How Short Are the Days?

“Lord, make me to know my end and [to appreciate] the measure of my days–what it is; let me know and realize how frail I am [how transient is my stay here]. Behold, You have made my days as [short as] handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing in Your sight. Truly every man at his best is merely a breath! Selah [pause, and think calmly of that]!” Psalm 39:4, 5 (Amplified Bible)

My grandmother used to say that the older you get, the faster time passes. I do believe she was right. It feels like only an eye blink since I went to Christopher’s 5th grade graduation last May and it was the beginning of summer. Now this week all across Texas children are going back to school and summer is over. Soon we will be celebrating Christmas and a New Year.

The Bible tells us to number our days so that we can have wisdom.

“So teach us to number our days, that we may get us a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12.

When we realize how brief our lives here truly are, we then can understand how important it is to make the most of our time. We need to eliminate things that use up our time and energy but don’t really benefit others or ourselves.

How often do we realize we need to minister to someone but just don’t have the time? What we need to ask ourselves is what is using up our time to make us unable to take care of the important things? Are we serving God or ourselves? How much time do we waste watching TV shows or reading books that don’t build us up spiritually and then have no time to study God’s Word?

In the terms of eternity, this life is nothing. Even if we live our full 120 years, it is still “a breath” in God’s timetable. The New Testament tells us to be careful how we live and to make the most of our time.

“Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people), making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15, 16. (Amplified Bible)

“Live purposefully…” When we live purposefully, we won’t be overly occupied with trivial things but will be available and ready to obey whatever God puts before us to do.

Peace and blessings in our Lord Jesus Christ,
Dee

Seek First the Kingdom

“But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.” Matt.6:33 (Amplified Bible)

What does it mean to seek first the kingdom of God? How do we do that? I’ve heard believers pray “Lord just remove anything in my life that keeps me from putting you first.” Then when they lost their job or something, they thought it must have been God who took it because they were putting it ahead of him. Sounds very spiritual, doesn’t it?

I’ve prayed along those lines, feeling pious, hoping I’d impressed God with my holiness. But that’s really about all it is – religious piety trying to impress. Then God began to correct me and show me from his Word.

Satan is the destroyer, the one who takes away from us, but Jesus came to give us life and a life that we can enjoy. “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).” John 10:10 (Amplified Bible). Satan is the one who takes away, not God. And Satan will use our words against us to steal, kill and if possible to destroy us.

Jesus came to give us life and life that we can enjoy. 2 Peter 2:3, 4 says He has given us everything for life and godliness. “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” (New International Version). He has given us everything we need for life and for godliness while we are here on the earth. We have these things through our knowledge of God and his word, not by giving up things.

We put God and his kingdom first in our lives, not by praying for God to remove things from us, but by the choices we make every day. We know what our priorities are, we’re the ones who set them. We know where we’re spending our time, the choices we make. When we are honest with ourselves, we know what we’re allowing to separate us from God. We know if we need to remove something from our life. If we want God to be first in our lives, we have to make that decision and chose to put God and His Word first place in our lives.

When we put God and his kingdom first in our lives, He will add to our lives, not take from them. We go to work, we take care of our families, we have fun in our lives. These are things God desires for us and has given us. But we do them with the purpose of serving God, not just ourselves. Pray and ask God “How can I serve you today through the task before me?” That is seeking God and his kingdom.

Peace and blessings in our Lord Jesus Christ
Dee

WORDS OF MY MOUTH

“Set a guard, O Lord, before my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips.”

Psalm 141:3 (The Amplified Bible)

I was reminded a few days ago how I need to pray this prayer every time I start to speak. I said something that had unintentional results of hurting someone and causing them to question me as a believer. Actually, I didn’t say it. I posted it on Facebook, but same thing. It was done in jest, without thinking, but I should not have done it. I deleted it, but like words spoken aloud, I couldn’t take back the hurt it caused.

My mouth has been a problem for me most of my life. Disrespecting and talking back to those in authority over me, rude and even mean things said to friends and inappropriate comments were common when I walked as the world walks. But as a Spirit-filled believer, this should not be the case. When I go to the Father to confess my sins, I am usually talking about my words.

The Bible has a lot to say about the mouth. In the Wisdom Books alone, Job, Psalms and Proverbs, there are over 200 references to the mouth. Jesus said what is in abundance in our hearts our mouths will speak. (See Matthew 12:34) God takes our words very seriously. We have the capacity to bless or to hurt by the things we say. We can bring glory and honor to our Lord or turn unbelievers away from Him by our words.

If we sincerely want to be mature Christians, we must first learn to control our mouths. The book of James says, “For we all often stumble and fall and offend in many things. And if anyone does not offend in speech [never says the wrong things], he is a fully developed character and a perfect man, able to control his whole body and to curb his entire nature.” (James 3:2, The Amplified Bible) Sounds difficult if not impossible, doesn’t it? Left on our own it is impossible, but with God all things are possible. When we consciously and constantly ask the Holy Spirit to help us, with HIS power, it is possible. God never calls us to do anything that is not possible.

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14 (New King James Version)

Peace and blessings in our Lord Jesus Christ,
Dee

HAPPY EASTER!

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole. (Isaiah 53:5, Amplified Bible)

I was sick recently so I’ve been meditating on Scriptures that talk about healing. I reread passages in the gospels meditating on them and watching in my mind as Jesus healed all who came to Him. As I dwelt on the verses, my faith was encouraged and built up. Even when I went to the doctor, I was trusting and praising God for my healing.
It was no surprise this morning when I opened my Bible for my quiet time with God that He directed me to another passage that talked about healing – Isaiah 53. Jesus paid for our salvation and our healing when He was punished and crucified in our place.
This week we celebrate Easter, remembering Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection on the third day. Let us not take what Jesus did for us lightly. Because of what He did, we have forgiveness of sin, peace in this life, healing in our spirit, soul and body, as well as eternal life with Him. Praise God!

Isaiah 53:1-12
1 WHO HAS believed (trusted in, relied upon, and clung to) our message [of that which was revealed to us]? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been disclosed?
2 For [the Servant of God] grew up before Him like a tender plant, and like a root out of dry ground; He has no form or comeliness [royal, kingly pomp], that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him.
3 He was despised and rejected and forsaken by men, a Man of sorrows and pains, and acquainted with grief and sickness; and like One from Whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we did not appreciate His worth or have any esteem for Him.
4 Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment], yet we [ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God [as if with leprosy].
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has made to light upon Him the guilt and iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, [yet when] He was afflicted, He was submissive and opened not His mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for His generation, who among them considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living [stricken to His death] for the transgression of my [Isaiah's] people, to whom the stroke was due?
9 And they assigned Him a grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in His death, although He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth.
10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief and made Him sick. When You and He make His life an offering for sin [and He has risen from the dead, in time to come], He shall see His [spiritual] offspring, He shall prolong His days, and the will and pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.
11 He shall see [the fruit] of the travail of His soul and be satisfied; by His knowledge of Himself [which He possesses and imparts to others] shall My [uncompromisingly] righteous One, My Servant, justify many and make many righteous (upright and in right standing with God), for He shall bear their iniquities and their guilt [with the consequences, says the Lord].
12 Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great [kings and rulers], and He shall divide the spoil with the mighty, because He poured out His life unto death, and [He let Himself] be regarded as a criminal and be numbered with the transgressors;
yet He bore [and took away] the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors (the rebellious).

Peace and blessings in our Lord Jesus Christ,
Dee

Meeting God at Sinai

How important is it for us to hear from God for ourselves? Can’t we just go to church and listen to good Bible teachers, read good books about the Bible and depend on what others have learned to help us? Why do we need to spend time searching the Scriptures for ourselves?

When God brought the people of Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land, they came to the Mount of the Lord, Mount Sinai. There He desired to speak to them directly so they might know it was HE who was leading them.

Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the LORD had commanded him to speak. The people all responded together, “We will do everything the LORD has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the LORD.
The LORD said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.” Then Moses told the LORD what the people had said.
And the LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. (Exodus 19:3-11)

God had been leading the people through Moses. Now it was time for them to hear directly from God. He wanted them to know for themselves that He was speaking to Moses so they could trust Moses’ leadership.

At first they were willing. They were probably excited to hear from the I AM who had sent Moses to take them out of Egypt. They purified themselves for three days and washed their clothes. They drew close to the foot of the mountain, right up to the border where they were to stay and they waited.

The third morning God began to reveal Himself to them. There was thunder and lightning, and a thick cloud descended on the mountain top. A loud trumpet blasted and the mountain was wrapped in smoke as the Lord descended upon it and the whole mountain shook. The people trembled with fear. They were not ready for a personal encounter with the I AM.

“When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”
Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.’
The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.” (Exodus 20:18-21)

“…Speak to us yourself but do not have God speak to us.” The people did not want God to speak to them directly. They only wanted to hear through Moses. They were so overwhelmed with the awesomeness of God’s presence, they believed they would die. They wanted Moses to listen to God and pass it on to them. They missed something very important in the reason God wanted to speak to them directly.

“….God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.” He was going to give them some instructions to prepare them for the Promised Land; He wanted to arm them not to sin. God not only wanted to show them His awesomeness, but He longed to speak to his people directly. But because of their fear, the great I AM continued to speak through His messenger Moses.

Verse 22 tells us “Then the LORD said to Moses, Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven: Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.”

God was left with no alternative but to speak to the people through Moses. And the first thing He told them was not to make for themselves gods of silver or gold. Isn’t it interesting that the very first command God wanted to give His people was not to create their own gods. Of all the commands God gave Moses to relay to the people, the first one was ‘Make no other gods’. Then when Moses finished speaking, the people all said yes we will obey.

“When Moses went and told the people all the LORD’s words and laws, they responded with one voice, ‘Everything the LORD has said we will do.’ (Exodus 24:3)
Moses wrote down everything God said and read it back to the people and again they promised to obey. Verse 7 says “Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, ‘We will do everything the LORD has said; we will obey.’”

What was the first command they broke? The first one they had heard, to make no other gods. God again called Moses to come up the mountain and while Moses was gone, meeting with God, receiving the entire Law, the people grew restless and tired of waiting. They gave up on Moses and they forgot their promise to obey what they had heard. There at the very spot where they had trembled in fear of the great I AM, they took their gold jewelry to Aaron and created a golden calf, calling it their god. They reverted back to the gods of Egypt there on the grounds of the place where the one true God had desired to meet with them.
Are we so different? We draw back from hearing from God ourselves, depending on Sunday morning sermons and Sunday school lessons to get us through our week. Maybe we’re not afraid we’ll die from God speaking to us, but we have too many other things to put our attention on. We let other gods in our lives alongside the one true God.
God’s heart still longs to speak directly with his people. He calls us to meet Him so He can reveal Himself to us. He calls us to His Word. It is only when we stay and listen to His voice that we are able to not sin, not go back to the gods we learned in Egypt.
Psalms 119: 9-16 says:

How can a young person live a clean life?
By carefully reading the map of your Word.
I’m single-minded in pursuit of you;
don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted.
I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart so I won’t sin myself bankrupt.
Be blessed, God;
train me in your ways of wise living.
I’ll transfer to my lips all the counsel that comes from your mouth;
I’ll delight far more in what you tell me about living than in gathering a pile of riches.
I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you,
I attentively watch how you’ve done it.
I relish everything you’ve told me of life, I won’t forget a word of it.

(Message Translation)

We need pastors, teachers, and Bible studies. We need books written by those called of God to share His Word. But we also need to hear God for ourselves. We need that time alone with Him, reading and meditating on His Word, listening for that word that will protect us, that will guide our decisions, that will prepare us to live a life for His glory.

Father, I hide Your Word in my heart, do not let me go back to the gods of Egypt. Teach me Your ways and let me walk in them so my life glorifies You.

Peace and blessing in our Lord Jesus Christ,
Dee

Relationships – God’s Way

The Word of God has much to say regarding our relationship, not only with Him but with others. Marriage, family, friends, fellow believers, worldly people and strangers, God tells us how we are to behave with each one. The Ten Commandments are not just God’s Law to be law, but God’s law on how we are to relate with Him and people.

Jesus makes this pretty clear when He was asked which was the greatest commandment. “Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

It’s very distressing when I see individuals who call themselves believers mistreat fellow believers. How can we show God’s love to the world when we fail to even act in love toward one another?

The Apostle Paul writes in Colossians 3:12-14 “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and forgiveness, then above all we are to put on love.

Loving one another doesn’t mean we “feel” a certain way. Sensual love is feeling, but God given, God commanded, Agape love is a verb. It is a way of acting and being. Love does not lie but speaks the truth. Love does not tear down but builds up. Love does not turn away from others’ needs but reaches out. Love does not criticize but looks for the good in others. There is no hypocrisy in love. It’s not just words but it is how we relate to one another.

Father, fill me with Your love today and through the power of Your Holy Spirit let me live it and show it to those You bring into my life every day. Amen

Peace and blessings to you all in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Dee

Read 1 Corinthians 13

THE BEST GIFT

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.”

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”

“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,”

(so) “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

“This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ which means, ‘God with us.’
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.”

“So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.’
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”

Scriptures: John 1:1,2; Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:2; Gal 4:4; John 1:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:4-20.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Peace and blessings in our Lord Jesus Christ,

Dee

For God so loved the world

Stand up and be Counted

“On Nov. 20, 2009 a group of prominent Christian clergy, ministry leaders and scholars released the Manhattan Declaration, which addresses the sanctity of life, traditional marriage and religious liberty.” From the Manhattan Declaration website.

I don’t normally use this to promote causes or groups, but I just learned of this movement and I feel it is something overdue and want to share about it. Look at their web site and if you agree, sign the petition.

http://www.manhattandeclaration.org/

But more important than just signing the petition, follow some of their suggestions, and pray. This nation is in serious trouble and unless God intervene, we will go the way of other societies who were self-indulgent and godless.
Much of the blame can be layed at the feet of Christians who silently go along with a society who makes heroes of sports figures and actors. Then when their adultery comes to light just shrug and say “well they’re only human”.
We’ve accepted being told we couldn’t have public prayer in our schools and our children not being allowed to carry their Bibles to class. We’ve continued to buy products that advertise on immoral and ungodly television programs and magazines. It’s time we take responsibility and stop shoving the blame. It’s time for us to stand up and say what we believe. More importantly it’s time for us to ACT on what we say we believe.

“Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”James 4:17

God will hold us accountable. Christians must get back to being the leaders of our society, not the followers.

Peace and Blessing in our Lord Jesus Christ,
Dee

In God’s Hands

There is no doubt that we live in troubling times. The economy, flu epidemic, even our personal freedoms are being challenged today. If we only look to the world view for answers or only listen to the network news anchors, it is a pretty bleak picture. But thank God, Christians have a Higher Authority to turn to for answers and He has freely given them to us in His Word.

“My times are in Your hands; deliver me from the hands of my foes and those who pursue me and persecute me.” Psalm 31:15 (The Amplified Bible)

David wrote these words, and he was a man who understood trouble. God anointed him to be king in place of Saul, and Saul repeatedly tried to kill him. David’s own household was a battle ground and his son Absalom tried to dethrone him. The nation was at war almost his entire reign as king. David knew about trouble.
In verse 9 of the Psalm he writes, “Have mercy and be gracious unto me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; with grief my eye is weakened, also my inner self and my body.” He goes on and talks about his strength is failing because of his enemies, he’s being slandered and he is surrounded by terror. But then in verse 14 he repeats his confession that he trusts in God.

“But I trusted in, relied on, and was confident in You, O Lord; I said, You are my God.”

However overwhelming our lives may be, we too can say with David, “You are my God.” His promises never fail. Jesus said He would never leave us or forsake us and we can depend on it.  David knew who his God was and who he was. If we’ve received the Lord Jesus Christ and been filled with the Holy Spirit, we can know who we are and know who God is. Our times are in His hands, He knows our future so we don’t need to worry about it. We just have to trust Him to take us through it.

“O love the Lord, all you His saints! The Lord preserves the faithful, and plentifully pays back him who deals haughtily. Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for and hope for and expect the Lord!”  (Psalm 31:23,24)

Be strong and let your heart take courage in the Lord.

Peace and blessings through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Dee

When You Get It Wrong – Again

“For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do.” Romans 7:18, 19 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

Do you ever wonder why you did something you said you’d never do again? Or failed to do something you promised yourself you would do? That’s me all the time. I swear I’ll get up early and walk, but then stay in bed too long, or start doing something else and forget about it. I promise myself I won’t get upset over trivial things, but catch myself getting irritated or angry over minor issues. Sometimes it’s not just little failures we suffer, but real sin catches us unaware and before we know it we’re right back in the midst of it, again.

The Apostle Paul certainly knew about it. Even he felt there was nothing good in himself. Wow! You mean the man who wrote most of the New Testament struggled with sin? Yes, even Paul. There was only One who never sinned, Jesus,  and even He faced temptation.  (Read Matthew 4:1-11.)

One of the many things I love about the Bible, it shows us that the men and women God used in the past were just like us. They sometimes got things wrong over and over, yet God was able to pick them up, clean them up and use them. Just like He picks us up, cleans us up, and desires to use us today.

Gideon questioned God, not once, but three times. But God still used him to deliver Israel. (Read Chapter 6, 7 and 8 of Judges.)

David was an adulterer and a murderer. But because he desired to be made clean and repented, God was able to call him a man after His own heart.

Moses lost his temper and disobeyed God, but the Bible says, “The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend”. (Exodus 33:11a)

Jonah was angry at God because He didn’t destroy the city of Nineveh after the people repented when Jonah preached to them. And remember it took a whale to get him there. Think about that. He finally obeys God, goes to preach in one of the most wicked cities of the era, the entire city repents, including the King, and Jonah is angry because God did not destroy them. How many preachers can say they went to a city and the entire city, including the Mayor got saved? Not that many.

Peter denied Jesus three times. But after the resurrection Jesus gave Peter three opportunities to reaffirm his love for him. “Lord, You know I love You” and Jesus replied “Feed My sheep.”

The Apostle Paul says “O unhappy and pitiable and wretched man that I am! Who will release and deliver me from [the shackles of] this body of death? O thank God! [He will!] through Jesus Christ (the Anointed One) our Lord! So then indeed I, of myself with the mind and heart, serve the Law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.” Romans 7:24, 25 (Amplified Bible) In other words, it is through Jesus Christ we can overcome and we can be free from sin.

When we do fail, praise God, He’s made the way for our restoration. The very next verse says God will not condemn us, but He will set us free. “THEREFORE, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has freed me from the law of sin and of death.” Romans 8:1, 2 (Amplified Bible)
Matthew Henry says in his Concise Commentary on the Bible, “Believers may be chastened of the Lord, but will not be condemned with the world. By their union with Christ through faith, they are thus secured.”

So, the next time you know you’ve gotten something wrong, the next time you feel unworthy of God, or doubt your usefulness to Him, remember you are not alone. We’re all there one time or another, and some of us on a regular basis. And God knew your weaknesses when He called you, but He chose you anyway. Pick yourself up, repent, and start over.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

Peace and blessings in our Lord Jesus Christ to you all,
Dee