Luke 23:39-43 - One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, "Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!" But the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?"And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." And he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!" And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise."  NASU 
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• Forgiveness 

As I read over this passage of scripture I am reminded that I too was once like these two criminals. I was carrying all of my sins by myself to judgment. If I had died before accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior I would have been rudely awakened by the torment that would have been rightly awaiting me.
 
I remember reading a quote in a book that goes like this: "It doesn't matter how you start. It only matters how you finish." Well, my early years were used for me. I did what I wanted to do and went where I wanted to go. Little did I know at the time the devil was playing me for the fool I was. I was on a fast track to hell.
 
I was at a class reunion a few months ago when one of my classmates had learned that I gave my life to Christ. He said this with all sincerity, "I am really glad you changed." In other words, he was saying, "I am really glad you gave your life to Christ."
 
He may be really glad but I am over the moon ecstatic that I became a Christian. I was like the criminals on the cross. I was headed to hell and needed forgiveness. I am happy that I was like the one criminal that realized he needed Jesus and not like the one that didn't realize his need for Him.
 
My start in my early years not so good, but it is my finish where I want to shine for the LORD.
 
If your start hasn't been so great, don't worry about it. Make the remaining years of your life count for the LORD. 

• The Lord's Kingdom 

The one criminal said, "Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!"
 
How did he know Jesus had a kingdom?
 
I will give you my two cents worth because he had heard either John the Baptist or Jesus preach a sermon about the kingdom, or maybe he heard both of them.
 
Matt 3:1-2 - Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
 
Matt 4:17 - From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
He may have heard one or both of them. We know he didn't listen to them when he first heard them, but now at the end of his life, he is ready to accept the truth and become a member of the Kingdom of God.
 
Maybe you haven't listened to the gospel in your early days. It doesn't matter how you start it matters how you finish.
 
Finish strong! Give your life to Christ! He can do more with it than you can. 

• Entrance Into God's Kingdom 

If you are one of my readers and have not entered into God's Kingdom now is the time to enter.
 
Here is what Jesus said about entering the Kingdom: John 3:5 - Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
 
Jesus is telling everyone to be baptized or immersed for this is how one is born of the water and the Spirit (read Acts 2:38). 

• The Criminal 

You might be thinking well the criminal wasn't baptized and you would be correct. He lived under the old covenant and we live under the new covenant.
 
The criminal was displaying repentance and a confession of his faith in God which was what was needed under the old covenant.
 
We are baptized into the death of Christ and Christ wasn't dead at this point.
 
Romans 6:3 - Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
 
I hope you will allow God to extend one of His greatest attributes to you and that would be the forgiveness of your sins.
 
Think About This:
 
There is one thing for which you should be thankful - only you and God have all the facts about yourself.

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago 

Minister of God's Word

Gen. 42:21-22 - Then they said to one another, "Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us." Reuben answered them, saying, "Did I not tell you, 'Do not sin against the boy; and you would not listen? Now comes the reckoning for his blood."    NASU
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•  The Cause of their Guilt 

Jacob's sons are in a dilemma. They had years ago sold their brother, Joseph, into slavery. They took his coat of many colors and stained it with animal blood and then lied to their dad, Jacob, about what they had done to Joseph.
 
There had been a famine and Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to buy grain.
 
Little did they know their brother, Joseph, who they had sold into slavery is now in charge in Egypt. Joseph sees his brothers and he recognizes them but they don't recognize him.
 
Joseph has them placed in prison and accuses them of being spies. He leaves them in prison for three days and tells them they must leave one of the brothers in prison, travel home and bring their younger brother, Benjamin, to Egypt to prove they are telling the truth and they are not spies.

•  The Guilt of the Past Returns 

Now is when their guilty consciences kick in and they remember what they had done to Joseph, their brother, and this is why this disaster is coming upon them. We probably all have done something in our past that periodically comes back from time to time to haunt us.
 
The two best ways I know to overcome a guilty conscience if you have hurt someone:

1. Apologize and ask for forgiveness from the hurt person.
2. Apologize and ask for forgiveness from God if the hurt person cannot be contacted.

After their father, Jacob, dies the brothers send a message to Joseph asking him to forgive them. Gen. 50:16-17 -"Your father charged before he died, saying, 'Thus you shall say to Joseph, "Please forgive, I beg you, the transgression of your brothers and their sin, for they did you wrong." 'And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.'"         
 
The brothers asked Joseph for forgiveness and it was granted to them.  

• The Hope We Have In Christ

When your conscience brings up your past here is what I have found works for me.
 
During those times I remind myself that I am not that person any longer. That Gary died and was buried March 2, 1975, in the watery grave of baptism. Jesus was and is the perfect sacrifice that atones for the sins of mankind. The best way to defeat your guilty conscience is to be born again.
 
I am not perfect now but thank God I am not what I used to be nor am I what I want to be.  I want to do what 2 Pet. 3:18 says, "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
 
Like the sign says, "Under Construction: God isn't finished with me yet."

• Guilty Conscience About Something Done After Your Baptism?

In case you didn't know Christians aren't perfect and sometimes our guilty consciences come from things we have done after we have become a Christian. You may have done something that hasn't hurt anyone but yourself so you don't have to ask for anyone's forgiveness.

People have told you, "To let it go." You wish you could but everything you have tried isn't working. 

So what should be done in those situations? I would say, "You need to remember what God has done for you and He Has Forgiven You so forgive yourself." 

• I Am Plagued By Feeling Guilty Constantly

Some people have a personality that dwells on the past and if you are a Christian that is constantly fighting your past mistakes then, by all means, you need to dwell on God's ability to forgive you of your sins.

• Christians Have The Same Enemy As Jesus

Christians must remember that we have the same enemy as Jesus had when He was on earth.
 
I like this saying, "When the devil wants to remind you of your past, remind him of his future." 

God is going to CRUSH him one day and so it says in Romans 16:20 - "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you."    
 
If you want to dwell on something dwell on what God has done for you and what He will do to the devil. 

Think About These:

The head usher to happiness is a well-kept conscience.
 
Your conscience is not the voice of God; it is a gift from God.

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago 

Minister of God's Word

Exo. 18:13-14 - It came about the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening. Now when Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, "What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge and all the people stand about you from morning until evening?"
 
Exo. 18:17-18 - Moses' father-in-law said to him, "The thing that you are doing is not good. "You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone"  
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• A Leader Can  Accept The Advice Of Others   

Moses' father-in-law, Jethro, was truly a wise man. He watched Moses for one day judge the people and he knew immediately Moses' system was geared for failure. Jethro says, "The thing that you are doing is not good."  Moses had a decision to be made. He could listen to his father-in-law or keep draining himself by doing it his way.
 
Moses will accept the advice of his father-in-law.
 
What about you today? Is your system geared for failure?  If you have not surrounded yourself with people you can trust you have already failed as a leader. You cannot build a successful team without trust.
 
A leader doesn't try to do it all. A leader is one who enlists the help of others and they accomplish their goals as a team. Bottom line is they trust each other. Moses still had a job that he was required to achieve. 

• A Leader Will Have a Good Plan

Retired Denver Broncos quarterback, Peyton Manning, was being interviewed after one of their games. When asked about their offensive plan, he said, "We knew we had to have our running game going as well as our passing game and we wanted the plays to be pretty even."

They passed the ball 40 times and ran the ball 36 times. I'd say they accomplished their game plan.
 
Are you a leader?  Are you showing your teammates or co-workers that you trust them?

•  Jethro Has a Good Plan For Moses.  

Jethro's plan is choose capable men to help you with the judging.
 
Moses had a plan but it was horrible one. Moses plan was simple to get up early and work all day while everyone else watches you. Make people stand in long lines in the heat of the day.
 
I don't even like to stand in line at an air-conditioned grocery store. I am one of those guys that would rather go and ring up the items myself then wait in a line.

Here was Moses' plan. You bring me your problems and wait your turn in this long line in the heat of the day.
 
Jethro had a better plan for Moses and it was enlist men who can judge over a 1,000 people, 100 people, 50 people, and 10 people. If a person brings a case and they can't answer it they will bring this case to you, Moses.

They will bring the hard cases to you.

Jethro has a great plan for Moses and Moses is wise enough to implement it. As soon as he found some qualified men.

•  The Men Need The Following Qualifications: 

1. Men That Fear God
2. Men That Are Truthful
3. Men That Hate Covetousness

Are you looking to build a successful team? Then use these same qualifications for your future teammates or employees.
 
A Leader will have someone that will speak the truth to him, like Jethro.
 
A Leader will listen to the one who speaks the truth to him.
 
Moses had Jethro, a leader in his own right. He was able to read the situation and determine correctly the outcome. A man like that is extremely valuable to the team or company.

Think About These:

Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things. - Peter F. Drucker
 
The fellow who does things that count usually doesn't stop to count them.

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago 

Minister of God's Word