WELCOME We are glad that you have come

WELCOME. We are glad that you have come to worship with us! 1

WHAT IS BLUSHING? Blushing is a normal biological function that only occurs in humans. As soon as your brain senses a stressful situation, the body’s “fight or flight” instincts automatically trigger the blushing response. The reasons why we blush aren’t fully understood. Most studies suggest that blushing is simply a response to unwanted social attention. - Abbreviated excerpt from eredicane. com 2

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF BLUSHING? A symptom is defined as any sensation which accompanies a disease. Symptoms may include: • Extreme blushing, blotchiness in neck or face region, intense sensation of heat in the face • Overwhelming feelings of shame, embarrassment, nervousness, or stress • Avoidance of potential triggers, such as meeting new people, talking in front of a group, or making direct eye contact -Abbreviated excerpt from eredicane. com 3

WHY DO WE BLUSH? “The reasons why we blush aren’t fully understood. ” -Abbreviated excerpt from eredicane. com 4

WHY DO WE BLUSH? Jeremiah 6: 15 5

Jeremiah 5: 20 -30 NASB 20 “Declare this in the house of Jacob And proclaim it in Judah, saying, 21 ‘Now hear this, O foolish and senseless people, Who have eyes but do not see; Who have ears but do not hear. 22 ‘Do you not fear Me? ’ declares the Lord. ‘Do you not tremble in My presence? For I have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea, An eternal decree, so it cannot cross over it. Though the waves toss, yet they cannot prevail; Though they roar, yet they cannot cross over it. 6

Jeremiah 5: 20 -30 NASB 23 ‘But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; They have turned aside and departed. 24 ‘They do not say in their heart, “Let us now fear the Lord our God, Who gives rain in its season, Both the autumn rain and the spring rain, Who keeps for us The appointed weeks of the harvest. ” 25 ‘Your iniquities have turned these away, And your sins have withheld good from you. 7

Jeremiah 5: 20 -30 NASB 26 ‘For wicked men are found among My people, They watch like fowlers lying in wait; They set a trap, They catch men. 27 ‘Like a cage full of birds, So their houses are full of deceit; Therefore they have become great and rich. 28 ‘They are fat, they are sleek, They also excel in deeds of wickedness; They do not plead the cause, The cause of the orphan, that they may prosper; And they do not defend the rights of the poor. 8

Jeremiah 5: 20 -30 NASB 29 ‘Shall I not punish these people? ’ declares the Lord, ‘On a nation such as this Shall I not avenge Myself? ’ 30 “An appalling and horrible thing Has happened in the land: 31 The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule on their own authority; And My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it? 9

HOW DID JUDAH BECOME SO SINFUL? • The children of Judah were far removed from God in the days of Jeremiah the prophet. • As God prepared Jeremiah, He instructed him… Jeremiah 7: 16 “As for you, do not pray for this people, and do not lift up cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with Me; for I do not hear you. • They were so far gone God commands Jeremiah to not even pray for their deliverance! 10

Jeremiah 6: 13 -15 A NASB 13 “For from the least of them even to the greatest of them, Everyone is greedy for gain, And from the prophet even to the priest Everyone deals falsely. 14 “They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially, Saying, ‘Peace, peace, ’ But there is no peace. 15 “Were they ashamed because of the abomination they have done? They were not even ashamed at all; They did not even know how to blush. 11

HOW DID JUDAH BECOME SO SINFUL? • Judah’s two-fold problem: • 1. Full of abomination (disgusting practices). Jeremiah 6: 15 “Were they ashamed because of the abomination they have done? They were not even ashamed at all; They did not even know how to blush. • 2. Inability to blush! The epitome of their wickedness was not knowing how to blush. 12

HOW DID JUDAH BECOME SO SINFUL? • Instead of being ashamed of this disgusting behavior, they embrace it and refuse God! Jeremiah 6: 16 Thus says the Lord, “Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; And you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it. ’ 17 “And I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen. ’ • This is how they overcame blushing… 13

THE WORLD HOPES TO OVERCOME BLUSHING! • Blushing is now seen as a sign of weakness. • According to the quote from Jeremiah, we should blush when we commit an abomination. Deuteronomy 22: 5 “A woman shall not wear man’s clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman’s clothing; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God. • But Bruce Jenner is given an award for courage!? 14

THE WORLD HOPES TO OVERCOME BLUSHING! • Instead of being ashamed of repulsive behavior, many are encouraged not to blush, but be proud! • The term “coming out of the closet. ” Romans 1: 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. • Why was a person “in the closet? ” 15

THE WORLD HOPES TO OVERCOME BLUSHING! • Blushing while committing even the most horrible sins can be overcome. • Buy t-shirts on Esty that say, “I had an abortion. ” Proverbs 6: 16 These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, • The world openly and brazenly displays sin with no sense of shame. 16

THE WORLD HOPES TO OVERCOME BLUSHING! • Some things are shameful to discuss. Ephesians 5: 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. • Some words and ideas should not be expressed because they stir the imagination toward sin. • Some of the things that are said on TV should cause a Christian to blush (& change the channel). 17

THE WORLD HOPES TO OVERCOME BLUSHING! • Nothing considered shameful. • In fact, modern day society is looking more and more like what the first century church faced! Philippians 3: 18 For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. • But shame can certainly be a good thing! 18

WHAT ABOUT US? DO WE BLUSH? • “Blushing normally starts around age three. It’s at that point we become socially selfaware enough to realize that others can observe us. ” – from eredicane. com 1 Corinthians 15: 34 Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame. 19

CONSIDER ADAM & EVE • They went from not ashamed… Genesis 2: 25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. • To being ashamed… Genesis 3: 7 NLT At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. 20

CONSIDER ADAM & EVE • What did they gain from the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil”? Genesis 3: 5 For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. ” • It’s important that we know right from wrong, but also that we act favorably toward that knowledge. 21

WHY WE MUST REMEMBER HOW TO BLUSH… 1. The heart can harden… Ephesians 4: 17 So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; 19 and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 20 But you did not learn Christ in this way, • Then we lose the emotions that convict. 22

WHY WE MUST REMEMBER HOW TO BLUSH… 2. The conscience can sear… 1 Tim 4: 1 NKJV Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, • Then we lose the moral compass that directs us away from sin. If we have a conscience that won’t direct us and a heart that won’t convict us… 23

WHY WE MUST REMEMBER HOW TO BLUSH… 3. And people can lose their ability to repent… Hebrews 6: 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. • These Christians described could go so far that they could exhaust their capacity for repentance. 24

A SOLEMN WARNING TO ALL CHRISTIANS • God designed us with a working conscience, and an ability to blush! Hebrews 3: 13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today, ” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. • To violate your conscience over and over can lead to you falling away from God without an ability to return. 25

CONCLUSION • God designed us to blush when sinning. Not knowing how to blush is an indication we've gotten too cozy with sin. • But blushing (Shame) serves as a stimulus for repentance. 2 Corinthians 7: 11 For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter. 26

CONCLUSION • The right living Christian doesn’t have to worry about feeling shame. Romans 8: 1 KJV There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. • God’s Word doesn’t bring shame, but salvation! Romans 1: 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 27

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