad habits, thoughts, and
actions.
Please don’t misunderstand me … I don’t like it when my flaws are
exposed for all to see. However, I realize that if God is ever going to conform
me into the image of His Son, there needs to be some major changes in my life.
It is interesting to me that the most spiritual people I have known in my lifetime,
were also the most keenly aware of their spiritual deficiencies. Today I read a
verse that has deeply impacted my heart. Peter wrote, “For the time is come
that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what
shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God” (I Peter 4:17)?
Peter wrote these words to first century Christians. These were
people who would be threatened to renounce Christ or be burned at the stake,
beheaded, thrown in a coliseum with lions, or crucified. Peter encouraged them
to do some spiritual inventory. He mentioned the importance of this happening
in the church. Within the family of God. We love to look outside the family of
God today and criticize the world for acting worldly. Peter challenged his readers,
and us to look within our own hearts, and within the church.
We need to continually do spiritual inventory. We need to do that
to make sure that we are in a place where God can answer prayer. David wrote
that if we regard iniquity in our heart, that the Lord will not hear us. I
agree with him. How can we live with sin within us that we know is there, and
expect God then to bless us with all that He wants to give us and do for us? We
cannot expect that to happen. Peter’s challenge in this verse has always
touched my heart deeply.
Why? Because I know who I am. I know that confessing sin is not a
daily practice for me, but is often a minute by minute practice. I am not
trying to fool you into thinking that I am some kind of spiritual giant writing
these devotionals. I need the things I challenge you with, just as much as I
hope you feel that you need them. Let’s get on our faces before God today and
ask Him to clean as only He can clean a person. Then, let’s get up and go into
the world and do the work He has called us to do!