​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

•  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. Sibling rivalry once again raising its ugly head in the book of Genesis.
 
There had been a famine and Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to buy grain. When Joseph sees his brothers, 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. He tells them they must leave one of the brothers in prison, travel home and bring their younger brother to Egypt to prove they are not spies.

•  The Guilt Of The Past Returns 

Their guilty consciences kick in and they remember what they had done to Joseph, their brother, and they are thinking this is why we are experiencing this disaster.
 
We probably all have done some thing 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 if at all possible.
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 I am not the same person. That Gary died and was buried March 2, 1975 in the watery grave of baptism. Jesus was and is the perfect sacrifice. He 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." Christians are under construction. God is working on us. We are a work in progress.

• 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've 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 that is 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 we have the same enemy Jesus had when He was on earth. The enemy constantly wants to bring up your past mistakes.
 
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 on 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

Revelation 1:12-15 - “Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me.…I saw one like a son of man, …His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; …and His voice was like the sound of many waters.” 

• The Book of Revelation 

It is my goal today to give you hope and this is exactly why the book of Revelation was written. It was to give hope to the Christians living in the first century. They were under extreme persecution from the Roman Emperors.
 
The emperors wanted to be worshipped as if they were gods. The faithful followers of Judaism and Christianity would not worship them and consequently, this led to their executions.
 
The apostle John who had been exiled to the isle of Patmos because of his faith hears a voice behind him and he turns to see who is speaking to him.
 
He "saw one like the son of man."
 
In other words, he is seeing Jesus Christ. His head and hair were white is another way of saying Jesus is the pure one. The one who had never sinned. White is the color used for "purity".   

• God's Voice   

The Voice of God "was like the sound of many waters" the text says.
 
I am not sure how many of you have ever been near a waterfall or an area that is being flooded. I have been near both of them and I can tell you from experience the noise is unbelievably loud.
 
You literally have to yell at the person who is standing next to you for them to hear you.
 
So what did "His voice was like the sound of many waters.” mean when John wrote it?
 
God is telling John to allow the "Word of God" to drown out all other worldly noises.
 
There was a lot of political noise in John's day and God is saying don't listen to the political noise.
 
God is telling John to write to all Christians and inform them not to listen to the political nonsense coming from the Roman Empire. God wants Christians to listen to Him.
 
His Voice is to be heard over all other noises.
 
I would like to say there is a lot of political noise in our world today. God's Word is timeless. He wants us today to not listen to all the political noise. We are to listen to His Voice.
 
The importance of listening to God's Voice over all of the political nonsense in our world is we will not be upset by the nonsense. We must never forget our citizenship is in Heaven (Phil.3:20).
 
One lesson the book of Revelation teaches is human history is not separated from God's awareness or involvement. God is still in control of this world.  Not only is He in control He is walking in the midst of His Church.
 
He is the Good Shepherd and He is in the middle of His flock. So take it easy. 
​

• Nervous Type 

If you are the nervous type my advice is to allow the Voice of God to become "like the sound of many waters.” 
 
Don't listen to all the nonsense this world is throwing at you.
 
Listen to this:
Matt 11:28-30 - "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.  "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
 
Think On These:
 
God gives us the ingredients for our daily bread but He expects us to do the baking.
 
We may not know what the future holds, but we know Who holds the future.
 
God still speaks to those who take time to listen.
 
Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word

When Was The Last Time You Had A Good Laugh

Ecclessiates 3:4 -  "A time to weep and a time to laugh;…"  NASU
 
Solomon tells us there is a time to laugh, but some how the times seem to far a few in between. So with that in mind I thought I would use today's Pump Ups to make you laugh. Please know there is absolutely nothing true about this Joke. It is a joke. It has been made up by someone to cause us to laugh. I hope that it succeeds with you.
 

• Forrest Gump

Forrest Gump dies and goes to Heaven. He is at the Pearly Gates, met by St. Peter himself. However, the gates are closed, and Forrest approaches the gatekeeper. 

St. Peter said, 'Well, Forrest, it is certainly good to see you. We have heard a lot about you. I must tell you, though, that the place is filling up fast, and we have been administering an entrance examination for everyone. The test is short, but you have to pass it before you can get into Heaven.' 

Forrest responds, 'It sure is good to be here, St. Peter, sir. But nobody ever told me about any entrance exam. I sure hope that the test isn't too hard. Life was a big enough test as it was.' 

St. Peter continued, 'Yes, I know, Forrest, but the test is only three questions. 

First:  What two days of the week begin with the letter T? 

Second: How many seconds are there in a year? 

Third: What is God's first name?' 

Forrest think the questions over and says, 'Well, the first one -- which two days in the week begins with the letter 'T'? Shucks, that one is easy. That would be Today and Tomorrow.' 

Peter's eyes opened wide and he exclaimed, 'Forrest, that is not what I was thinking, but you do have a point, and I guess I did not specify, so I will give you credit for that answer. 

How about the next one?' asked St. Peter, 'How many seconds in a year? 

Now that one is harder, replied Forrest, but I thunk about that, and I guess the only answer can be twelve.' 

Astounded, St. Peter said, 'Twelve? 

Forrest, how in Heaven's name could you come up with twelve seconds in a year?' 

Forrest replied, 'Shucks, there's got to be twelve: January 2nd, February 2nd, March 2nd... ' 

'Hold it,' interrupts St. Peter. 'I see where you are going with this, and I see your point, though that was not quite what I had in mind. ...but I will have to give you credit for that one, too.

Let us go on with the third and final question. 

Can you tell me God's first name'? 

'Sure,' Forrest replied, 'it's Andy.' 

'Andy!' exclaimed an exasperated St Peter. 

"How in the world did you come up with the name Andy as the first name of God?" 

Shucks, that was the easiest one of all,' Forrest replied. 'I learned it from the song, 

'ANDY WALKS WITH ME, ANDY TALKS WITH ME, ANDY TELLS ME I AM HIS OWN.' 

St. Peter opened the Pearly Gates, and said: 'Run Forrest, run.'
 
I hope today will be a day filled with laughter for you.

Think On This:

Laughter is the shock absorber that eases the blows of life.

Blessed is the man that can laugh at himself, for he will never cease to be amused. 

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word
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