Good morning on this Saturday, July 17th. There's an old adage, "Denial is not just a river in Egypt (de Nile). That saying is often used when someone is refusing to own up to a mistake, irresponsibility, bad decision or sinful act. It frequently is part of the excuse/accuse process where someone excuses their behavior and passes the blame on to someone else. It first appears in the early chapters of Genesis after Adam and Eve had sinned and the Lord approached them in the Garden of Eden. Adam denied his disobedience and blamed it on Eve, and Eve in turn denied her disobedience and blamed the serpent. You see it reenacted constantly in the interactions of people. Recently during congressional hearings with the heads of the various companies involved in the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, each denied his company's responsibility and pointed the finger of blame at the other guy. The book of Proverbs says, "He who covers his sins will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will have mercy" (Proverbs 28:13). When it comes to our relationship with God, acknowledgement (confession) is the first step towards forgiveness and is essential in the path leading to correction and future prevention. No one can become an overcomer of any serious addiction, habit, problem, or sin without first facing up to and acknowledging that they have a serious problem - that is an all important first step. Then when we realize our weakness and turn to God for help, we will surely find Him waiting, willing, and able. That is the tried and true formula!
Tomorrow's sermon is entitled, The Heart IN Worship. I hope you can be there.
Mel Brown