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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — The Path Of Wisdom

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Our Daily Bread

Psalm 38:1-15

In You, O LORD, I hope; You will hear, O Lord my God. —Psalm 38:15

Albert Einstein was heard to say, “Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former.” Sadly, it does seem that far too often there is no limit to the foolishness we get ourselves into—or the damage we create by our foolishness and the choices it fosters.

It was in such a season of regret that David poured out his struggle and complaint to God in Psalm 38. As he recounted his own failings, as well as the painful consequences he was enduring because of those failings, the shepherd-king made an insightful comment: “My wounds are foul and festering because of my foolishness” (v.5). Although the psalmist does not give us the details of those choices or of his worsening wounds, one thing is clear—David recognized his own foolishness as their root cause.

The answer for such destructive foolishness is to embrace the wisdom of God. Proverbs 9:10 reminds us, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Only by allowing God to transform us can we overcome the foolish decisions that cause so much trouble. With His loving guidance, we can follow the pathway of godly wisdom. —Bill Crowder

Loving Father, forgive me for the seemingly

limitless capacity I have to be foolish. Teach me

in Your wisdom, so that my life might be pleasing

to You and a blessing to others around me.

God’s wisdom is given to those who humbly ask Him for it.

Bible in a year: Isaiah 1-2; Galatians 5

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John MacArthur – Dealing with Sin

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“Forgive us our debts” (Matt. 6:12).

Christians struggle with sin. That surely comes as no surprise to you. As you mature in Christ, the frequency of your sinning decreases, but your sensitivity to it increases. That doesn’t mean you are more easily tempted, but that you are more aware of the subtleties of sin and how it dishonors God.

Some people think you should never confess your sins or seek forgiveness, but the Lord instructed us to do so when He said for us to pray, “Forgive us our debts” (Matt. 6:12). That’s the believer’s prayer for the Father’s forgiveness.

John said, “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous 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). That passage doesn’t tell us how to get saved, as many have taught. It tells us how to distinguish believers from unbelievers: believers confess their sins; unbelievers don’t.

The phrase “forgive us” in Matthew 6:12 implies the need for forgiveness. “Debts” translates a Greek word that was used to speak of a moral or monetary debt. In Matthew 6:12 it refers to sins. When you sin, you owe to God a consequence or a debt because you have violated His holiness.

When you sin as a believer, you don’t lose your salvation but you will face God’s chastening if you don’t repent. Hebrews 12 says, “Those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives . . . . He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness” (vv. 6, 10).

If you are harboring sin, confess it now and allow God to cleanse you and use you today for His glory.

Suggestions for Prayer: Write down why God’s forgiveness is important to you, then express those thoughts to Him in praise.

For Further Study: Read Psalm 38.

What physical and emotional ailments did David experience as a result of his sin?

What was his attitude toward God as he confessed his sin?

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Escape the Guilt Trap – Dr. Charles Stanley

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Introduction: How often do you commit a sin, and then fail to find a way to move past the regret and shame you feel? Most people wrestle with guilt from time to time.

The dictionary defines guilt as 1.) “the fact or state of having committed an offense, crime, violation, or wrong, esp. against moral or penal law” and 2.) “a feeling of responsibility or remorse for some offense, crime, wrong, etc., whether real or imagined.”1 In other words, guilt has two components—the actual offense and the feelings that accompany it.2

A. Handling our Guilt. Once we start to feel remorseful about our wrongdoing, we often fail to respond to our guilt in a healthy manner.

Read Psalm 38:4 and Proverbs 28:17. How does the Bible characterize guilt?

How do you typically handle feelings of guilt?

B. The Purpose of Guilt. Guilt is actually a God-given emotion. It has at least three functions: to prompt us to ask for forgiveness from those we hurt; to motivate us to make restitution whenever we can; and to draw us back to the Lord. In terms of our relationship with the Lord, the solution to guilty feelings is simple.

Read about David’s experience with guilt in Psalm 32:1-6. What did he know about how to handle it?

According to this same passage, how does God respond when we confess our sin and ask Him to remove our guilt?

C. Receiving Forgiveness. Many believers are unable to receive God’s forgiveness due to the emotional programming they’ve received from their upbringing, their church, or their culture. For instance, their parents might have expected them to be perfect, so they have a difficult time accepting ourselves when they make moral mistakes. Or, other authority figures may have emphasized what horrible and shameful children they were when they did anything wrong and refused to comfort the children after disciplining them.

In your experience, when you ask for forgiveness from sin—whether from God or another person—do you typically feel free of guilt? Why or why not?

How can you escape these negative patterns of dealing with guilt? The secret is to train your mind to believe God’s truth—found in His Word—instead of your feelings.

What do Psalm 86:5 and Psalm 65:3 say about God’s willingness to forgive?

Acts 10:43 says everyone who believes in Christ receives forgiveness for his or her sins. How many of our sins are forgiven, according to Colossians 2:13?

If you feel guilty after confessing your sins, you know your feelings are not lining up with God’s truth. Find Scriptures that talk about God’s forgiveness and your righteousness in Christ, such as Colossians 1:21-22. Write them down in a list or on note cards. Then, read through the encouraging verses and dwell on what they mean. Your emotions will eventually follow your thoughts, and you will be free from feeling guilty.

Closing: Christ’s death made a way for you to be completely free from the guilt of sin—not only the offense but also the feelings that accompany it. Admit your guilt to God and those you offended, make restitution when you can, and return to living in a manner that pleases the Lord.

Prayer: Father, thank You for Your amazing grace that covers our sin. We never have to wallow in feelings of guilt. Remind us to turn to You, focusing on the truth in your Word, instead of trusting our emotions. I pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.

Footnotes:

1. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

2. This study focuses on how to overcome genuine guilt. False guilt is a feeling of remorse over an imagined offence. If your “offense” doesn’t violate a law of the land, the rules of your workplace or church, or the principles of Scripture, your guilt is false.