The Peace Of Repentance

Date: Thursday, January 15, 2015
Today's Chapters: Genesis 43-45
Message Title: The Peace Of Repentance

Hello My Friend, 

I read a quote the other day that said, “Karma says, you get what you deserve, Jesus says, He got what you deserve”. While Jesus certainly did pay the punishment we deserve for our sin, there does come a time when sin will come back to haunt us. There is always a price to pay for sin, we may be under the blood of Christ once we and accept Him as our Savior and will not get the punishment we truly deserve, but we will reap what we sow if we do not repent. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” - Galatians 6:7-9.

When Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery and deceived their father into believing that he was dead, they never thought they would see their brother again. Now, with one brother jailed and the command to only return if they bring their youngest brother, they could not help, but fear that it was all repercussions of what they did to him years ago. Running out of food, Judah convinces Jacob to let them return to Egypt with Benjamin. “And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones. I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever: For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time. And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds: And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight: Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man: And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.” - Genesis 43:8-14.

One of the amazing things about God is that He always provides for His children, even if they have done wrong. He might wait until we come to the end of ourselves before He begins to reveal Himself, but He always provides us with the necessities we need, and if we trust Him, send us the things we desire as well. “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.” - 1 John 5:14-16.

Joseph invites his brothers to lunch, they get to his house and their fears overwhelm them so much that they begin confessing things they thought they did that were wrong, but Joseph said not a word, brought Simeon to join them, and let them enjoy their feast. After the feast he set them up by placing his silver drinking cup in Benjamin's sack, along with all their money. “And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good? Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing. And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words. And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless. Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack. And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine? Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh.” - Genesis 44:4-6,10-12,15,18.

This is a reminder that no sin goes unnoticed, if you feel you are being chastised, don't be sad, first, think about what is going on. If you realize that you haven't repented of something from your past tell it to God, even if you have forgotten all you have done, just tell God you love Him. Always remember that chastening is used to bring us closer to God and prepare us for something He has waiting for us. We are to be a testimony of God's mercy, grace, and love. “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.” - 1 Peter 4:12,13,16.

After Judah's desperate plea, Joseph finally reveals to them who he is. “Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.” - Genesis 45:1,3,5-8.

Can you imagine the look on their faces and what fear they had after realizing that he was telling the truth? Yet, Joseph was not angry, he did not rub it in their faces that they bowed down to him as in his dreams, he simply told them to forgive themselves, assuring them that it was God's plan all along. The biggest fear we will ever have is having our hidden sin found out, but sooner or later it will be exposed, the best thing we can ever do is not hide it, but confess it. Salvation does not keep us from living in sin or the guilt of any past sin, but it does get us to admit that we are sinners, and God is faithful to forgive all our sins, even the ones that haunt us. If we want peaceand reconciliation with ourselves, we must confess our sins to God. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” - 1 John 1:8-10.

Today's Prayer: God, How thankful are we that You are not only merciful, but loving and forgiving too. No matter how many times we mess up we are forgiven, and the only thing we need to do to get right with You is confess our sins to You. Lord, Help us to come to You no matter what we have done, give us peace from our past and let us just find freedom from any guilt or shame by coming to You and acknowledging that we need and love You. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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