"Yet a time is coming
and has now come when the true worshipers will worship
the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the
kind of worshipers the Father seeks." - John 4:23

My Heavenly Daddy is healing
me from the inside out.

Transparency is Real.
Many times painful.

Daddy let me be secure in You only!

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

OLD TAPE


Below is a wonderful devotional from Beth Moore on Guilt and Repentance. It may not be the usual what you may think about the two, but an interesting approach to how we actually think and possibly wear ourselves out mentally and emotionally with the negativity thoughts we conjure up daily. Beth offers a peaceful resolution. Enjoy.

Old Tape
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 9:11-15

Today’s Treasure: “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” (Hebrews 9:14).

Christians often still suffer from guilty consciences even after sincere repentance. What has gone wrong? The body of Christ suffers terribly from unbelief. We often do not accept and believe the full work of God’s redemption. In fact, our own consciences will go so far as to come forward as a witness for the prosecution rather than the defense.

One of the most powerful names I’ve ever heard given to the conscience is recorder. As in tape recorder. That ought to make plenty of sense to any of us who knows the agony of our minds rewinding and replaying an old tape incessantly. Rewind. Play. Rewind. Play. Rewind. Play. Rewind. Play. Torment.

We keep waiting for the tape to wear out, but it never does. Some of us are still harboring such old guilt that it’s an eight-track, for crying out loud. Sadly, people die with old tapes still rewinding and playing in their minds and haunting their consciences.

You see, the tape is established in our memory. We have no way of getting rid of it. We make promises such as, “Today I’m not going to think about this part of my past or my old sin a single time.” We even make the commitment to God in prayer. Then by 10:00 a.m., the old mental habits kick back in; we involuntarily push rewind and play again. No amount of determination or even time can make a powerful old tape cease playing on the recorder of our minds and consciences.

What is the answer? We have to record over the old tape with the truth of God’s Word and the testimony of His fresh work! I cannot take back my past sins, but I can allow God to forgive me, restore me, redeem every mistake I’ve made, and cleanse my guilty conscience. Thereby, through the power of the Holy Spirit, my past is reframed, and its destructive power is diffused.

When Satan comes back to taunt me, I replay the old tape with the new recording of God’s forgiveness and redemption on it. I have said to the accuser, “You’re right about one thing only. I did commit that sin, but God has graciously forgiven me. He has empowered me to live differently and even redeemed my mistakes. He has used my past experiences to make me compassionate and merciful. You cannot make unclean what my God has made clean. I’ve been to the cross and trusted Christ not only to save me from my sins but to cleanse my guilty conscience. You’re too late, devil. You no longer have grounds to torment me. Your voice is strong and loud, but I refuse to believe you. I believe God, and I will hold unswervingly to the work He has accomplished in me.”

I just demonstrated what it sounds like when we push rewind and play the old tape with new information recorded on it. Satan hates to hear our testimonies of God’s redemption so much that if you’ll keep reframing it with God’s truth every time the devil accuses you, he will stop.

Lord, I want to cease cooperating with the enemy and start cooperating with You, my faithful God. I don’t have to suffer an agonizing conscience when I’ve turned from sin! I believe and confess that the cross is strong enough to cleanse my conscience. Please help me return to the cross where I first believed, and believe my Savior to set me free not only from my sin but from my guilt. In His merciful name, Amen.

Adapted from When Godly People Do Ungodly Things, by Beth Moore, pages 134-142. Nashville: LifeWay Press, 2003.

8 comments:

  1. I enjoy Beth Moore's articles. She is an inspiriation and a godly woman.

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  2. interesting adn some truth in what she says, trhanks for the visit to our blog

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  3. Great perspective. Thanks for sharing.

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  4. Thanks for taking time to comment on my page! Blessings! Keep in touch.

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  5. Great post. This is so true, we have to replace old tapes with God's word. Thank you for sharing this.

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  6. Thanks for visiting me! I love meeting new people - especially those who share a like-mind!

    The verse [also] that came to my mind as I read through your post was Romans 8:1 -

    "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

    Sometimes taking off that old man and putting on the new man has to be done over and over, and we should never feel guilty for that! At least the attempt is being made, right? Thank God for his Grace!

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  7. I swear there are times when I think Beth is getting a direct line from God to my heart. Kind of like an old style telephone operator when the connections used to be made by hand.....by a a human attendant. yup.

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  8. Thank you all for your responses! She is a powerful instrument used by God!

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