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Acts 24:16 - Keeping a Clear Conscience.

Acts 24:16 - Keeping a Clear Conscience.

Acts 24:16 (NIV) So I strive always to keep my conscience clear 
before God and man. 

Acts 24:16 (NCV) This is why I always try to do what I believe 
is right before God and people. 

Acts 24:16 (EAV) Therefore I always exercise and discipline 
myself [mortifying my body, deadening my carnal affections, bodily 
appetites, and worldly desires, endeavoring in all respects] to have a 
clear (unshaken, blameless) conscience, void of offense toward God and 
toward men. 

Conscience, the ability to distinguish between right and wrong, 
[SDA Bible Commentary] 

Paul's desire to have a good conscience toward God and man 
reflects Jesus' summary of the duties of the law: love toward God and 
neighbor. [Daily Devotional Bible] 

A Clear Conscience
   When you're tempted to do the wrong thing, do you listen to 
your conscience or do you just ignore it and keep going? Although 
sometimes it will seem as through people are acting without a conscience - 
we all have one. Our conscience is a gift of God that we should 
care for and give great attention to because it is given to us for 
our own protection.  
   Every day we face decisions that involve our conscience, and 
it sends up red flags when we're about to do something wrong. When 
our conscience speaks and we ignore it, it's like taking a knife and 
dulling the edges. It becomes ineffective. If we disregard it enough, 
we'll make a shipwreck of our life (see 1 Tim. 1:18-20) - which means 
that we will have a disaster of a Christian life.  
   That's when we are most vulnerable to false doctrines and 
sin, and it's why people throughout the centuries have worshiped all 
kind of things. What's happened is their belief system has 
disappeared. In order to quiet their conscience, they've changed the way they 
think. They've deliberately chosen to exchange the truth of God for a 
lie (see Rom. 1:21-25). However, no one is going to get away with 
that. God will allow their heart to be given over to darkness. Whoever 
violates the laws of God will suffer the consequences.  
   Is it safe, then, to let our conscience be our guide? Not 
really. It all depends upon how our conscience has been programmed. Has 
it been programmed with the Word of God? When the Word of God 
becomes the grid of truth that protects our conscience, then we know we 
can respond in the right way. This is because the Holy Spirit 
enables us to understand the truth and will guide us to do the right 
thing.  
   However, understand that the Holy Spirit isn't your 
conscience. Every person has a conscience - that's why there are people who 
know right from wrong, even though they aren't Christians. Yet, only 
those who've received Jesus as their Savior have the Holy Spirit. The 
Holy Spirit works in conjunction with our conscience and works to 
strengthen us and teach us the truth.  
   We know we can dull our conscience, but the good news is that 
we can also make it stronger. Paul said, "I myself always strive to 
have a conscience without offense toward God and men" (Acts 24:16). 
How do we do that? We program ourselves with the absolute truth of 
the God's Word. God's way is the best way - it's the only way to 
find happiness, peace, joy, and eternal security. We have to have His 
Word and His Spirit as our defense.  
   Are you going to take heed of your conscience? Are you going 
to listen to what God is saying to you? Or are you going to do 
everything your way?  
   Your conscience is a gift of God to protect you, so you 
should take good care of it. Therefore, get in the Word of God. Obey 
the leading of the Spirit. Make sure that you program your grid 
system based on God's truth. And strengthen your conscience by seeking 
God. Then you, too, will have a conscience without offense toward God 
and men. [Life Principles SB By Charles Stanley] 

Faithfully pleasing God is an activity, not just a nice set of 
beliefs. It must be a way of life. [Time With God SB] 

WHEN YOU REJECT TRUTH YOUR MIND BECOMES DELUSIONAL:

2 Th 2:10-12 (CWR)  Those who do not love the truth enough for 
God to save them will be swept away by all kinds of deceptions 
brought about by the power of evil. For this reason God will allow them 
to be deceived, and they will end up believing a lie. However, they 
will not be judged because they believed a lie but because they did 
not believe the truth and continued to take pleasure in wickedness. 

SEE: http://www.abible.com/devotions/2005/20051114-0830.html

ALSO WHEN YOU REJECT TRUTH YOUR WISDOM BECOMES CORRUPTED:

Ezekiel 28:17 (NLT) Your heart was filled with pride because of 
all your beauty. Your wisdom was corrupted by your love of splendor. 
So I threw you to the ground and exposed you to the curious gaze of 
kings.  

Ezekiel 28:17 (AMP) Your heart was proud and lifted up because 
of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your 
splendor. I cast you to the ground; I lay you before kings, that they 
might gaze at you.  

EXCELLENT VIDEO SERIES ON EXPERIENCING GOD JUST COMPLETED:


http://sda.biggytv.com/watch/Revive!_-_Dwight_Nelson:_Experiencing_Gods_Grace/revive/