“Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.” Revelation 12:10 (NKJV)
By Bro. John L. Cash, “Country Preacher Dad”
Spencer has started his first semester at our local community college, and is living in the dorm.Even though I see him every weekend, his departure from the daily affairs of life has made me grow nostalgic.Not a day passes that some scene from his early childhood doesn’t go through my mind.
I was thinking the other morning about when he was too little to dress himself.His pediatrician said to us one time when he was an infant, “How do you get him dressed in the morning?He’s strong.I’m not just saying that!” Well, the truth is, that it was a lot easier to get Spencer dressed if you had two people to do it.Susan put his clothes on him.And it was my job to entertain him during the process.I can still hear Susan saying, “John, will you PLEASE come play with him so I can get him dressed?”
One of the most successful distractions in my arsenal of entertaining tactics involved the box of hand puppets that we had.I made them carry on conversations with Spencer while he was being dressed.Each of the puppets had their own personality which remained the same from day to day.
There was a tiger puppet who was a tattletale. His favorite phrase was, “I’m tellin’ on you. I’m tellin’ Mom.I’m telling.’” No matter what Spencer said, the puppet always said the same thing –“I’m telling!”
I have laughed a thousand times about what Spencer said to me one morning.He looked me straight in the eye, and said with all seriousness, “Dad, I don’t like that little puppet.”
And that is only humorous because it is so true.Children learn about tattletales very early in their lives, and nobody likes a tattletale.
Did you know that the Bible says that Satan is a tattletale?In the book of Revelation, St. John refers to the Devil as “the accuser of the brethren.”Now that fact is important to know.Many times Christians carry a load of guilt that they do not need to carry.Their hearts condemn them for sins that the Lord has already forgiven.But, because they feel guilt, they are sure that the Lord is condemning them.
The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin to lead us to repentance.He offers us full forgiveness and freedom. The Devil accuses us of sins that Christ has already forgiven.He tells us that we should give up on ourselves because we are so hopeless.The Holy Spirit leads us to cleansing and freedom.The accusations of the Devil lead us to despair.
Dear mamas, today is the day to lay down your load of guilt and shame.The Bible assures us that, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9).So, come to Jesus for cleansing, and live a life of joy—or I’m tellin’.
Dr. John L. Cash is the “Country Preacher Dad” * He was raised in Stuttgart, Arkansas, and is beginning his 25th year of being a country preacher in the piney woods five miles south of the little town of Hickory, Mississippi. He and his lovely wife, Susan, and his sons, Spencer (age 18) and Seth (age 15) live in the parsonage next door to the Antioch Christian Church (where the box of puppets has entertained a multitude of visiting parishoners’ children). You should write him at extramailbox@juno.com.
