Day 94 - Feeling Guilty

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries                         LMCM

Nacogdoches, Texas                                                           Gal. 2:20  KJV

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 58

Michael’s book is available through:

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859       almi@abidinglife.com

Guilt or guilty feelings devastate more Christians than most folks realize.  It is easy to understand why: if we don’t understand what guilt is, and what it’s purpose is, we fall in bondage to a lie of it being something else.  That “something else” is what is so devastating to so many.  Michael Wells gives incredible insights into the real meaning and purpose God intends for guilt to play in a Christian’s life, and gives God’s way of getting past any guilt and moving on to victory!

DAY 94

Feeling Guilty

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. --Romans 8:1

Jesus is the Way written into every fiber of our being and consciousness. When we invite our own way into our being, we come apart, so sin and punishment are one and the same. Guilt, then, comes not solely for what we have done but to keep us from doing it again. Guilt is not the result of our actions; coming apart is the result of our actions. Guilt's primary purpose is for the future avoidance of repeating bad choices. This is an important distinction to make, because guilt is not dealt with by mentally going back into the past, but by making a change of direction now; at that, guilt not only goes away but also has a positive effect on our lives. Once the change in direction has occurred, any reappearance of the sense of guilt over an issue is false guilt.

One man I knew, then a great-great-grandparent, had slaves in the home as a youngster; when he would come home from school, he would find his favorite slave, an elderly man, and make him give him rides on his back, up and down the road. Once the boy became a man, the day came when guilt visited him. Vexed by his selfishness, his way, he realized he had never thought about whether the old man was tired or not after having worked all day, and as a boy he had made the man continue to labor. He was guilty of his selfishness. He could not go back to that time as a child, but he could change direction that day, which he did, and from then on he chose always to help anyone who had been a slave. Guilt had played its part, done its job, and was no longer needed, having produced a positive outcome. After the change in direction, if guilt did return, it would be false guilt sent by the enemy for waylaying condemnation. Guilt that leads to a change in direction is true guilt. Guilt that leads to condemnation is false guilt.

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point      Green – IT, Incredible Truth        

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches           Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

A profound truth:  Guilt’s primary purpose is for future avoidance of repeating bad

                             choices.

A profound result:  Making choices for a change in direction in life that leads to all

                               guilt going away and enjoying all the positive effects on our

                               lives!

Well, amen!  That is life…Christ’s life.  And what a beautiful, guilt-free life it is.

What is the first thing Michael points out that we do that starts our downfall?

What is the immediate effect of our making that erroneous decision?

Is guilt even present at that point in time?

What do you think about Michael’s statement: “sin and punishment are one and the same”?

How many Christians do you think are dealing with “false guilt” over something God is not holding them accountable for?

For many, many years I have had folks come to the pastor’s office in all kinds of contortions over varying degrees of guilt relating far too often to something they did, or that someone did to them, years and years before.  How tragic that we haven’t been able to get Christ’s freedom message across to the church body.

However, when a Christian is not aware of, or completely sold out to, all they are in Christ, all they have in Christ, and who Christ is in them…truth is unable to set them free.  Let me correct that…Truth is unable to set them free.  See the difference?  In many instances the discipleship programs are teaching facts and leaving out the Person (of Christ).  There is no fact of truth apart from the Person of Truth.  And that is what makes Christianity so much different from any religion.

If you have any desire to interact with me on something Michael has written, and/or any of my thoughts, please note the email address just below my name at the  bottom of this.

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

leemccm@gmail.com

P. O. Box 633244    Nacogdoches, Tx 75963                                       936-559-5696