God Knows-- Posted 02/23/2006

Zephaniah 1:12 says, "And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that
are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will He do evil."

There is no hidden sin.  No transgression is so small that God cannot see it.  

In the Garden of Eden, Eve transgressed against God's Word.  How seemingly insignificant the fruit of that tree was, but oh the
damage that was done with that first bite, forever severing the relationship between God and men.  Genesis 3:6-9 says, "And
when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one
wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.  And the eyes of them
both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.  And
they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from
the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.  And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where
art thou?"  

God knows all.  

God knows your every thought.  He knows every impure act that you have committed.  

Scripture tells us that "...Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God..."  

Sin always separates men from God.  God Himself is sinless.  The existence of sin acts as a barrier between God's grace and
man's rebellious nature.  

No sin will God overlook.  The text tells us, "...I will search Jerusalem with candles..."

In your spare time, try an experiment.  At midnight, turn out every light in your home.  Find a small candle, light it, and then
inspect your home for dust and cobwebs.  You think to yourself, 'This would be so much easier if the lights were on.'  And it
would.  But realize this: how close you must be to carry out this inspection by candlelight.  

The close proximity alone would reveal things that would have been overlooked had there been normal lighting, but you are
peering into each dark corner from just inches and nothing will be missed.  

This is how God judges a life.  Jeremiah 23:24 tells us, "Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him?  saith the
Lord.  Do not I fill heaven and earth?  saith the Lord."  

God knows.  

What is hidden in your heart?  What secret abides in the deepest, darkest corners of your soul?  Something you've never told
anyone.  Your wife doesn't know.  Your husband has no clue.  It would be a shame for your children to find out.  Your Pastor
would be disappointed in you.  Mom and dad would be let down.  

God knows.

Jeremiah 17:10 states, "I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according
to the fruit of his doings."  

The "men" in the scripture text thought to themselves, "...the Lord will not do good, neither will He do evil."

How far from the truth that thinking is.  Hebrews 11:6 tells us, "...that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."

Great things are in store for those that seek to please God.  He takes pleasure in those that strive to do His will and carry out His
Word.  

At the other end of the spectrum lies this truth found in Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death..."  

The presence of sin contradicts the presence of God.  The righteousness and holiness of God has absolutely no fellowship or
communion with man's sinful nature.  

There is a remedy.  

Repentance, which opens the door for reconciliation with God.

Consider this prayer by David in Psalm 19, verses 12 through 14: "Who can understand his errors?  cleanse thou me from secret
faults.  Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I
shall be innocent from the great transgression.  Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy
sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer."  (emphasis mine)

There is hope.  Scripture is right.  Romans 6:23 does say, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord."  (emphasis mine)

God knows every thought that has traveled the corridors of your mind.  

God knows every angry word that has ever left your lips.

God knows.

God knows you.

Do you know Him?

II Corinthians 6:2 says,"...behold, NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation.)”  (emphasis mine)

.