"GRAB A HOLD"

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Guilt.

For such a short and compact little word, it sure packs one incredible and debilitating punch.

Guilt can enslave us.

Guilt can cripple us.

Guilt can immobilize us.

Guilt can send us on errands we otherwise would decline.

Guilt "grabs a hold" of us and doesn’t want to let go!

Yesterday in my office was a mom who was riddled with guilt. Her past poor choices and perceived hopeless future had her perplexed and in all kinds of pain.

“I wish I hadn’t” started a lot of sentences.

“I wish I could” started a bunch more.

Guilt had so twisted her thinking that suicide seemed like a better option rather than face all of the seemingly impossible hurdles in front of her. Hurdles like family reconciliation and acceptance. Hurdles like holidays and being a mom and grandma. You know “those kinds” of hurdles.

I was so happy to be able to open up the Word of GOD and show her that this guilt could be licked and quite frankly had already been licked by the work of JESUS. I was thrilled to counter all that guilt was trying to do with some power-packed truth from GOD himself!

Truth like:

Psalm 103:11-12

…for his mercy toward those who fear and honor him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far away from us as the east is from the west.

Isaiah 43:25

“I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.

Romans 6:14

For sin is no longer a tyrant over you; indeed you are under GRACE…

I love it when grace grabs guilt right by the throat and shows it who is boss don’t you?

But we all from time to time fall into the same trap as my friend. Our mistakes, the bad choices and more importantly their consequences pile around us and do their best to blot out the light and hope that is grace. The enemy fires lie after lie at us in an effort to beat us down, make us quit, or consider giving up.

But don’t believe or embrace a word of it.

Jesus came to GIVE US GRACE. Jesus died to COVER US IN GRACE. And it is GRACE that frees us from all of the guilt and the lies of the enemy.

Now will we still face the consequences and fall out of our bad decisions and sin like my friend?

We will.

We can’t forget, GOD doesn’t condone our sin or completely erase the consequences. He is a good Father after all.

But GOD does take the guilt and replace it with grace when we let Him, when we believe Him, when we confess to Him and when we trust Him!

1 John 1:9 (V)

But if we own up to our sins, God shows that He is faithful and just by forgiving us of our sins and purifying us from the pollution of all the bad things we have done.

You catch that? GRACE will not only rid us of the guilt but will let GOD start clearing up the messes and start our restoration!

Maybe you are like my friend. The guilt of your sin has “got a hold” of you today. If so, if it is beating you down and filling your head with lies, pause and confess it to Lord.

And then “grab a hold of” grace.

Numbers 6:25

May the Lord bless and protect you; may the Lord’s face radiate with joy because of you; may he be GRACIOUS to you, show you his favor, and give you his peace.

I love you all!

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney