Sin, from Mom part 3

 It’s funny that the these last few postings are about sin.  We are leading up to our blessed Resurrection Sunday and it perfect that we should see what lead to that event.   This week we remember and celebrate our redemption and rescue.  We focus on what lead Jesus to the Cross and the promise we have in the resurrection. What a glorious week.  I think I may go a little out of order here   I want to get to the forgiveness and freedom part next since it coincides so well with our Holy Week.

From Mom

Too many of us continually live in the past.  In Jeremiah 31:34 the Lord says “And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’  For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,”  says the Lord.  “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their     sins.”

First, we must face our sins.  Admit to the Father our wrongs.  See our part of nailing Jesus to the Cross.

Second, we must be willing to accept His sacrifice and receive His forgiveness.  He meant what He said, believe it.

Third, believe you have a future in Jesus Christ.  John 10:10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy.  My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.    He is risen!

New birth.  John 3:1-16 There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee.  After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus.  “Rabbi,” he said, “ we all know that God has sent You to teach us.  Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with You.”  Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”    “What do You mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus.  “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”  Jesus replied “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.  Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.  The wind blows wherever it wants.  Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.  “How are these things possible?”  Nicodemus said.  Jesus replied, “you are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things.  I assure you I tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony.  But if you don’t believe Me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things.  No one has ever gone to Heaven and returned.  But the Son of man has come down from Heaven.  And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake in a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life.  For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.  

To be saved:  Turn from sin, repent.  Believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

By faith, pray and receive eternal life through Jesus Christ  ask Him to forgive you for the wrongs you have done   Ask Jesus to be in charge of your life and give up your life to Him.  Believe when you pray and make Him your own.  

From me.

Salvation starts at the Cross.  It’s where the price was paid for our sinfulness. It was payed through love.  A love so strong it drove Jesus to that Cross, carried Him through the horrific pain and agony and through the heart wrenching loss of fellowship with His Father.   Hebrews 12:2....because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the Cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor besides God’s throne.

That love is for you and for me.   That death was for you and me.  And His resurrection was and is for each of us born again by the Holy Spirit.  Born into a new life through the shed blood of our Savior.  Hallelujah!!

Thank You Lord!!

Turn your eyes to Jesus this week.   

Sin, from Mom Part 2

Temptation.  Romans 7:14-25  14 So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. 15 I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16 But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17 So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.  18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.  21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

Seek those things which are above, put to death, put on the new.  Colossians  3:1-15 3 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 6 Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. 7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. 8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. 11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.  12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.  16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

The power of prayer.  Ephesians 6:10-18  10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.  13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

To overcome temptation we must pray for strength to resist, run--sometimes literally-- and say "NO."  Look to Jesus for help and you will overcome.  

Pray together Colossians 3:1-7 and Ephesians 6:10:18

Don't wait or put it off.  This allows Satan to get control, to develop a stronghold.  God will give you strength to resist.  He will make you strong.  

Faith.  Hebrews 11:1,6  1 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.  6 And it is impossible to please God without faith.  Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.  

I am confident and assured that what I am hoping for is going to happen.  It is evidence of things I cannot see.   It is impossible to please God without faith.  I want to come to God so  first I must truly believe that He exists, that there is a God.  But then more than just believing, this is only  the beginning.  He wants a personal, dynamic relationship with me and that will transform my life.  

God's discipline proves His love.  Hebrews 12:1-13  12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. 4 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.  5 And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said,

“My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline,

    and don’t give up when he corrects you.

6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves,

    and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”

7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? 8 If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. 9 Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?  10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. 11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.  12 So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. 13 Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.

Let me strip off every weight that slows me down, especially  the sin that hinders my rogressss in seeking God, to become obedient, to do His will.  

vs 12  Keep my eyes on Jesus.

vs 13  Remember how much Jesus went through for me.

From me.

This is a very Scripture heavy entry.  But what better way to defeat the sin in our lives but to be in the living Word of God.  It's actually  the only way.  It is the sword of the Spirit.  

What is your "pet" sin?  The one you most make excuses for, the one that seems to hold onto you no matter how many times you've sworn "today is a new day."   Mine is overeating.  What are the lies Satan whispers to you to convince to you to give in?  Scripture is where we find deliverance.  But not just reading and walking away.  I believe a lot of times that is my defeat.  What spoke to me, my God visit from this entry, was Hebrews 11:1, 6  I actually need to believe that God is going to help me  overcome and continue believing even if it's hard and doesn't happen instantly.  When the urge to eat when I know I'm not hungry or overindulge in something I know is not healthy I may seek God for a minute, but then the craving continues and continues and I give in instead of holding on to the truth that God will strengthen me and will deliver me from sin.  This is something I need to explore and work on.  

Lord, thank You for Your beautiful, powerful, living Word.  Thank You that You have made a way for us to be overcomers.  And overcomers we are!  Teach us this.  Teach us how.  Let us truly  believe that we can, through You, walk lives of righteousness and holiness.  I am so excited when I get these nuggets from Your Word.  Thank You.  Please help each one of us to draw the confidence and strength and wisdom we need from You holy Word.  In Jesus' Name amen.

Pull apart these Scriptures and find what speaks to your heart.  The Words that will make you an overcomer.  

  

Sin, from Mom, Part 1

Mom spoke about sin in her journal.  We all sin.  Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  We all screw up, make mistakes, sometimes on purpose with forethought, sometimes in the heat of the moment, sometimes without even realizing it.  We are not perfect.  We are fallen beings.  But thank God, He provided a Savior.  Thank God we are forgiven.  

Temptation is not sin, it is the step before it.  Yielding to temptation is sin.  In Psalm 51 the Lord shows us the way to cope and handle sin.  

1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion    blot out my transgressions.  2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.  3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.  4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.   5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.  6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.  7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;  wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.  8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.  9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.  10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.  12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.  13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,so that sinners will turn back to you.            14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.  15 Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise.  16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.  17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

1.  Truly admit your sin, confess honestly

2.  True godly sorrow.  "I am sorry."

3.  Ask God's forgiveness.

4.  Believe God hears you and will restore you.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

1.  Admit our sin.

2.  Regret the action of our sin. 

3.  Plead the blood of Christ.

4.  Believe, truly, God has done what He promised, namely, to cleanse us from our sin and to restore us to fellowship and service.  

Matthew 6:25-34 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?   28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

This passage names worry as sin.  We must discipline ourselves to turn away from anxiety, and temptation and choose to trust the Lord. 

Matthew 12:43-45  43 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”

Be warned, returning to a past bondage from which you were once delivered results in deeper bondage. 

Matthew 13:31-32  31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

Recognize that faith is decision and obedience rather than ability.  Understand obedient faith releases Holy Spirit power to overcome sin.  

From me.

Sin is our enemy.  But choosing faith enables us to tap into the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome our fleshly, selfish desires.  Only through obedient faith can we be the overcomers that Jesus died for us to become.   It is a battle.  But we have the Holy Spirit within us to empower us to victory.  

Will we sin?   Yes.  Do we have to live in it?  No.  God has made a way in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Hallelujah!  

Thank You Lord for the forgiveness You so freely offer.  Thank You Lord for the love which You show us.  Thank You for the  power of the Holy Spirit.  Lord, give us the desire to walk in Your ways and the power to carry our that desire.  Only through You can we have victory over sin.  Sin is bondage, and we don't want to live in bondage.  You alone are our very present help in trouble.  You alone can bring us to victory.  Thank You!  In Jesus, Name.  Amen

Tempted today?  Call  on the Holy Spirit, as much as needed to stand strong.  

A Timely Reminder

I always need reminders.  I forget everything.  Lists and notes are my best friends.  From grocery to phone calls to special projects and to dos, I write it down.  I even got a small erasable white board to jot things down and leave on my counter in an effort to save paper and be more environmentally responsible!   LOL

There are things we know.  We know that we know them.  But we forget about them in the hustle and bustle of living.  The truths and lessons God teaches us get lost in the busy day to day that crowds our minds and minutes.  It drives me crazy!  

Last night before bed I was reading "God's Hostage" by Andrew Brunson, with Craig Borlase.  Andrew and his wife were faithful missionaries in Turkey, working and living in obedience to God's call on their lives.  Twenty three years they spent ministering to refugees, planted churches, leading conferences and building up new missionaries, in spite of threats and difficulties.  And then they were arrested.  Norine was released shortly, but Andrew would spend over two years imprisoned on trumped up charges.  This book chronicles that time, and the trials Andrew faced, physically, mentally and spiritually, along with God's love and faithfulness during his ordeal.

So as I was reading I came to a sentence that struck a chord of conviction in my heart.  "GUILTY!" was the cry I heard in my head after reading, "I should remove from my heart any conditions on which God would pass or fail." 

Wow.  What a powerful statement.  And guilty was all I could claim.  Will God deliver?  Will God provide?  If He does this....If He does that....meets my conditions, my desires, my plans, my solutions.  With these conditions in my heart as I pray, I make myself God.  I make myself the planner, the ruler, the lord of my life. When I go to God in prayer with the answer already in mind, what happens when He doesn't answer the way I planned?  I decide God has failed me.  I decide when His love is being shown in my life.  I decide that He doesn't know how to run my life.   Ummm, no.  That's not the way it's supposed to be.  

Matthew 26:42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”  Jesus' own words give us the answer to all those conditions we place on God when asking for Him to help us or the our loved ones.  He is Almighty God.  I, for one, do not wish to take that title from Him, nor am I able or entitled to.  But yet, when I go to Him in prayer with the answer already formed in my heart, then I am taking away His sovereignty in my life.  

Like I said, there are things we know.  And most of us know all this.  But we forget, or we want it to be different or we can't let go of our own desired outcome....whatever label we put on it, we want to be the ones who dictate God's answers to our prayers.  Instead of echoing Jesus in Matthew 26:42, we say, "Not Your will but my will be done."   GUILTY!

Lord, forgive me for this habitual usurping of Your plan and Lordship.  I talk about submitting, but still go to You with the answers in my heart.  Yes, Lord, there are things we would like to see, ways we would like to be delivered, or see loved ones delivered.  But help us to let those desires go and make You and You alone the desire of  our heart.  Let us humble ourselves before You and let You be God.  Thank You for the always needed reminders You give.  You are a tender Father, loving with Your children, patience with our stubborn, slow learning, forgetful hearts.  Thank You.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

Let go of your answers the next time you spend time in prayer.  

In God's Presence

We started a daily devotional for the Lenten season.  Every special season our church does beautiful devotions designed to lead us deeper into the spirit and meaning of Easter or Christmas.  I love these types of things. 

The question was asked about what it felt like when you were in God's Presence.  At first I balked at the question.  My memory is so bad and I tend to forget these moments easily. (Hence, this blog.  LOL).  I need constant reminders, notes, notebooks of musings and experiences....all of that or I forget after five minutes.  I have even gone so far as to set the alarm on my phone for hourly reminders to be grateful.  (It may be time to do that again).  

All that being said, I sat there and searched my memories banks for those special times of feeling as if I was in the Presence of my Savior and I realized I could actually remember the feelings.  Peace, comfortable joy, quiet serenity, warmth.  I felt as if His love and almost like an anointing or cloaking would fall down over me as I prayed on my knees.  It truly is amazing.  It was nothing loud or large or bigger than life...but a quiet flowing of Jesus.  Beautiful.

I became so glad to answer this question that had at first scared me.  I was moved back through those times and warmed by their memory.  The devotional series is called "Torn," and it's a reference to Matthew 5:27:50-51 50 Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.   We are now welcomed into the Lord's Presence, accepted, loved and encouraged to linger there, soaking up His love, His  peace and His joy.  It's there that we find mercy and grace.  Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with complete confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in the time of need.  We come into His Presence with reverence and awe, but also with a boldness because we know we are welcomed.  Ephesians 3:12 Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.

It's amazing, this relationship we have with our Father and King.  This visit made me heart smile.  

Lord, what an amazing, wonderful, welcoming, holy, awesome God You are.  The same God that Isaiah fell down before and exclaimed:  “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” (Isaiah 6:5) is the same God that tells us to come to Him as little children, being assured of His welcome and acceptance.  I am always amazed that You desire a relationship with me.  But oh so very glad.  Thank You.  Just Thank You.  

Spend time in the Presence of the Lord.  Don't look for or do anything fancy, just quiet your heart before Him and sit. He's there.  Hallelujah, He's there.