You and Your Conscience, Part 2

We have confidence before going today on Insight for living Chuck Swindoll talks about cultivating a confident relationship with God you have any idea how people in this world would love to be able to sleep you have any idea how many would look at you strangely because you say I feel confident in the presence of God. I'm not scared of it are on speaking terms. If the whole idea of being at ease and yet still respect as you probably know the messages you hear on Insight for living were originally delivered in a worship service to the congregation where Chuck Swindoll serves as senior pastor every now and then we get to enjoy some family life issues that are addressed in the service rather than omit the special occasion broadcast prefer to let you share these moments just as they occur. So let's listen in as Chuck led the congregation in prayer and while moms and dads stood on the platform praying for their sons and daughters commit to you each little child.

Those who were standing on the stage and the many who were not whose lives were touching the church.

Thank you for each teacher who invests his or her time in the lives of each one of these children.

Thank you for the lives they are living in for the things their learning. We pray you give them a filter system that you'd allow them and enable them to relieve from their minds. Things that have no business going there and to implant within their minds. Those truths that will live forever. Use these children father in the days yet future to become leaders on their campus leaders among their friends and their social groups and and in their club's and their scouts in their lives. Use them later in their university years are the years in the military and business, may you father bring leaders from these children who will help shape the future of our world and Lord.

I certainly pray for those who are spending their lives.

Teaching them in the things those children should learn many are homeschooling help them especially is there with her children more hours than other parents help them to be good teachers, faithful teachers. More importantly, may they be good bottles, consistent models today are father we pray for those who are afraid summer here summer thousands of miles away carrying weapons doing that wearing the uniform of our land, watch over them and protect them, guard them from explosion from that bullet from that bomb from the treachery of terrorists take care of them. Father bring them home safely honor them for their sacrificial service for those fearful here. Not sure of their future struggling with unemployment uneasy about the direction of the economy. May your spirit.

Use this time we're together to calm them and reassure him remind us of the role of your presence in our lives is our King master, our God. That's that's why we pray now.

That's why we give because we love you can see Jesus it's in your name we pray and give everyone sit to search the Scriptures with Chuck Swindoll. Be sure to download his searching the Scriptures. Studies by going to inside world.or/studies.

Another message called you and your conscience in our journey through John's first letter we have come to the moment where our conscience has begun to prick us again and again. You may recall, he is exhorted us to love our God and to love one another and he said it over and over again. It is like were stabbed in our conscience you. I love like that is a little later. Don't love the world are the things in the world.

If anyone loves the world, the love of the father is an enemy in a conscience is through. I love the world more than I love God, you can't read the letter. John and not think that you have a conscience and will. And then it makes us squirm when we see that that if you if you hate another person. It's like murdering, and those who love God don't have murder in their hearts. Conscience pricks us because we we paid people I have you have so by now you're thinking and my lost John know something that I don't know know how to live the beginning of verse 19, we will know by this that we are of the true always look where we then when you're dealing with where we are in this case it goes back to verse 11, and even beyond. Over in verse 11, chapter 3 it says this is the message which you have heard from the beginning that we should love one another and everything from 11 to 18 is about loving one another. It includes Cano didn't love his brother. It includes us, who may not love in word or deed, and blessed to think that you are lost because you don't John Youngs that section with this part of verse 19 below by this that we are of the truth by what our words and deeds.

There is a person hearing me right now who is not done something good for someone else, even if it was a word of encouragement, even if it was a comforting arm around her shoulder when they're in grief or sorrow and loss. Or maybe it was a letter on a note of. Thank you. You've done that. That's loving in word and in deed and John says we will know by this that we are of the truth. Don't think for a moment that all of this means you lost the thing to remember next keywords see the word truth.

In verse 19 we referred to it several times read a little further. We will not only by this know that we are of the truth, we will assure our heart before in whatever way are hard me condemning us first is the word truth. Truth is inseparably linked with the person of Christ. So if you know Christ more of the truth and because you know Christ you have his word. His book to guide you into His Way, Jesus provides us with an ability to grasp his word and thereby gain a knowledge of the truth, not the word heart also is a keyword it's a term that I'm handling it is conscience. When you know where you stand. Listen to this, it will trump all other feelings.

Feelings from the heart come out and would not dislodge you or give you unrest when you know the truth.

It's remarkable how that will guide your emotions so let's put to bed forever. The old saying, let your conscience be your guide.

Not always. Why well my friends, because your conscience has been shaped since early childhood, by the things you have been told instruction that came from parents from friends from teachers along the way and your conscience therefore may be skewed. You may have been told there's nothing wrong with with this and so you participate in it and your conscience isn't bothered by it because you were told from earliest years is nothing wrong with but a biblical principle may be violated, and it affects your conscience, so it's not that your conscience is your guide. It's the truth. These are guide and the truth will dictate to the conscience. The right now to talk about a conscience that condemns us look closely.

19. We will know by this and we are of the truth and that looks back to where we been, and we will assure our hearts before him, that God, in whatever way are hard may be condemning us in other words, we will in our weakness struggling with a conscience that feels guilty.

We will find ourselves assured before God. We realize the truth is saying nothing is wrong with what you have done everything right about it even though you were told earlier in life that it was wrong or vice versa.

I had that happened in my life and you had happened in yours.

I realized that what I've done is the right thing, even though it wasn't understood or accepted or affirmed by those around me. This is what's called moral courage and our great God honors that kind of moral courage. It keeps us from thinking I must be out of touch or I'm I'm unspiritual or to forgo the worst thought. I'm absolutely lost lost time. Not even a Christian. No none of that is true in the truth you know will help convince you that that's not true. Now the best part of the passage is when the conscience does not condemn us. See verse 21 beloved, if our heart is not condemn us.

You see the contrast in verse 19 in in verse 20. Whatever our heart condemns us. But in 21. If our heart does not condemn us. There are three benefits in the right here in the text.

First of all we have confidence before God. See the end of verse 21 you have any idea how people in this world would love to be able to say that you have any idea how many would look at you like.

Strangely, because you say I I feel confident in the presence of God. I'm not scared of it. He and are on speaking terms. In fact, you see the word confidence. This is a great word.

It means openness and frankness and freedom of speech is a whole idea of being at ease and yet still respectful last Monday Cynthia and one of our grandsons and I had a wonderful experience together to perfect example of what I'm trying to describe this confidence before someone who was respected III remembered that they former commandant of the Marine Corps was going to be speaking in the Dallas area. Thanks to the invitation of the Center for Christian leadership at Dallas seminary. The man's name is Gen. Charles kulak KR you LAK not only former commandant for start. There's only one in the Marine Corps. That's the commandant. He's the one who is also a part of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Not only is he a fine battle hero from years ago, but also he is born again man wonderful believer I had had privileges years ago of going to the national Cathedral at his invitation, and preaching on integrity. There was a group of graduates from Quantico officer school for the Marines and the commandant was there along with other generals in their dress whites in all their dangling metals and it was very intimidating for me to stand there and think I had something to say for them, but but the general kulak was so gracious.

Anyway, I knew him and so I said to my grandson Noah wanted to go with us. Noah has told us he wants to be a Marine so present in our talking saying what others will be there maybe some will bring their grandkids are why we bring no member Noah was the one that walked in my study that day and said to me, but I'm going to be a Marine really be a sniper really yeah really why I want to kill people know Pepsi so Noah's grandson who got hopes for Annapolis and on.

So he says yes but he found that he could miss school. Yes, I'll be there so we take over in the morning and we walk in the room and there is the commandant standing over the side were humans, so Isaac on Judah meeting so we walked over there together your stanza man civilian close and only represents it made me want to stand at attention and keep snapping salutes and Noah ghost hi hi to the commandant of regular start with Sir go there but no real exit hi who are you know that's my grandson really cities thinking about Annapolis and no one here's my card. When you're thinking about that entrance into Annapolis. Maybe I can help. So I go can I have a card so I saw a 14-year-old boy standing there talking to the four-star general in the Marine Corps as a commandant talking one-on-one openly and freely and Noah was respectful but he was in these and the talk back and forth. We laughed together had a few moments.

General kulak threw his arms around me and hugged me and and set a few nice things and I I thought as I walked away. That's what it is to have that sense of openness with someone respect is no loss of respect but there is the presence of freedom and frankness and candor. You know when you have it with God when your conscience doesn't continue when you know you're the Lords and you know that he is at work in your life and you know that there's nothing between you and him you can have the kind of openness and freedom and you and God loves it. In fact, he invites us in Hebrews 4 to come boldly before the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time.

Speaking of that, the next benefit is answers to prayer. Verse 22, and so the verse continues, naming the benefits and secondly, whatever we ask, we receive from him and that's prayer you ask of God things in prayer. Meet me share with you would need that I had not shared publicly before sent and I love the man in Australia or years. The he's the chairman of our board and insightful living Australia name is Mack Hawkins wonderful believer, fine businessman really from Tasmania made his way to Melbourne where he's lived his life in such a godly Christian man is cancer we've been praying with Mac and die for some time regarding this battle with cancer just got an email middle of our night but morning of their time were we were told that the medication is not worked and that this the doctors decided to just take off all medication, so now it's a matter of weeks. When I read that I was as quiet as you are right now verse, I can just see die. I could see my accuracy is family. I thought I am thousands of miles away from Mac know I'm not.

I am one sentence away and sitting there in my keyboard.

I bowed my head and I pray for Mack Hawkins. If you knew Mac you would love them as much as I do that we can ask our heavenly father anything and confidence now hold on, that's not a meal ticket ticket to millions. Okay, the kind of stuff we hear these days you think you can just say I want that Alexis you looking to go driveway and is Alexis. I want their home across the street is got your name on it. Welcome home all that's voodoo theology. That's heresy. That's an insult to the name of God put you in charge of what you want to have we come before our heavenly father and we keep his word and we believe in his son, and we align our lives to his will, and we shape our request, always with whatever you believe is best. I have no right to command healing for Mack Hawkins. I'm not God's way. Pray for comfort. I pray for God to intervene. I pray if it's as well that he bring a miracle but I don't send Mac a note and say you now will have healing. How arrogant of us to think we can do that.

I'm just now finishing the book by scotch a funny title of the divine commodity.

Interesting title. Listen to his words, the abundance of our definitive words about God shows that we don't view him as a great mystery anymore, but as a as a sterile calculation without ambiguity or obscurity, and not surprisingly, this definitive God usually conforms nicely to our personal desires and politics. The resurgence of the parts of the prosperity gospel movement is one sign of this quoted in the time article titled does God want you to be rich. A television preacher says who would want to get in on something where your miserable, poor, broke and ugly and you just have to model through until you get to heaven, she adds. I believe God wants you to have wants us to have nice things.

She has a point to funny. Who would want an uncontrollable, mysterious and holy God when you could have a genial Bible beyond the name it and claim it crowd the decide the desire for definitive God explains our attraction to book titles like Tim prayers.

God always says yes to Lee's never think the confidence before God means that you now tell him what to do anymore than my standing before the commandant means I now have the freedom to advise him uniform or not we stand at attention if you will, before someone 30+ years of experience in a God were confident in our free speech in our speaking and are pouring out our heart's, but were never confident in claiming whatever now just a moment ago you heard Chuck Swindoll described his cherished friendship with the former chairman of insightful living's Board of Directors in Australia, Mack Hawkins well in the time since this message was originally recorded. Mac went home to be with his Lord and Savior. Our love and respect are extended an ex-wife die in the entire Hawkins family.

We are deeply grateful for a life well lived.

And of course for Mack significant contribution to the ministry of insightful living in Australia now thriving, due in part to his leadership for over 17 years. To learn more about the international ministry of insight for living.

Visit us online@insightworld.org. Well, after hearing Chuck's message today it's perfectly clear that hearing God's voice begins with understanding his written word and in addition, it's important to engage in the body of believers where the Bible is taught and revered in this safe harbor Christians can express their love for one another as God intended along these lines, I like to recommend a book. Chuck's written in which he clearly defines the biblical role of our church. It's called the church awakening an urgent call for renewal even amidst a global pandemic. This book will help us understand what Christ has called us to do as his agents of change in the world to purchase a copy of the church awakening go to insight.org/offer or if you're listening in the United States. Call 1-800-772-8888 and then to truly make a difference in our world through this daily ministry. Let me suggest you go online or give us a call and become a monthly companion by signing up to give a monthly automated gift will be the instrument God uses to bring a touch of grace to someone who's desperately searching for whole. This is a great way to leverage your resources and impact live through your charitable giving to become a monthly companion collects glistening in the United States dial this number 1-800-772-8888 or go to insight.org/monthly companion in 2020, the pandemic swept indoor homes in ways we never imagine some have suffered greatly, but all of us have felt the loneliness of a quarantined lifestyle through it all were grateful to God has used the Bible teaching of Chuck Swindoll to continue uninterrupted by the coronavirus or even through civil unrest, God's amazing grace is our overarching every day on insightful living. In fact, it's quite possible that God is used. Our daily program to extend his grace to you. Will these daily visits are made possible in part by monthly companion and were inviting you to join this influential team of monthly supporters signed up today by calling us if you're listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8880. Please jot down our contact information and follow the Lord's prompt when you do that you will become okay fragrance of God's great here at home all around become a monthly companion by calling us glistening in the United States. Call 1-800-772-8888 or go online to insight or/month and more about you and your conscience tomorrow from Chuck Swindoll and insight for living. The preceding message you and your conscience and the sound recording copyright in 2009 by Charles R. Swindoll. All rights are reserved. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly