How much of my life is in my hands? Proverbs 13:5-6

Probing Proverbs 13:5-6 The godly hate lies; the wicked cause shame and disgrace. Godliness guards the path of the blameless, but the evil are misled by sin.

One of the most precious realities that comes from reading the “truths” found in Proverbs is that so much in our lives is based on a “sowing & reaping” principle. Whether we realize it or not, that gives us so much power over how our life is experienced. 

Consider this passage: comparing what the “godly” sows and reaps, versus what the “wicked” sow and reap. Please remember, when the Scriptures use the terms, “godly” and “wicked” they are referring to the intent of our heart and actions. No one is truly “godly” in light of God’s perfection. We are all sinners, equally guilty and deserving punishment, that is why Salvation can only come by God’s grace and received by faith. 

However, when a person has entered into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, a new nature is created in that individual that desires to please God. Perfection is never reached, we still fail and the battle between the flesh (old nature) and the spirit (new nature) will continue until we meet God. Still, a godly intent exists and our “sowing” can now be after God’s heart. On the other hand, an individual outside the life of God only has the fallen nature to drive their intentions and actions.

It is important that we understand that “godly” communicates a desire to follow God, where as “wicked” does not mean everyone is a Hitler, instead it is communicating a desire to follow self! The point is that a desire to be like God, will reap godly intentions. A desire to run my own life (Be God) and focus on me will reap only what a “fallen” world can bring…ruin!

Notice, when you desire to follow God you “hate” lies. It does not say “liars,” for godliness also produces love for the unlovable. What is hated is the product of lying, a deception of what Truth is and darkness instead of Light! When your life is about you and what you want, what you reap will be shame and disgrace…don’t allow your thoughts to only cover the “here and now.” There are a lot of people that the world admired while they were on this side of eternity, sadly Scripture is clear that all that have refused to live with God…and many have demanded that God change for them…at the time of judgment who they were in reality will be shown. The shame of their sin will be exposed – everything will be brought out into the light. I know if I had that as my future it would bring me great fear. I, like anyone else, have a fallen nature and I am capable of being as wicked as any, by God’s grace my sins have been washed away by the sacrifice of Christ. I will not have to reap a horrible eternity ONLY because of Christ.

Lastly, those that sow godliness, that same desire guards their path, giving them warnings when they begin to step off that path. Those that sow to self, they will believe the false promises of sin which will lead them to eternal regret.

No one has to reap an eternity of regret, if they will only humble

themselves and go to God His way! Believing in Who He is, and how to begin a relationship with him. If you try to remake God in your image, you will reap regret.

The so what? What is your bottom line desire in life? Is it about you or God? When you have served only yourself what have the results been? Which do you believe is true; God needs people to serve Him and honor Him, or, God is perfect, needs nothing, His involvement in our lives is based upon His love for us and His desire to make our experience of life…including eternity…abundant. Remember, true abundance begins within a person, not the stuff they possess. Your answer will enlighten your view of Who God is.

God’s Prosperity Doctrine – Proverbs 13:3-4

Probing Proverbs 13:3-4 Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything. Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.

One of the mistakes individuals make when reading Scripture is they treat all Scriptures a like. That is a sloppy approach to understanding what the Word is stating. God never spoke in a vacuum; He chose the words to use. He also used the various “styles” that the written word contains. When you read a “narrative” containing the words of the Lord and promises are made, you can take those promises to the Bank! However many believers have failed to understand that a “Proverb” is not in a narrative form, but in a poetical form. That does not negate the Truths that are communicated, but we do need to remember that some proverbs are statements that plainly point out a certain Truth, and they are absolute. Yet, many proverbs that are written are not absolutes, they are principles of Truth and usually end in the result stated. These two statements are an example of that.

The principle of living long, healthy and prosperous is clearly taught in the Scriptures. Yet it is not the doctrine taught in many churches today. This Proverb brings forth the reality of what God teaches about health, wealth and prosperity. In the quality of our life, God predominantly works from the Sowing/Reaping perspective.

Not everyone who controls their tongue will live long, they may contract a disease that cuts their life short, or for some reason unknown to us, God takes them home at a young age. Martyrs would be a good example. However, in most cases the principles in this passage turn out to be true!

Those that discipline their speech and their bodies have a much greater chance of seeing “good” than tragedy! How many people have experienced trouble for themselves or have caused trouble for others because they refused to control their words? Those that discipline their mouths are the ones that bring peace and do not bring trouble on themselves due to sloppy or unmeasured words.

Again, there are lazy people that end up with a lot…simply because a “rich” uncle died and left them a fortune! Still, this principle remains true. Ordinarily, individuals that won’t work do not prosper. They miss the opportunities that come their way because they just want to remain in “cruise” mode. They desire to have much, but are unwilling to work for it. We see this in all the schemes made to “get rich quick” like the “lotto” or gambling what you need for what you want! 

A disciplined person understands that hard work will bring rewards,

and is patient enough to continue to work to the point where they have more than they need, and now can take the extra and invest it in a way that it will bring forth more rewards. The interesting reality is that the majority of people that never worked for their millions lose and squander it. This is due to the fact they never possessed the discipline that hard work brings in understanding what true wealth is and how to be a proper steward of it.

Disciplining our “flesh” is difficult because we live in a fallen world, but the wisdom proverbs shares concerning both facts and principles about living a disciplined life will bring quality and blessing to everyone willing to walk that path!    

The so what? How difficult do you find it to control your tongue? What disciplines are you practicing to control you emotions and appetites? Do you believe money will make you happy? How? Do you know of anyone that is rich, yet is miserable? How does hard work teach you how to handle riches? Do you believe God could make you rich? If He has not, what does that say? Is money the only way a person can prosper?

Are you hungry? God wants you to eat…but He leaves the choice of the meal to you!

Probing Proverbs 13:1-2 1 A wise child accepts a parent’s discipline; a mocker refuses to listen to correction. Wise words will win you a good meal, but treacherous people have an appetite for violence.

In this section of Proverbs we are seeing the comparison between people with wisdom and those without. The first point has to do with our attitude, the second with what we reap.

Many times as adults we read the word “child” and immediately move on thinking it does not apply to us. This is not the way the Scripture works! There is always a “local” truth to Scripture, i.e. the obvious implication of the statement. Clearly this first statement would apply to a normal family situation. A child that is wise, accepts the discipline of dad and mom, a rebellious child refuses. Yet, we must remember, especially with poetical Scripture, God has the Big Picture in mind. So in this sense, since God is Father to all as far as Creator, we all are His children. God is warning all of us about our attitude. If, when we sin, and God attempts to correct us, yet in pride we rebel and close our ears…God calls us a “mocker” or a “scorner.”

So in English what do these words mean?

        

Mock: make(something)seem laughably, unreal or impossible.

Scorn: feel or express contempt or derision for.

These are not good descriptions coming from a loving God! On the other hand, if you are an individual that is willing to receive from God that you were wrong and sinned, you possess wisdom!

The entire theme of Proverbs is to promote all of us to live in Wisdom. God exhorts, compares, blesses and warns throughout this book the reaping that both attitudes will produce.

The next verse is a prime example; a person that walks in wisdom, because of the words he uses, he will experience good! The example here deals with food, but the principle has to do with the “fruit” of Wisdom. When you speak with wisdom, no matter the circumstance, you will reap good…maybe not from everybody because some deny Truth; but from those that are open to hear wisdom, and especially the One that matters the most, God, you will reap praise.

If, though, your motives are selfish and careless toward God, you will hunger for a fight! It does not matter what the Truth is, if it does not fit your agenda, your appetite will not be satisfied until you get your way! There is one overwhelming danger in always wanting your way, and I found it best said by C. S. Lewis in his book “The Great Divorce.” When the main character asks his guide if heaven were really possible, his reply communicates so much truth from God’s message to us:

“There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done."

Wisdom approaches God on the basis of Who He is and yields to that…and in turn becomes a child of God and lives forever with Him. When your agenda is to do “your own thing” and only the way you want it, you refuse to approach God on the basis of Who He is, in the end you say, “Either you come to me the way I want, or I don’t want you!” Sadly, but justifiably, God will say, “Thy will be done!” You will then spend eternity outside the life and love of God – NOT because He chose it, BUT because you chose it.

The so what? What do you believe about God? Where did your picture come from? Do you have conditions that you require God to meet before you will acknowledge Him as God? If God is GOD, can anyone demand from Him? Isn’t it wiser to just humble yourself and choose life with your Creator?

But Jun Did Smoke

What A God! Over 1 Million reads!

When I decided to enter into social media…FB… I committed to God that I would not share my adventures to Walmart or the bathroom. I wanted to encourage people to rethink their walk with Christ. God has honored that. This month He has led over 1,000,000 people in over 28 countries to read the devotionals I have posted. Can you imagine how many people have been exposed to the Word of God? This all started as I posted a Reflection on a man that I discipled in a depressed area of the Philippines for 6 short months.  The date was September 3, 2010.  This was my news letter: I share this with you again, because his life speaks volumes!

Reflection: I was thinking about my dear friend and brother in the Lord the other night. So I felt led to share this as my first reflection on my new blog. I shared this over 14 years ago with friends that helped us come to the Philippines.

A Death in The Family:

“But Jun smoked!”  Yes he did. Jun Pacudan (Jun#2) smoked! He was born again and still smoked. He would walk out of the home where he had just led a Bible Study and light up a cigarette. Two months before he would light up while he was still inside the house. Before he was a believer he would light up during the studies I was teaching. Jun had been a believer for just over 5 months - but he still smoked. Jun read most of the entire Bible in those 5 months - but he smoked. Jun went out and made contacts that led to the beginning of 4 new Bible Studies - which he asked if he could lead - but Jun smoked. Every Tuesday I would meet with Jun to go over the lesson, which he had designed and desired to have me check out - but Jun smoked. Each lesson developed by this babe in Christ was in Tagalog and English (for my sake) with attached study notes that Jun had done using the Bible, concordance and one doctrine book I had bought for him, each guide was at least 7 pages long - but Jun smoked. Only twice in all the review did I have to help Jun understand a mistake in his lessons (both minor issues) while on such topics as Salvation, Virgin Birth, The Trinity, Sinlessness of Christ, Death - Resurrection - Ascension of Christ, Atonement and others not only was he completely scriptural but his applications were very insightful - but Jun smoked. The week of Dec. 3 Jun made contacts and we discussed two new Bible Studies to start after Christmas - but Jun smoked. On Thursday Dec. 7 as we drove away from the lower Cupang Bible Study, Jun shared with great joy and excitement how he had led a 58 year old friend to Christ that morning - “Now I am a spiritual father also” he said - but Jun smoked. On Dec. 9 we celebrated Jun Pacudan’s birthday. He was 62. At 3 am on Dec. 10 Jun Pacudan went to sleep and woke up in the arms of Jesus. I attended all three nights of the wake and then the funeral. I talked with at least 100 people. In every single case they spoke of how much Jun had changed in the past months and how he had sat down with them and told them about Jesus and then challenged them to join in a Bible Study - but Jun smoked.

So what is your point Nate! Okay - enough.

I am not trying to irritate you just for fun. I want you to mentally scratch where that irritation is. I am hoping that I can speak to you from my heart about a concern I see in the body of Christ. Everything Jun had become, all the Lord had accomplished in his life would be lost in many of our eyes because “Committed Christians don’t smoke!” We are so quick to judge, so sure of what is considered real holiness by God, so theologically precise about the doctrine of sanctification and it’s visible signs. Am I saying that smoking is all right? That is not the point. But for the record - not only do I think smoking is wrong, but having been a smoker, I think it is stupid. So do most honest people who do it. Knowing something is bad for you is a far cry from learning how to receive the strength to quit.

But there is something far more important here. I am tired of the Christian life being described by what we don’t do! That is what many testimonies consist of. A long list of what we don’t do and shared in an almost spiritually arrogant tone. Jun’s life has really confirmed what my heart has been burdened with for years. Jesus came to give us a life, not a list. Yes, we see ourselves moving away from sins that entangle us, but do we see ourselves moving toward anything? Jun was on fire. He was moving at a very fast pace toward God. His mind was overwhelmed with what was most important to God and he grasped that while still struggling with minor sins in his life. Wait a minute - your saying that sin is minor? Yes! When compared to other sin it can be. Complacency, unwilliness to make time to be used by God, lack of burden and concern for the lost, all of these are much more damaging to the Body than the sins (bad though they are) that entangle our flesh. Let’s reverse my point in the paragraphs above to show you what I mean - No I do not study the Bible with intensity to know what I believe - I let the Pastor or teacher do that for me - But I don’t smoke. No I have never tried to start a Bible Study - But I don’t smoke.  No I have not tried to lead anyone to Christ - But I don’t smoke. I do not know if many people would say that I have made an impact in their thoughts about Christ  - But I don’t smoke.

Let’s remember folks that the Pharisees had a list and looked real good but they killed the Prince of life. We cannot afford the Christian life to sound like a doctor’s prescription. “A don’t list and 3 services a week and you will be fine”! Those around us, who are separated from God and facing an eternity of separation, those that are missing life in Christ cannot afford us to live like that.

Jun Pacudan was far from perfect, and I will wonder why the Lord took my brother home at this time for a long time. Yet I am happy for Jun and I know I can trust the Lord. He knows what He is doing even if I do not. 
But I would gladly have a church full of smokers with the priority list of Jun Pacudan than a church full of people who focus on their “don’t list”.  Someday all of you that know Christ will get to meet Jun. You are partly responsible for his death being a homegoing for him and a parting for me instead of a tragedy for everyone. Because of you I was able to come and share the love and life of Christ with Jun. I will miss Jun more than I can say. I desire to have his short visit with me on this side of eternity motivate me to run as he ran. If we in the Church in America would be more consumed with God’s priority list and less content with our don’t list the impact we could make in the world would match that of the first Church! Love in Christ - Nate

Why did God Change His Agreement with Mankind?

Have you ever entered into an agreement (Covenant) and lived to regret it? Regretting it, so much so, that you change the agreement in the midst of it. This is very possible with fallen beings like us; however, God is beyond that! I chose this title deliberately because I had hoped it would get your attention. So many believers have a disconnect with Who God is, and the Old Covenant versus the New Covenant. Some take their thoughts so far that they almost sound like there was one God in the Old Covenant and a different one in the New Covenant.

I understand the confusion because I experienced it early in my Christian walk. I felt led by the Spirit to deal with this as I finish this series on Jesus from the book of Hebrews.

We have one God, Who reveals Himself in three persons. Of course that does not make sense…I know that’s what your thinking…it's normal. How can a finite person (me) fully comprehend an Infinite God? From the book of Genesis all the way to the end of Revelation God takes the most difficult “Truths” and progressively reveals them to us. God’s intent from the beginning was to create a being that He can share Himself with and allow them to experience and enjoy Him. One of those “Truths” is God’s covenant with us that allows us to be forgiven of our sins and re-created into children of God.

Here is our Passage:

Hebrews 8:1–13 Here is the main point: We have a High Priest who sat down in the place of honor beside the throne of the majestic God in heaven. ² There he ministers in the heavenly Tabernacle, the true place of worship that was built by the Lord and not by human hands. ³ And since every high priest is required to offer gifts and sacrifices, our High Priest must make an offering, too. ⁴ If he were here on earth, he would not even be a priest, since there already are priests who offer the gifts required by the law. ⁵ They serve in a system of worship that is only a copy, a shadow of the real one in heaven. For when Moses was getting ready to build the Tabernacle, God gave him this warning: “Be sure that you make everything according to the pattern I have shown you here on the mountain.” ⁶ But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises. ⁷ If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it. ⁸ But when God found fault with the people, he said: “The day is coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. ⁹ This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of the land of Egypt. They did not remain faithful to my covenant, so I turned my back on them, says the Lord. ¹⁰ But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws 

in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. ¹¹ And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already. ¹² And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.” ¹³ When God speaks of a “new” covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear.

God did not regret and change, what He did was begin with a covenant that would serve a purpose to open the door to a covenant that would fulfill all that God desired. The New Covenant is the final revelation of what God knew would be best and bring into harmony His will with a fallen creation.

Here is the basic definition of Covenant: Agreement made between two parties

There was a problem with the Old Covenant, which we will see at the end, but let us first see how much better the New Covenant is:

(1) We have a New Walk

No longer are we walking based on laws that are written outside of us, now we live our life based on the Truth being put inside of us by the Holy Spirit!

Hebrews 8:10 But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people

John 14:15-17 "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

John 16:13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

(2) We have a New Relationship.

We are now adopted children of God. Not His nation, but His family!  

Hebrews 8:10 But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people

Romans 8:16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.

(3) We have a Complete Revelation.

Concerning the things God desires us to know, we now have a full Revelation through His Word and His Spirit illuminates that revealed Truth so we can fully understand it.

Hebrews 8:11 And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already.

1 Cor. 2:11-12 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.

1 John 2:27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit--just as it has taught you, remain in him.

(4) We have a New Forgiveness.

Where as with the Old Covenant the sins of the believer were only covered by the blood of animals. Believers were saved by grace through the faith they had of the future Redeemer that was to come. Now that Christ has fulfilled the debt, the moment we place our faith in Him, all our sins are forgiven and wiped away!

Hebrews 8:12 And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”

Col. 2:13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,

Now to the BIG question?

What was the problem with the Old Covenant? The answer really is simple – look in the mirror. The Old Covenant was made between God and us. We cannot live in perfection, so the covenant could not work. Why would God do that? Again, remember progressive revelation – God, step by step had to guide mankind to the reality that on their own, they could never achieve the perfection required to live in the presence of God for eternity.

He made the Old Covenant with us to lead us to the Truth of the New Covenant!

The New Covenant was made between God Himself only. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. God formulated the plan…He paid for the plan…He guarantees the plan. We cannot subtract from it, we cannot add to it, it is complete. We have the choice to accept it or reject it, that is all. When a person comes to the end of themselves and realizes there is nothing they could do to win God’s forgiveness…the New Covenant is there, waiting for them to Trust in what God did to offer them forgiveness and eternal life. Salvation encompasses much more than eternal destination. It begins the moment you place Faith in Christ. Purpose and a sense of destiny enter your heart. Everything that happens in your life can now be used by God to help you know Him better, yourself better and to see this life from an eternal perspective.

Romans 8:28-29 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Have you accepted the New Covenant? Trust in what Jesus did for you and receive eternal forgiveness and eternal life!

Misunderstanding Forgiveness can Lead to Emotional Living and Wrong Motives!

I was going to end this series on Christ by discussing the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, however some questions came up the last Devotional on Forgiveness. I felt led by the Lord to address several issues before we move on.

Emotions are so important to every human being; they are an essential part of the whole being. I would never down play trying to understand how you feel about something or even listening to your emotions. I know there were times on the mission field where I felt unsafe, and it was important for me to dissect what I felt and act on it. Either by dismissing those emotions as not real in the sense of a real danger, or understanding that the situation I was in could be volatile, which then I should act on. God created us to not only know Him, through our intellect, but to also experience Him through our emotions.  

We get into trouble though when we allow our emotions to be the only thing in charge of the “rudder” of our life. Our whole being needs to be involved in guiding the direction of our path; spiritual; intellectual; emotional and even physical.

The appropriate way to wrap up our thoughts on Christ being the “Perfect” Sacrifice and segue into our next Devo concerning God’s Covenant is to look at this section of Hebrews:

Hebrews 10:13–18 There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. ¹⁴ For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy. ¹⁵ And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For he says, ¹⁶ “This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” ¹⁷ Then he says, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.” ¹⁸ And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.

Many individuals seem to become confused with how God sees us

eternally versus how He sees us as we are right now.

“Forgiven” yet still in the fallen nature of the flesh. This dilemma causes problems with three realities: Eternal Security, Assurance of Salvation and Sanctification.

For a complete explanation please go to the “search” box on my blog and type in, Eternal Security – about 15 devotionals will appear. You will see this Devo about 7 down from the top…it is a loooooong read, but many I have discipled have shared how much it helped.

Suffice it to say; if we want to understand how God views us once we have trusted in Christ, He sees us eternally secure! Salvation is His gift, and once given He states we NO LONGER BELONG TO OURSELVES. (1 Cor 6:19-20) He won’t take the gift back!

However “Assurance of Salvation” is exactly that, an “assurance” that is affected by our emotions. When we fall into sin, especially for a little while, and I have, emotionally we might not “feel” like a child of God. Again, that is exactly what it is…a Feeling! When we feel that way we should not act on that emotion as far as condemnation, guilt and depression, which will lead us down the wrong path. Instead we should do what Jesus, Paul, Peter, John, James, Jude and the author of Hebrews exhorts us to do…examine ourselves to validate if we were truly converted. If you have any doubt, just acknowledge the Gospel again and trust in Christ! Don’t let pride keep you in fear. Live what you “know” not what you “feel”, yet use what you feel to be a thermometer of what God’s Spirit is saying to your spirit. 

A Child of God is “Perfected Forever” (Positional Holiness) as they are being made holy by yielding to the Holy Spirit. (Progressive Holiness) This is the whole picture of Sanctification. God sees us completely set apart and holy because of Christ, yet He knows that we are still living in a fallen world and fallen flesh, which is why He has made promises like 1 John                                                          1:9 throughout the Bible.

Look how Hebrews 10:14 states it:

For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.

Lastly, if you begin living on an emotional roller coaster, it will change your motive in serving God. God’s Spirit leads us to serve Him because we know and sense His love, in turn we serve Him flowing from the love we have for Him. But if your emotions are in control of your heart, much of your service can easily become a way that you “pay back” God for your sin. It’s your sacrifice to God for your failure. Your emotions will convince your thoughts, that God accepts you now based on what you do, instead of what Jesus has done!

Obviously our lives affect God emotionally, we can grieve the Spirit, Jesus was angry at the hardness of the Pharisees’ hearts and God “takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked,” but we are an accepted child of God based on what God did, not what we did! God’s grace and mercy…which includes discipline to warn us of the deadliness of sin…flows from His heart of continual unconditional love!  

The So What: When you think of your sin, what happens? Guilt? If so you are being controlled by your emotions. Do you try to justify or excuse it? If so you are still being controlled by your emotions, but now you are treating God’s grace with contempt, like sin does not matter. If you feel conviction, your mind is balancing your emotions, which is what God desires. Now you need to confess it to God and turn away. (repent) Then get back onto the race and enjoy your relationship with your Lord.