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| What Sins could you be guilty of? I must admit, some of these were my confessed sins. |
Dr. Fred Schindler preached a message this week that totally grabbed my heart and with humbling of my spirit to a Holy God, the Holy Spirit revealed to me things in my life that needed to be addressed, changed, and yes, even sin that I had to repent of. I try never to go in to a service without first asking God to give me something to take out of the meeting that will help me in some way in my Christian walk.
Dr. Schindler shared his experience of how he knew when he was filled with the Holy Spirit – as was his desire as a young preacher boy starting out in the service of the Lord, and is still his desire in his daily Christian life. He did say that the big question asked of Him by young preacher boys was, “How do you KNOW when you are filled with the Holy Spirit”? His answer, “I may not know when He indwells me but I do know when He doesn’t!” Of which we can all relate.
Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Sin will keep us separated from the Comforter and grieves our heavenly Father. Dr. Schindler told us that one of the most important things we could do was to get right with God with regards to un-confessed sin. An old preacher he went to for advice and counseling (and yes, preachers need help on occasion, and could do well by seeking wise counsel not only from older more experienced preachers, but there are great saints in the pews of our churches who can help and lead a young preacher) suggested that if he wanted to truly be filled with the Holy Spirit and be used of God, he should go into a room all alone and write down every known sin in his life….every single one!
Only he and God would know about that document so he wasn’t to hold back ANYTHING! He was almost ashamed to say that he filled up, in several columns, a full 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper; and him a “preacher!” He knelt before a Holy God and began to pray . . and it wasn’t long before a great peace came over him and he was able to get up and know that the Lord had forgiven him and the Holy Spirit truly indwelled within him, and had been there since the day he was saved; he just had not allowed Him to have free reign because of the sin he had just confessed. He now does this EVERY day of his life and encouraged all of us to do the same!
We know that God already knows about our sin, the Lord revealed to me during the message that He just wants us to become humble enough to admit it to ourselves and to Him! He can help us overcome ANY sin in our lives, if we WANT Him to.
Don’t think you the preacher are exempt from sin! In fact, our Preachers are attacked continuously by the one who would destroy them and their families, to hinder the work of the Lord. So Preacher, the question is how often do you have to confess a personal sin, over and over and over? When are you going to lay it down and let God take control? What do you preach from the pulpit about known or hidden sin! Maybe you should check up on yourself before you get in the pulpit! Identify your sin by writing it down; somehow it becomes even more real. Do you have trouble with lying (even the little white ones), stealing, cheating, meanness, laziness, hard headedness, or other sins that people may not see, but God Knows about? Maybe we should all take heed to what Nehemiah said about confessing sins. Nehemiah 9:2 And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins,. . .”
That is what I did this weekend in the privacy of my own devotions…. Yes, I am a fulltime Christian servant the wife of a Preacher and a missionary… and I am ashamed to say my list was longer that even I could imagine in my mind. But seeing it on paper was a shock. God is so good and gracious to forgive that sin!
Preacher some questions for you? Are you puffed up with the “power” and position the Lord has placed you in? Or do you have a humble spirit knowing God can take you down as well as put you up?
Are you kind, concerned, loving, sharing, listening, sharing, forgiving, caring, visiting, soul-winning, encouraging, protective of the church and flock, studying, preaching; like you know you should be, or the negative to each or any of those adjectives above? You think you are the only one who knows the answer, but that isn’t true. God Knows, for sure! And your family knows absolutely, they live with you. And the people you work with everyday and interact with every week in church or in your daily activities have some idea. .” Numbers 32:23 “But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.”
Maybe it is time to “write” down those sins, lay them before the Lord, beg for forgiveness and then as we always should repent and allow the Lord to lead, guide and direct your life completely.
I am a much happier person today. It doesn’t mean I won’t ever sin again; we are living in the flesh in a world full of sin. But it does mean that God will hear me again if I do sin. We have his promise!
I was truly blessed by all the messages this week at the meeting, and this is the result. There are many great preachers today who are better equipped to share these thoughts than I, one being my own husband; in fact any preacher could but I do hope you are helped in some way. Remember, sometimes we are the worlds worst when it comes to forgiving ourselves. But God is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins.
If you want a Christ Like life, go to Him! Trust Him as never before, and gain the peace that He longs for you to have. Psalms 73:28 “But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.”
Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Sin will keep us separated from the Comforter and grieves our heavenly Father. Dr. Schindler told us that one of the most important things we could do was to get right with God with regards to un-confessed sin. An old preacher he went to for advice and counseling (and yes, preachers need help on occasion, and could do well by seeking wise counsel not only from older more experienced preachers, but there are great saints in the pews of our churches who can help and lead a young preacher) suggested that if he wanted to truly be filled with the Holy Spirit and be used of God, he should go into a room all alone and write down every known sin in his life….every single one!
Only he and God would know about that document so he wasn’t to hold back ANYTHING! He was almost ashamed to say that he filled up, in several columns, a full 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper; and him a “preacher!” He knelt before a Holy God and began to pray . . and it wasn’t long before a great peace came over him and he was able to get up and know that the Lord had forgiven him and the Holy Spirit truly indwelled within him, and had been there since the day he was saved; he just had not allowed Him to have free reign because of the sin he had just confessed. He now does this EVERY day of his life and encouraged all of us to do the same!
We know that God already knows about our sin, the Lord revealed to me during the message that He just wants us to become humble enough to admit it to ourselves and to Him! He can help us overcome ANY sin in our lives, if we WANT Him to.
Don’t think you the preacher are exempt from sin! In fact, our Preachers are attacked continuously by the one who would destroy them and their families, to hinder the work of the Lord. So Preacher, the question is how often do you have to confess a personal sin, over and over and over? When are you going to lay it down and let God take control? What do you preach from the pulpit about known or hidden sin! Maybe you should check up on yourself before you get in the pulpit! Identify your sin by writing it down; somehow it becomes even more real. Do you have trouble with lying (even the little white ones), stealing, cheating, meanness, laziness, hard headedness, or other sins that people may not see, but God Knows about? Maybe we should all take heed to what Nehemiah said about confessing sins. Nehemiah 9:2 And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins,. . .”
That is what I did this weekend in the privacy of my own devotions…. Yes, I am a fulltime Christian servant the wife of a Preacher and a missionary… and I am ashamed to say my list was longer that even I could imagine in my mind. But seeing it on paper was a shock. God is so good and gracious to forgive that sin!
Preacher some questions for you? Are you puffed up with the “power” and position the Lord has placed you in? Or do you have a humble spirit knowing God can take you down as well as put you up?
Are you kind, concerned, loving, sharing, listening, sharing, forgiving, caring, visiting, soul-winning, encouraging, protective of the church and flock, studying, preaching; like you know you should be, or the negative to each or any of those adjectives above? You think you are the only one who knows the answer, but that isn’t true. God Knows, for sure! And your family knows absolutely, they live with you. And the people you work with everyday and interact with every week in church or in your daily activities have some idea. .” Numbers 32:23 “But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.”
Maybe it is time to “write” down those sins, lay them before the Lord, beg for forgiveness and then as we always should repent and allow the Lord to lead, guide and direct your life completely.
I am a much happier person today. It doesn’t mean I won’t ever sin again; we are living in the flesh in a world full of sin. But it does mean that God will hear me again if I do sin. We have his promise!
I was truly blessed by all the messages this week at the meeting, and this is the result. There are many great preachers today who are better equipped to share these thoughts than I, one being my own husband; in fact any preacher could but I do hope you are helped in some way. Remember, sometimes we are the worlds worst when it comes to forgiving ourselves. But God is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins.
If you want a Christ Like life, go to Him! Trust Him as never before, and gain the peace that He longs for you to have. Psalms 73:28 “But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.”
God Bless,
Tom & Linda
Missionaries to America
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