Accusations

I hate being accused of anything, big or small. 

Sometimes–okay, like several times a day–I defend myself over the dumbest little things.  In my attempt to "be right", do I even feel better about myself?   Not really.  I actually feel more PROUD, and then kinda worse about myself.  Pride comes from the accuser.  As he tries to make us feel low, we naturally want to defend ourselves (at least I know I do!) because accusations separate us from love.  And pride comes when our defense is based on works and accomplishments–our own justification–when in fact, we can do nothing apart from Jesus.  We must remember that it is by grace we are saved.

The accusations I'm talking about might be big or small, but I'm even pointing to those tiny things, like when I serve a customer the wrong food and they get upset, and I feel humbled.  Little things, if allowed to rule you, add up to one big accusation in the heart.  Does JESUS ever accuse us?  Nope!  And praise God!  🙂   "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." (John 3:17)   In the heat of the moment, we may let the enemy fill our minds with lies–they even might be legitimate fears!  But Jesus our King has the victory, and we do have weapons called prayer and Scripture.

Revelation 12:10  …the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.

The accuser has been thrown down!  And how does Jesus view us?

Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is in your midst…He will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

 

Ephesians 2:4-5 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved—

The contrast: Satan says that we are hopeless, while God is SINGING over us, EVEN THOUGH HE FOUND US IN OUR TRESPASSES!!  And of course He wants us to walk in righteousness, but let's remember the God is patient and loving, not accusing and condemning.  So when the "fiery darts" come at us, we can answer with this:
 

Romans 8:37-39   No[!], in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Let's tell the world about this awesome Love! 

I'll be headed to Costa Rica in 17 days!!