Thursday, May 30, 2013

The Chronicles Of A Missionary (India Part 3)

Pastor and Mrs. G.R. Purushotham, Jadcherla, India
It was my first visit to India. I was a newbie to the bone. I had been corresponding with another pastor that had just returned from India. I wanted to get as much information as I could. And as I said in Part One - I had prepared myself as much as possible. But nothing prepares you like the experience itself!

The journey consisted of 4 legs (beginning in Savannah, GA) and 3 connections in Atlanta, Frankfurt, and Mumbai. The flight ended in Hyderabad, India. Yes, it was grueling, and I felt like a Zombie when I arrived in Hyderabad about 7:30 in the morning. I might add it was about 9 pm (the night before) back home.

My final layover was in Mumbai (Bombay). We arrived in Mumbai just after midnight. My next flight was at 6:30 am. In Mumbai you arrived at the international airport, collected your bags, went through Customs and Immigration, and transferred by bus to the domestic airport - on the opposite side of the runway. By the time I accomplished all of this it was approximately 2:00 am. I had to wait, with bags, in the domestic airport until about 5:30 am for my final leg of flying.

What happened during this period of time made me wonder if I had heard God in coming to India! I met a pharmacist originally from India, who lived and worked in the States. He was returning to India to visit relatives. He was impressed that I had traveled all the way to India to share the Gospel. I really enjoyed the conversation until he asked me if I was taking Malaria pills. "What Malaria pills?" I asked. Obviously I was not as prepared for the trip as I should have been. No one had told me about having to take Malaria pills before, during, and for a while after the trip. It was the pharmacist's response to my not taking Malaria pills that made me question my coming to India! "You mean you haven't taken Malaria pills? Don't you know that Malaria has  reached epidemic proportions in India?" Obviously I didn't know that fact.

I could feel fear creeping into my total being (starting with my bones). The airport was air conditioned, but I began to break out into a sweat thinking about what could happen to me! Would I get Malaria? Would I come home sick with a fever? Would I die? I would learn later that Malaria had not reached epidemic proportions where I was headed. But for the moment I didn't know that.

I began to walk through the airport praying in the Spirit. Of course I was praying in English too. It's hard to explain how the fear had temporarily gripped me, but I'm sure you can relate. Fear can make you question your God-led motives. Fear can nullify your faith. If we are not careful, we can let fear paralyze us. As I prayed, faith began to rise in me. The fear began to subside. I would be lying to say I never thought about it again during the trip. But I have to say I knew that (regardless of what I'd heard the enemy whisper to me) God had sent me. I was on a mission for and with God. He was for me! If God is for me...then who can be against me! (Rom. 8:31)

Admittedly, I applied quite a bit of mosquito repellent during the trip. But that's just common sense. I did what I could and trusted God for the big stuff! It worked!

As it turned out God changed my life on this trip. I saw His mighty hand move on spiritually hungry folks during the next couple of weeks. I am eager to share many of those experiences in the days ahead.

We must remember, anytime we take steps that require us to stretch our faith, the enemy will do his very best to destroy our faith. It is through and by faith that we accomplish great exploits for God. For me, going to India was a major stretch of my faith. I made the choice in the airport in Mumbai (about 4:00 am) to destroy the enemy's ploy by turning my attention from the problem to our mighty God. He showed up! (Much more to come.)

The Chronicles Of A Missionary:

Saturday, May 25, 2013

The Chronicles Of A Missionary (India Part 2)

As I said in my previous post, my first trip to India changed my life as a follower of Christ. It was during this trip many things happened touching my life deeply. The following is just one of them.

It was morning. I was waiting for my ride to the meeting place. A young Indian pastor (Thomas) had stayed nearby and was waiting with me for our ride. We began to chat about Thomas's life. I asked him what his life as a pastor was like in India. He told me about a typical Saturday and Sunday in His schedule.

On Saturday evening He, his family, and church members meet for all-night-prayer. They start at about 11 pm and pray until about 5 am. They break shortly for tea and pray some more...until about 7 or 8 am. Thomas said when prayer ends he and his family head home to clean up for their first service. This service lasts about 3 hours. Around 11 am or 12 noon, they break for lunch. After a short rest he and family head for another small congregation to conduct a service during the afternoon. After the service they break for dinner. After the evening meal they move to yet another congregation for their third and last service of the day. I was overwhelmed at their dedication and commitment to serving Jesus. I was wondering when they rested. However, rest was not an issue to them. It was very obvious...the joy of the Lord was their strength.

As Pastor Thomas was telling me this I turned off the TV in the hotel room on which ESPN was playing. The TV was somewhere around 13 inches, and black and white. (Some of you have never seen a black and white TV.) But they did have a satellite feed with ESPN in English! I was so convicted over my lack-luster Christian life-style I turned it off. As Pastor Thomas continued and tears began to stream down my cheeks. God had pierced my heart and emotionally it was almost too much for me. Then Pastor Thomas began to cry. We both sat and wept as we worshiped the God who is worthy of it all.

It had become so clear to me that what I thought was a deep commitment to Jesus was very shallow. Jesus was important to me. I was a pastor! But for me it was NOT all about Him. He was important, but not the CENTER of it all. Like so many Christian Americans, I was too busy for Him. Most of all I did was for ministry sake...but not for Jesus. God used this first visit to India to shake me, to awaken me, and to prepare me.

I returned to America with a renewed commitment to live for Jesus 24 x 7. I wanted my life to be consumed with Jesus, ministering to Him and to others like my friends in India were consumed.

When it was time for me to return to the States I was ready. I couldn't wait to get back to the comforts of America. It was great returning home to my family. However, a week after I was home I began to realize my first trip to India was just the beginning. What started as a visionary trip had turned in to a calling to the nations on my life. I had to go back! (More to come.)
 

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

How Short-term Missions Changed My Life (Part 1)

(Let me say that conditions described in these posts are in no way intended to criticized our precious brothers and sisters in other nations. My intent is to show how disconnected from the rest of the world we Westerners are, and how comfortable we can be in our culture. Too much comfort can dull our senses to the Holy Spirit, and our ability to be used by Him.)

My first trip to India was the one that radically changed my life as a follower of Christ. I was the Pastor of a church which regularly supported an Indian pastor. My purpose for my first trip to India was more visionary than anything else. I wanted to get a good look at where the church's finances were going, and how it was being used. This particular purpose quickly gave way to God's divine purpose for my going....to change my life.

I prepared as best I could for the trip. However, nothing could have prepared me for what I would experience in India. The Indian culture is like none other on the planet. I had heard the term "culture shock", but had never experienced it until I went to India. The culture shock was amazing, but that is not what changed my life. What changed my life was the "hunger shock".

The people I visited were so hungry for the Word of God. They sat for hours as I preached through a translator. I was even told after my first couple of messages, "You must preach even longer. They are hanging on to your every word!" So as I did, these followers of Christ, hungry for the purity of God's Word began to pull from me very substance of the God they longed for. I yielded and became a simple vessel. I saw miracles, healings, and people overwhelmed with God's amazing presence. And equally as important to me, I saw God working through me like I'd never experienced before. It changed my life!

The humility of these folks, also contributed to my life being changed. The trip to India is grueling. It is long. There was a 10 and a half hour difference in time zones. I got off the fourth and final leg of my journey early on a Thursday morning. The journey wasn't over yet. It was another 4 hour drive to my final destination. In India a 4 hour journey becomes a 6 hour one! My body and mind were screaming to me (inside), "You have to crash! You need some rest!" We finally arrived at the little hotel where I was to stay. It was very humble, no a/c, and not as clean as one would like. As I entered into the very humble hotel room I glanced up. Just over the door were the words "Deluxe Room". That did it. The tears began to flow. They had given me their very best and I was humbled. Most of all I was blessed!

The shower in the bathroom was a pipe (cold water only) coming out of the wall. At this point, it didn't matter. I took a wonderful, cold shower and afterwards plunged my face into a pillow for a 3 hour nap. When they arrived to pick me up for our first meeting, I felt like I was floating off in space (somewhere)! I was exhausted!

We arrived at the meeting place (under a tent) and these hungry followers of Christ were praising God at the tops of their voices, with all of their hearts. This hunger in worship began to effect me as the Spirit of God began to rise up within me. When I stepped up to preach in India for the very first time my life changed drastically!

Sunday, May 19, 2013

His Worth Demands Our Praise

God is good. God is magnificent. He hears and answers our prayer. God became flesh and lived among mankind in order to sacrifice Himself (as one of us) for our sins. How incredible is that! Add to that His beauty, His radiating glory, His greatness, and His awesomeness! Yes, He is good. He is the source of good. He is extremely big. Nothing is impossible for God. Nothing is too difficult for Him to accomplish. He deserves ALL of your praise and ALL of my praise. He deserves MORE praise and worship than you and I are capable of giving Him. He is good and He is truly worthy.

I will spend eternity declaring the goodness of our God. He is good! God is so good...there is truthfully never a time in which we cannot give Him praise. He is just too good for you and me to live even short periods of time in which we don't give Him praise.

If you are like me, through any given day your moods change. Yes, we all know this and experience this. My feelings can change due to my physiological state (at any given moment). For instance, I tend to be happier when I am not hungry. I get somewhat happier if I can at least anticipate a good meal in the near future. (Knowing that I truly will not starve to death.) Circumstance also tend to contribute to my feelings. If all is going well and I'm having a Zippity Doo Dah moment I feel good. But if life begins to challenge me through circumstances, physical feelings, or people, I tend to NOT feel as good, thus affecting my mood.

Quite honestly, the better I feel, the easier it is for me to praise and worship God. When life is good, praise and worship is easy. When life is fair it is very easy to give God all the credit. But it gets a little more difficult when life is not as easy. Some days can be more challenging than others. Some seasons are more challenging than others.

When we are challenged and life is more difficult we must always ask ourselves this question (just to keep our focus). "Has God changed?" No! He is still the Creator and Ruler of our universe. He is still (and will always be) worthy of ALL praise, worship, and glory! The writer of Hebrews says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." He never changes! He is always the same. No matter how I feel, He is still worthy of ALL the praise!

The book of Acts, Chapter 16 tells of an incredible experience with praise and worship. Paul and Silas had been thrown into the inner prison for preaching about Jesus. The inner prison was the deepest, darkest, filthiest part of the prison. It was where the waste from all the cells above flowed to. It was a very, very challenging situation to say the least. In the middle of these circumstances the Bible says, "...about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were unfastened." Paul and Silas were singing praise to God in the worst of circumstances! How could they possibly do this? They were praising God according to His worth, not their circumstances. God never changed. His value never lessened due to their being in the filthiest of dungeons. He was still MOST worthy to receive ALL their praise and worship!

As they focused on God, He began to change their circumstances...and the circumstances of every other prisoner in the place! Everyone's cell doors were opened and everyone's chains fell off! What an encouraging example of giving God what is due Him...no matter what our circumstances are.

God will be God in your life and mine when we give Him credit for who He is. It is when we focus on our circumstances alone that we tie the hands of our incredible God.

No matter what your circumstances are...good or bad, our God is incredible and ALWAYS worthy of ALL of our praise and worship. So praise Him, worship Him for who and what He is...not for how you feel or what you are experiencing. God will move mightily in your life. Remember, when we praise Him for what and who He is, what and who He is will manifest in your life!


Thursday, May 16, 2013

It's Thursday!

It's Thursday morning...not Monday and not Friday.  Thursday.  Nobody ever says much about Thursday.  On a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the most incredible) Thursday is number 4. Why doesn't Thursday get more credit?   You hear people talk a lot about Wednesday.  You know...middle of the week, hump day, and half-way to the weekend.  And almost everyone talks about how terrible Monday is.  But what about Thursday?  I love Thursday.  Thursday is actually the 5th day of the week.  Thursday is the 3rd day from end of the week. Thursday is actually further away from Monday than Saturday (Depending on which Monday you're considering).  Seems to me like it's a pretty good day!

What happens on Thursday?  Thanksgiving happens on Thursday.  That's a big one.  The Lions get beat every year on a Thursday.  (Thanksgiving).  Thursday is the eve of the biggest shopping day of the year.  Not bad.  Thursday is always the eve of Friday.  Can't take that one away.  Personally I think Thursday is a great day.  Help me out.  Help me give Thursday at least a little of the credit that it deserves.  What do you think?


Sunday, May 12, 2013

It Never Happened!


So...you're struggling with sin. You're being tempted. The truth is, you want to indulge in what you know (and God says) is wrong. And...you're a Christian! What? You're a follower of Christ? And you are struggling with sin? What (on earth) is the matter with you? Snap out of it! Be strong! This just doesn't happen to Christians! Or does it?

Truthfully the Bible never says Christ-followers will not be tempted, and yes, even struggle with sin. The Bible never says once a person becomes born again they will never be challenged by sin again. Those who believe such things are believing a myth.

Listen to what the Bible does say about Christians and sin. "If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8) To say that we have no sin is to deny the truth that we are all tempted with sin. But it gets better. The next verse says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) And then (1 John 2:1), "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." These words were written to followers of Christ who, just like you and me, struggled with sin from time to time.

Understand that the the power of sin was broken over man over 2000 years ago when Jesus went to the cross. Jesus came and dealt with our sins. He came and destroyed the works of the devil which came about as the result of the original sin in the Garden of Eden. Those who receive Jesus and live for Him are delivered from the eternal death sin produced in all of us who are born as humans. Jesus lives in the true believer and His resurrection life has given us power over sin. But we have this treasure in earthen (human) vessels that still possess the potential to crave the things of this world. Hence the struggle.

Most of us have no problem believing that all of the sins we committed before salvation are dealt with at the time we receive Jesus. We understand that God has not dealt with us according to our sins, but by His own grace. We simply believe in Jesus and all He did and we enter into this grace. What great news! Our standing with God is just as if we had never sinned! This is righteousness. This is grace! The Bible says God no longer remembers our sins.

So...you are a Christian and you are struggling with sin. Perhaps no one knows this but you...and God of course. Perhaps you have stumbled and fallen. Perhaps you've given in to the temptation. Let me tell you what God thinks. (Because what you think doesn't matter...unless you think what God thinks.) He says if you confess your sins He is faithful and righteous to forgive your sins. If we confess and He forgives it is just as if you had never sinned! The problem is we condemn ourselves when God doesn't even remember our sins. 

See if this scenario sounds familiar. There's a particular sin you struggle with occasionally. You don't indulge all the time, but it keeps rearing its head from time to time. You give in to it. Then you struggle with guilt. So perhaps you dig in with God, repent, and get a break-through. Things go well for awhile. You think to yourself, "It's been              days or weeks since I've struggled." You keep tabs on the time since your last struggle and fall. The problem with that is you're keeping a record of it when God doesn't remember what you have confessed to Him. Sooner or later when it pops up again, you'll feel even worse because you thought you had mastered it.

Grace does not give us a license to sin. But grace frees us from sin. Yes even this morning's sin. Grace frees us from tomorrow's sin. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

I'm reminded of the woman caught in the act of adultery in John Chapter 8. This is a perfect picture of grace. The mob wanted to stone her to death. Jesus said to them, "If your life is completely without sin, by all means, be the first to throw a stone at her." Since even the hypocrites knew their life was not totally sinless they began dropping their stones and leaving one by one. Jesus said to the woman "Where are your condemners? Did anyone condemn you?" She said, "No one has condemned me Lord." Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you. However, go and stop your adultery." When you confess your sins to Jesus, He forgives you your sins. It is just as if you had never sinned. You don't have to wallow in the guilt. Get up and act as if you'd never sinned because to God it never happened! But...stop the sin. Move forward in the power of forgiveness and share it with others.

We're not perfect. We're not flawless. We will make mistakes. We will loose control. We will sin. But God's grace has provided for that. Know that you are forgiven when you confess your sins. Yes, you may remember what you did. And some of those memories are not very encouraging. But remember that God has forgotten! Our confession equals God's forgetfulness. When God forgets...it never happened!


Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Got Faith?

There's a lot of talk today about faith. Many use the word faith to refer to a particular type of religion or a particular denomination. "I am of the           faith." Some use the word as if it is a mystical force. "I have my faith." Or "My faith pulled me through." Faith is a very popular word these days. Some folks believe faith is a personal thing and should be kept private. The truth is, there is nothing private about Jesus! He died a very public death to remove your sins and mine. So having faith in Him means living "out loud" for Him!

From the Bible, Ephesians 2:8 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;" One is saved as a result of having faith in God's gift of grace...Jesus Christ. From the point we truly trust or believe in Jesus we begin a life-long journey that we must walk.....by faith. (See 2nd Corinthians 5:7)

Faith must be genuine. According to James our faith in Jesus must be proved. That's why we encounter various trials and testings along the way. The result of genuine faith is maturity in Jesus. We grow up!

Faith must do 2 things in order for it to be genuine, Biblical faith.
  1. Faith must point us to someone or something. True faith is not some force floating around for our use as needed. The Bible explains that faith points us to Jesus, or to God, or the Words of Jesus and God. Our faith and trust in Jesus and His Word produces a sturdy foundation on which we stand through the trials and testings. Genuine faith focuses us on God, not on the things of this world.
  2. Faith must also result in our taking some kind of action. "Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself." (James 2:17) If we truly trust God, we will live for Him, beginning with believing He died and rose on our behalf. If we truly have faith in God's Word, we will learn and speak God's Word, and we will do what it says. Faith prompts action. Faith produces results.
Faith is not a feeling. It is not an emotion. Faith is the means by which we serve God. The Bible teaches that the righteous person shall live by faith. Faith energizes the Word and the promises of God. You must believe to receive! You must believe to serve. You must believe to advance in God's kingdom!

Jesus said, as He was about to raise Lazarus from the dead, "Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" Ultimately faith brings the glory of God! When God comes in His glory...stuff happens and things change!

Make the choice to live and walk by faith right now. Choose now to believe in Jesus as Savior.  Know the choice must be made to live by faith from today forward! And prepare to see God's glory!

I want to officially welcome those reading my blog from outside the U.S.  Thanks to you in the nations of Lithuania, The United Kingdom, India, South Africa, Honduras,  Guatemala, China, Germany, Nigeria, The Ukraine, The Philippines, Israel, Russia, and Canada. Feel free to share my blog! God bless! 


Monday, May 6, 2013

Monday Monday!


It's another great Monday. It would be easy to prejudge this day as a bad one just because it's Monday.  Isn't it amazing how we determine the value of our day by certain "exterior" conditions.  For instance it is often quite easy and almost natural to despise Monday because it is the first day of the work week.  Monday means the weekend is over.  Monday is also equal to the longest distance between now and the weekend.  I still fight that mindset!

But I have also learned that the way you think about something is determined by the way you think!  That last statement didn't come from Yogi Berra, it is a Steve Hutto-ism!  When you think about it...it makes perfect sense.  We think negative things based on negative principles we've learned from others and experience.  It's very easy to despise Monday when everyone around you despises Monday.  The result is we see things through negative glasses, which give us a negative outlook.

The Bible teaches us that following after Christ requires we change the way we think.  We have been given the Bible which is chock full of truly positive principles that change the way we think.  It is the renewing of the mind.  Since it's God's Word, the application of it not only changes our thinking...but it changes our thinking to the way God thinks.  I am so glad God doesn't sleep.  But if He did I am convinced every morning (especially Monday) He would wake up on the proverbial "right" side of the bed!

Why change our thinking anyway?  I mean what's so bad about despising a Monday?  The truth is the way you think becomes the way you speak.  The Bible also teaches that what we speak is what we get!  Not meaning to pick on Monday but it is such a good example.  If you despise Mondays at work, you will usually talk about it. However, if you decide to think on the positive things Monday brings with it - you begin to see it in a different light...God's light!  Get this...Monday is the first day of an entire week filled with incredible opportunities!  What kind of opportunities?  Opportunities to make a positive impact on lives.  Opportunities to influence someone with God's love.  Opportunities in business.  Opportunities to advance in your job.  Opportunities to change stuff.  Opportunities to apply God's Word outside of the church building and your home.

I have so much fun applying this truth now.  Let me explain.  When I walk into my workplace and throughout each day I make it a point to be positive because God's Word is positive.  I may not always feel positive but I think positive.  I thank God for my job every single day.  How valuable are good jobs these days?  That's positive.  I make it a definite point to speak to every coworker I meet - every time we pass.  Have you heard this one?  "How are you?  Well...I'm here."  My response..."Well, I am glad you're here.  It wouldn't be the same without you!"  You should see the positive reaction that one brings!

I am convinced you have a calling to influence folks in a positive way.  God's way.  But you and I must not look at things the way most people do.  It's so easy to be negative in a negative world.  But the way to truly influence others is to be positive (Godly) in a negative world.  Don't wait till Monday to begin applying this principle.  Start today...no matter what the day!

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Off The Hook!


That rushing, overwhelming feeling of joy that comes over you when the officer who stopped you for speeding says, "I'm giving you a warning this time." No, I haven't been speeding, and I haven't been stopped in many a moon. However, I do remember a time or 2 when this has happened. What an exhilarating feeling! It's as if you've been let out of prison! The officer of the law did not deal with me according to my violation!

I remember as a child committing a crime or 2 worthy of the punishment pre-announced by my Dad. So when I was busted he would always say, "Didn't I tell you not too......., and what would happen if you did?" All I could say was a weak, fearsome, and sort of humble "Yes sir." (Humble in hopes he would feel pity for me and well...have mercy.) That usually didn't happen. But every now and then Dad really would have mercy on me. He would say something like, "I going to let you off this time, but you'd better not do it again!" I would feel as if I had been resurrected! I had a new lease on life! Dad didn't deal with me according to my crime! Even though I was guilty and deserved his correction.

I simply love what Psalm 103:10 says. "He (God) has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities." This is the gospel. I mean folks, this is good news! According to the Old Covenant law, I am guilty. You are guilty. We are guilty! Under the Old Covenant to be in right standing with God, one would have to perfectly keep the whole Law...without flaw. James says, "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all." (James 2:10)

This is our problem. Through the sinful flesh we live in, it is impossible for us to perfectly fulfill God's Law within and by ourselves. If we break one tiny point we are guilty of the whole thing and stand condemned by the whole thing. We deserve to be thoroughly and fairly dealt with (judged) by God.  We deserve the punishment due.

Here comes the good news! God has not dealt with you and me according to our sins! We don't have to receive what we truly and fairly deserve. Why? Because He has not dealt with us according to our iniquities or wickedness. God has dealt with you and me in Love. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

Jesus came and paid the price for our sins and wickedness. Jesus took our sins upon Himself and bore them at the cross. Instead of condemnation and judgment, we can receive mercy and grace through Jesus. Jesus made it possible by paying the price for us!

Paul puts it this way in Romans 8: 1 - 4, "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."

Through the cross of Jesus Christ He has removed our sins. If he has removed our sins, the guilt has also been removed! You are no longer guilty! Thanks Jesus! "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103: 12) 

Nothing can compare to the overwhelming joy that I am no longer guilty! Nothing comes close to the elation of knowing that He has not dealt with me according to my sins, wickedness, and short-comings. Remember, God's grace and mercy, through Jesus doesn't make us flawless. It renders us guiltless and blameless in the eyes of the eternal Judge. Wow! This is even better than being acquitted from a good whipping by my earthly dad!

698415: Not Guilty Not Guilty
By Creflo A. Dollar

Many Christians have been seduced into thinking that they must earn the right to experience the forgiveness of sin and the joy of answered prayer. Even seasoned Christians struggle to overcome feelings of unworthiness, fear, doubt, and condemnation that the enemy sends their way. The result is that they never experience the standard of living God intended for them.
The truth is that God, through the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, has already made you righteous. Nothing you could ever do will make you more or less righteous in God's eyes. As you gain biblical understanding of how this right standing with God is meant to work in your life, you'll begin to experience the joy of your salvation. The reality of the promises found in the Word of God will then begin to fall into place.