GOOD CONSCIENCE

By Rick Mathes

Acts 23:1 And Paul, looking intently at the Council, said, ” Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day.”

A police car was on my tail making identification on my license plates. Having a bad background BC, before Christ was a bad history I had left behind as I waved to the cop through the rear-view mirror. I had a clear conscience and no fear of what his computer check would reveal. I had done my duty to God and man. My past was all cleaned up and my future was in the Lord’s hands. I still smile when I think of having a clean conscience. It’s all because I have been born again and now live for Christ’s approval. There are certain responsibilities to remaining tuned-up in Him.

It all begins and ends with reading the Word. Now there is a lot in between but it all begins with “in the beginning” and ends with “maranatha” at the end. God needs to speak us through it’s principles. The Logos became flesh then returned to the throne and now speaks to us who will read, listen, learn, apply and then evaluate.

This conversation is in prayer or rather conversing with God. Now think for just a minute. How many great or powerful people would you like to just walk in and give them a piece of your mind? It’s virtually impossible to reach these rich and famous people because they have layer upon layer of protective fences around them of friends, employees or even body guards. But you and I have an immediate cleared path to God. Not only can we come to Him in prayer whenever we want to bu He encourages us to do so.

Satan doesn’t like it when we pray for forgiveness so he lurks around until he can disrupt us with temptation. We must be watchful and see his punch coming so we can turn it against him. Our best effort is cross-bearing. We must be willing to get up on our cross, suffer the flesh to death so that we might rise to life in Christ.

So the exhortation I have for you that comes directly from the Lord is to repent of your sins. Get rid of them by loving Jesus so much, continued sinning is not an option. Then submit to His Lordship. In other words, walk your talk and then prove your conversion by making obedience to His will your passion and only obsession. This will give you a clear and clean conscience that points only to His Cross and loved for you!