O Wretched Man that I am!
Romans 7:24 “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Paul wrote this, telling of the revelation of God to himself….about his sin. He thought himself a very righteous person….till God awakened him to the sin within.
Now, we too, are wretched…….according to the Word of the Faithful and True Witness.
Revelation 3:17 “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:”
“And knowest not”. Jesus says that this we are….and we are all unaware of it.
Yet the Lord has told me, that any Laodicean,…. that would get a good look at his own heart…..
…..would do something about it!
But the problem is that we think we are rich and increased with goods….and have need of nothing.
(No wonder God warns us of “deceitful hearts”. Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”)
And the devil would keep us blinded to reality, if he could.
(But God also gives us sight,….if we want it. Jeremiah 17:10 “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins (will), even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” If you really will to do the Lord’s Will, then He will show you, your ways and your heart.)
Revelation 3:18 “…..and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”
What is the eyesalve?
Some say the Holy Spirit….and of course, He is the agent, always!
But to consider this wretchedness, we must see our side of it.
Luke 8:15 “But that on the good ground are they, which in a honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”
Notice…..”honest and good heart”…..good only because it is honest.
What does an honest heart do?
Having heard the Word, keeps it.
It answers the demands that the Word makes….doing what we are told.
(We must stress everyday obediences…..I believe this is one way the Adversary has deceived the church…..
….waiting for some special time, special place, special Word….when what He wants is us to just do what we’re told.)
We usually do not see the last strongholds of our rebellion, until His love points them out.
But once God has shown you, His love for you….personally, then you are never the same person again.
But all this rests with honesty…….as we will get honest with the Lord…we will see the reality, that is our own heart.
This is a deliberate act of our wills…..we must all come to believing obedience.
Believing what He shows us…..believing what His Word tells us….believing it is for now….today.
I see it!
I know what this life of obedience entails for me.
I desire it!
This is the life I want to live!
I expect it!
I will, by His enabling, live it.
I accept it!
I know I have it, and I thank you Lord for it. I trust Christ for it!
“Faithful is He that calleth you, Who also will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24)
Would you be delivered from your wretchedness? If so, get obedient.
Let His love open up your eyes and heart to His Faithful and True Witness.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 