Daily Thoughts

In the P of GP we read that Enoch went forth to preach, as the Lord had commanded him.  All men were offended by what he had to say, since he was testifying against their evil works.  They called him a wild man.  However, no one dared lay hands on him because he walked with God.  Moses 6:37-39 "And it came to pass that Enoch went forth in the land, among the people, standing upon the hills and the high places, and cried with a loud voice, testifying against their works; and all men were offended because of him.  And they came forth to hear him, upon the high places, saying unto the tent-keepers: Tarry ye here and keep the tents, while we go yonder to behold the seer, for he prophesieth, and there is a strange thing in the land; a wild man hath come among us.  And it came to pass when they heard him, no man laid hands on him; for fear came on all them that heard him; for he walked with God."

In the New Testament we read about how Stephen testified against the people and reminded them of how their fathers had resisted the Holy Ghost, just as they were doing, and had killed the prophets.  He told them that they had received the law by the disposition of angels but had disobeyed it. These were not words that they wanted to hear!  They were cut to the heart by what Stephen said.  But rather than repenting, they stopped up their ears to try to avoid hearing what he was saying, and then they stoned him to death.  He died after seeing the glory of God, with Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and while praying that the Lord would not hold this sin to their charge. Acts 7:51-60 "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:  Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.  But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,  And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.  Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,  And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.  And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep."

A verse with a thought booklet tells us that if we seek to hide our sins and cover them up, we won't prosper. But if we confess them and forsake them, we'll receive mercy. We may be able to succeed in hiding our sins from other people, but we'll never be able to hide them from God and unless we repent of them we will suffer the consequences.   Proverbs 28:13 "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."