Blessed Transgressions

Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. ~ Psalm 32:1

I hate when I give in to sin and temptation, but I am not going to lie and say that I don’t - I am human.  However, when I do “cross the line”, I am so thankful that I can come to Christ, confess my sins and know that I am forgiven and have a clean slate once again.  Sin will eat at your insides and zap your strength and keep you at arm's length with Christ until you come to Him and confess so that you can be clear of the heavy burden.  Christ wants you to come so that he can give you the gift of forgiveness that he brutally paid for.  The impurity of our sins will be mercifully and gracefully covered to be seen no more so that you can stand in the presence of the Lord joyfully.  Jesus died for all mankind, but only those who have accepted Him as their Lord and Savior and have become His follower have the true gift of forgiveness of sins.  Forgiveness is a promise given to every believer, but it comes with a warning.  Matthew 6:14-15 says, “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”  As followers of Christ, we must be obedient to our calling of forgiving people who have hurt us, or wronged us – this is the only way you will not be judged on the day you stand before the one who has forgiven you.  The scripture is clear; we will be judged on this attitude of forgiveness when we stand before Christ.  Was I forgiving?  Did I forgive?  Was I gracious and full of mercy to my offender(s)?  Or did I play the victim and remain bitter?  We must forgive as Christ has forgiven us.  Go to Him now, confess your sin, get a clean slate and forgive others.  Your heart and soul will be more joyful. ~ Amen

Over These

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. ~ Colossians 3:14

I love my children, my husband, my family, friends and I would even say my co-workers and church family.  How we display and show our love will bring everything together in unity - meaning we will be a light to the lost when we clothe ourselves in love for everyone.  I believe that the greatest way we can show love is to be a servant of Christ and humbly put other people before ourselves.  Love is the sticky glue that holds all of Christ’s holy attributes together.  It’s an attitude that illuminates the soul so brightly that no one can argue with the positivity and influence it brings.  Love never fails.  Love can begin the healing process.  Love can piece together a shattered dream.  Love can bring hope, peace and forgiveness.  Love can light up the dark.  Love believes.  No one can argue with love.  Love like this can only be demonstrated if you are rooted in Christ and then allow His supernatural love for others flow through you to bless others.  This is not worldly love.  This is different.  You can not obtain this love without Christ being the center of your life.  It is a very district and selfless love.  Love ties all Godly virtues and spiritual fruit together.  Peace flows from love, joy flows from Godly loves, self-control flows from Godly love, gentleness flows from this love, patience flows from Godly love, kindness flows from this love, goodness flows from Godly loves and faithfulness comes from Godly love.  Love gives grace and should be the priority of a Jesus follower.  How well do you do?  God help my love for others increase. ~ Amen 

Restless Wanderer

When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you.  You will be a restless wanderer on the earth. ~ Genesis 4:12

Consequences for our actions come in many forms and touch many lives and consequences of sinful actions have even larger and sometimes longer impacts.  Impacts that can touch a family line and sometimes even nations.  We read of mankind’s first murder in Genesis when Cain becomes filled with jealousy and rage when God blesses his brother Abel’s offering over his.  And from this horrific sin, Cain will no longer be able to get crops from the ground and has become estranged from his family.  Instantly, Cain becomes a vagabond with no crops, no family and Adam and Eve lose two children and numerous possible grandchildren.  Most sin is an action of impulse from our flesh and worldly desires; a knee jerk reaction, or choice we make when we lose our focus on the Almighty followed by great consequences and guilt.  How many times have you lived with the guilt of your actions wishing you could turn back time?  It’s a terrible feeling.  Cain should have been Abel’s protector as his older brother, but instead he gives into his anger and does the unthinkable.  We read that Cain lies to God, as if he could, and tries to hide the crime, but God knows all too well what has happened.  He witnessed it.  He asks Cain in verse 10, “what have you done?  Listen!  Your brother’s blood cries to me from the ground.”  The fact is that Cain was more afraid of the consequences from God than he was sorry for having done the deed.  He was afraid to get caught; isn’t that how most sin works?  Sin, all sin, is crouching around the corners of all of our lives and we are all capable of the unthinkable if we don’t stay focused.  Keep yourself righteous and rooted in God’s word so that you may have joy, peace, and love in your heart instead of jealousy, anger, resentment, bitterness and rage.  Put Satan in his place and do not let him have a foothold.  ~ Amen

Your Anxiety

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. ~ 1 Peter 5:7

Christ cares. Period.  We often worry and sit in our anxiety because we don’t always trust God; in fact, maybe we trust in ourselves a little too much.  Whatever the reason, most of our anxiety is rooted in the fact that we don’t take our cares to him.  He wants to help, but we must let go.  He wants us to humble ourselves and come to Him with prayerful and hopeful hearts that God knows what is best.  Many times in my own life I have held tightly to my anxiety depending on myself and believing Satan’s lie that I must shoulder my burdens by myself.  That no one else can help, or cares.  But that is a lie.  God is faithful to help.  I need to humble myself and cast my cares at his feet.  No matter how big, or small, God promises to care for us and our burdens.  God doesn’t always take our anxiety, but when we throw our anxiety on Him, we can rest knowing that He will take care of us as we work through the stress.  You may wake up in the same circumstance, but you have more hope, more peace and more confidence that everything will be okay.  That’s our heavenly Father.  We live in a broken world where independence is considered greatness, but we were never created to do life by ourselves; to think that we must do everything on our own.  We were created for fellowship with each other and our Creator.  To put it all on our shoulders and not seek Him is extremely prideful.  No one has it all together.  We are called to throw our burdens on Jesus and let him care for us as he works everything out in his timing.  It’s all in who He is.  Being God means He can do what he wants to when he wants, but remember he is not a genie for our purposes, but He is faithful to be good all the time no matter if we understand His ways or not.  The Lord is good, He is gracious, He is sovereign and He will reign forever.  He will take care of you.  He may not take the difficulty, but he will be with you and take care of you through it if you will humbly cast it before his feet. ~ Amen