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Message No. 0719 | Twitter @GodandUs | www.wisdom-speaks.ca
Sometimes I wonder why people who are arrested and imprisoned for one crime or the other come out of prison after serving their sentences and go straight to commit the same offence. In my bewilderment, I wonder, was there no lesson learned from getting arrested and spending time in prison? How could people serve six years, get released and want to go back to a situation where they lose their freedom again, and a place where they are ordered around to do things they don’t want to do? Don’t people in this situation believe that they are gradually losing the most important years of their lives? What happens to repentance and rehabilitation and starting afresh, and freedom!
People proffer many reasons for this kind of behavior. Some say it’s because people like that don’t have friends on the outside of the prison, so they prefer to go back there. Others say it’s because they are being fed three times daily in the prison, and outside, they have no jobs and no hope of survival. The more I think about it, the more I feel like people in this category believe that they are smart. They probably have indulged in the crimes for which they were arrested for years without being caught, and they probably think that being in the prison among other inmates would have improved their knowledge of how not to get caught, and this time they can get away with their crimes.
But I actually believe that people in the category described above are more normal than other categories of people. Take, for instance, Samson. He was not a criminal, but he became too smart for himself, as he believed that he could always rise up from any sleep and do damage to the Philistines. Delilah told him very clearly that she was interested in knowing the source of his power so the Philistines could torment him, but he was ‘smart’ enough to wave all that aside and still went ahead to reveal the source of his power. I have deployed all of the mathematical methods that I know, and yet I could not solve the Samson-Delilah equation.
Curiously, he was not alone. Samson was not alone. In Matthew 26, the Bible says that Judas, one of the apostles, went to the chief priests and asked how much they were willing to pay for him to betray/deliver Jesus to them, and they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. Then, at the Last Supper, Jesus told His disciples that one of the twelve would betray Him. Shocked, each disciple began to ask, Lord, is it I? In verses 23-25, the Bible says:
He answered and said, "He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me. The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born." Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered, and said, "Rabbi, is it I?" He said to him, "You have said it."
There’s no other way to spin this. Judas knew that Jesus knew that he was the person who had planned to betray Him. He also heard when Jesus said that the Son of Man was going away just as it was written of Him, which means that it was time for Jesus to be crucified. Lastly, he heard Jesus very clearly when He pronounced a curse and judgement on whoever would be responsible for His arrest. He said it would have been better if that person was not born. How could someone know that he was already exposed about the crime he was about to commit, and would be destroyed if he did not stop, yet go ahead and commit the crime. What was he thinking! Is this not a situation where a criminal believes that he is so smart that he would not be caught? He had worked with and walked with Jesus for 42 months, he knew that He was God and that His Words and pronouncements were true. What else did he need for him to be deterred from committing this crime?
Unfortunately, as it was in the days of Samson and Judas, so it is today. There are people who live a continuous life of crime. They believe that they are invincible and cannot be caught or arrested. They believe that they have perfected their acts and can always outsmart law enforcement agents. They forget the adage which says everyday is for the thief, but one day is for the owner. If you are reading this writing and you are in this category, I encourage you to stop, repent, go to God for forgiveness and surrender your life to Jesus.
Also in this category are people who live a continuous life of sin. They have been warned many times to repent, but because there has been no consequence for their sins, they believe they can outsmart God by continuing in their iniquities. Our God is kind, merciful and longsuffering, but He is also a Consuming Fire. The Best thing anyone can do for himself or herself is to stay out of God’s trouble. There is still time to repent, and He is actually watching and waiting for you to do so. Please do not delay any further. In 2 Corinthians 6:2, the Bible says:
For He says: "In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
If you are living a life or crime, a life of sin, a life of ‘catch me if you can’ (you can watch the movie), I appeal to you to please stop now. There isn’t a situation where you can always outsmart the law, or ever outsmart God. Can’t you see that there is no future in what you are doing? Please repent now and God will accept you. Today is the day of salvation. Tomorrow is not promised.
PLEASE ACT NOW:
If you are yet to give your life to Christ, you do not have a covenant with God and His promises do not apply to you. To come under these promises, please surrender your life to Christ today, by praying this prayer:
Lord I know that I am a sinner and I am unable to save myself. I am sorry for my sins and I pray that you please forgive me. I am aware that Your Son Jesus died for my sins and I accept Him as my Lord and savior. I surrender my life unto you from this moment. Please take control of my entire being and help me to be obedient to your Word, going forward. Thank you, Lord, for hearing me. I have prayed in Jesus’ name. Amen.
If you prayed the foregoing prayer, you have just been born again. Please find a Bible believing church in your area and ask to see the pastor. Let him or her know that you have just given your life to Christ and s/he will guide you on next steps in your journey as a child of God. The Lord bless you!
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