In a small group I am studying the life of David from 1 Samuel. This is the 3rd time in the last 1 1/2 years I've studied 1 Samuel. I must be dense in some areas the Lord is speaking to me. God's word is alive and I have learned different insights with each lesson.
In 1Sam chapter 21 we see David flee from Saul who was trying to kill him because he was jealous of David. David was taken captive by the Phillistines and brought before King Achish. His life was in jeopardy and he was so afraid that he pretends to be insane. The king releases him not wanting a madman in his sight. David was on the run alone. Desperate. Completely striped of all resources and everything of his own strength. God had removed his closest friend Jonathan, his family and he was defenseless.
He escaped to the cave of Adullum which means "sealed off place"-resting place. This was the place God was leading him to all along.
It was in this place that David had no where to look but up. He surely was on his knees as he cried out to the only One who heard and answered. This was the place deep in his soul where self was dethroned and the mighty Lord was put on. David poured out his heart as he wrote ps 142, ps 56, and ps 34.
In ps 142, David cried to the Lord and poured out his complaint before Him. He acknowledged that everyone deserted him and his own refuge had failed him, that his enemies were stronger then he was, that he was being persecuted, and that he felt like he was in prison and brought very low. This was probably the darkest time in his life thus far. A time of depletion and full exposure. The Lord had been chiseling and building his character.
In Ps 56, David questions God twice saying, "What can flesh do to me?" He pleads, " What can man do to me?" In v 1, He prays for relief from his tormentors that were causing his oppression. In v 3, He tells God how afraid he is. In v 5, he expresses how frustrated he is that his enemies are twisting his words leaving him feeling misunderstood. He says, "Will my enemies escape their iniquity? As he calls on the Lord to, "Put all his tears in a bottle?
Do you know this feeling? Have you ever been in this place?
I've been to the cave of Adullum. It was a place of bitterness and brokeness when I entered. But sweet and healing and freeing as I let the Lord carve out the poisen in my heart. I hated being there. I fought it with everything in me. I kicked and screamed and ran with every bit of might I had. I was scared more then any other time in my life. I was alone, desperate and wept for days. The Lord was using instruments (circumstances, people, etc.) as tools to open my heart and force me to admit my bitterness and sin. It hurt so much I could hardly stand it. I wanted to just die. It was the place God was leading me to all along. It was there that I poured out a 16 page letter to HIM about my pain and injustice, my hurt and misunderstanding. The tools (situations) He uses are different for everyone. He will use whatever is necessary to accomplish His purpose to deplete us of self and all human effort for the goal of driving us to our knees in utter helplessness so that HE can show us WHO HE IS. He listened to me. He met me. He answered me.
Adullum- A place of rest and dependency where the Presense of the Lord dwells with the broken-hearted that no one else can enter but us and the Lord. We learn to worship and fear Him only. Fearing anything other than God can evoke feelings of anxiety, impending danger, panic or dread. Fear can stem from unchecked sin or sin that has never been repented of which was why Saul feared David. We can contrast David's fear which arose while he was being hunted down-the innocent victim. The thought of confronting our fears wherever they come from can be overwhelming at times but fearing and pleasing the Lord and bringing it ALL to Him bring peace and rest to our heart and mind.
Ps 56:9 gives us a glimpse of David's emotions in that cave, he says, "I know God is for me." Four times he says, "In God I will praise and I will trust." We too can know and expect that God WILL meet us and be there for us. In V 3 he says, "Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You."
In ps 34, David praises the Lord for delivering him from all of his fears. V 5 says, "They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed." When we come to God as David did we find ourself transformed and He removes our shame. V 17-18 share how he was honest before God about his fears, "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of ALL their trouble. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those with a contrite spirit." We won't get anywhere with the Lord until we are completely truthful about the condition of our heart and honest about what we are going through.
V 11-14 tell us how David shared with others how to fear the Lord. He describes the definition of the man (or woman) who desires life; they keep their tongue from evil and their lips from speaking deceit. They chose good and not evil. They seek peace and pursue it.
Your pit might be so deep that you can't imagine that the LORD is bigger and deeper. HE is. Corrie Ten Boom said there is no pit to deep that He is not deeper still. It is true. The relief doesn't always come over night. It takes time for Him to work His patience in us and develop character qualities that may not surface for years. The key is faith and dependence in what we cannot see at the time but hope for in quiet trust. He promises to be with us through it all to bring us safely to the other side where we live in His love, grace and mercy.
There are prescribed seasons of brokeness in our life. We can't run from them. There are treasures in darkness that cannot be learned any other way. Let God do His work in you that you may overcome and give testimony of His deliverance in your life for His glory.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
"Today If You Hear His Voice, Do Not Harden Your Hearts" Heb 4:7
We may find our self separated from God not sure how to approach Him and listen to His voice. We must first recognize God is God and He hasn't changed. He is waiting and available all of the time. He desires us to continually live in His presense.
In Andrew Murray's book Humility he says, "The blessings of the higher Christian life were often like objects exposed in a shop window- one could see them clearly and yet could not reach them. If told to stretch out his hand and take, a man would answer, 'I cannot; there is a thick pane of glass between me and them.' Likewise, Christians may clearly see the blessed promises of perfect peace and rest, of overflowing love and joy, of abiding communion and fruitfulness, yet feel that there is something in-between hindering the true possession. And what might that be? Nothing but pride."
Pride erects these emotional walls between us and the Savior. We erect these walls around our heart to protect ourself but they are counterfeit to what we really need. When we hide under false humility and pretense we separate ourself from Him and others.
Pride isolates us.
God uses trials, pain and adversity as His tools to move us in the direction of TURNING to Him. He allows brokeness into our life to crush these walls. Brokeness is always a pathway to blessing even though is can be painful.
When I was a little girl my dad would often say, "Your being pretentious,"-defined a false show of what is really going on, -while angry on the inside."
Another word might be denial. I had a tendency to deny my pain pretending it didn't exist. I used all kinds of protection-pride-being one of them. How I can easily deflect my own pain and busy myself serving or doing for others. We can avoid or cope with our own pain by trying to fix others or focus on their needs instead of our own. I am aware how perfectionistic and performance driven I can be feeling like I am accepted based on these behaviors.
This is part of approval addiction. The need to "appear" right on the outside, doing what is expected, and be in pain unchecked on the inside. This is also called hypocracy. The Lord reveals
every motive and attitude of the heart whether we are doing it for Him as led by Him or out of guilt to win the favor of others which points to ourself.
Today I have a relationship with the Lord and know the Lord in such a way that I trust Him with my weaknesses and as soon as I become aware that I am doing this, I bring it to Him as with all sin that separates me from Him. I do not need to be approved by certain individuals to feel good about myself. I don't have to hide my sin and my hurt from the Holy Spirit and pretend it is not there. I can focus on pleasing God and when I first deal with my own issues instead of everyone elses, I will be more effective in helping others.
Believing Jesus is our Present help, wherever we are, whatever we have done. I can live in His grace, help and favor and not in the bondage of works in my own effort stuffing the truth.
Freedom comes as we honestly and humbly bring these walls before God and ask Him to remove our pride and separation. He is ready, willing and able to hear this hearts request and to restore our fellowship with Him and keep our relationships healthy with others.
In Andrew Murray's book Humility he says, "The blessings of the higher Christian life were often like objects exposed in a shop window- one could see them clearly and yet could not reach them. If told to stretch out his hand and take, a man would answer, 'I cannot; there is a thick pane of glass between me and them.' Likewise, Christians may clearly see the blessed promises of perfect peace and rest, of overflowing love and joy, of abiding communion and fruitfulness, yet feel that there is something in-between hindering the true possession. And what might that be? Nothing but pride."
Pride erects these emotional walls between us and the Savior. We erect these walls around our heart to protect ourself but they are counterfeit to what we really need. When we hide under false humility and pretense we separate ourself from Him and others.
Pride isolates us.
God uses trials, pain and adversity as His tools to move us in the direction of TURNING to Him. He allows brokeness into our life to crush these walls. Brokeness is always a pathway to blessing even though is can be painful.
When I was a little girl my dad would often say, "Your being pretentious,"-defined a false show of what is really going on, -while angry on the inside."
Another word might be denial. I had a tendency to deny my pain pretending it didn't exist. I used all kinds of protection-pride-being one of them. How I can easily deflect my own pain and busy myself serving or doing for others. We can avoid or cope with our own pain by trying to fix others or focus on their needs instead of our own. I am aware how perfectionistic and performance driven I can be feeling like I am accepted based on these behaviors.
This is part of approval addiction. The need to "appear" right on the outside, doing what is expected, and be in pain unchecked on the inside. This is also called hypocracy. The Lord reveals
every motive and attitude of the heart whether we are doing it for Him as led by Him or out of guilt to win the favor of others which points to ourself.
Today I have a relationship with the Lord and know the Lord in such a way that I trust Him with my weaknesses and as soon as I become aware that I am doing this, I bring it to Him as with all sin that separates me from Him. I do not need to be approved by certain individuals to feel good about myself. I don't have to hide my sin and my hurt from the Holy Spirit and pretend it is not there. I can focus on pleasing God and when I first deal with my own issues instead of everyone elses, I will be more effective in helping others.
Believing Jesus is our Present help, wherever we are, whatever we have done. I can live in His grace, help and favor and not in the bondage of works in my own effort stuffing the truth.
Freedom comes as we honestly and humbly bring these walls before God and ask Him to remove our pride and separation. He is ready, willing and able to hear this hearts request and to restore our fellowship with Him and keep our relationships healthy with others.
Monday, February 21, 2011
The Lord Does It All 1 Sam 17
When was the last time you found yourself in circumstances that overwhelmed you? They were too big for you to fight on your own. How did you get through it? Who or what did you turn to for direction, relief and security?
Anxiety and fear can leave us feeling so unsettled and gripped with turmoil and unrest in our mind and body. Anxiety drives our mind to race ahead. Fear can paralyze us from moving at all.
Unexpected situations can cause these feelings. A comment directed at you that just threw you for a loop and your mind was consumed. They can also arise from circumstances we've been dealing with for while like a sick family member or being let go from a job or a life long addiction. These situations can leave us feeling angry and frustrated even depressed and hopeless.
Depression can be caused by repressed anger. The fear or inability to express ourself and our emotions which cause us to shut down. Our anger or disappointment over hurt or conflict of injustice can grip us with emotional paralysis. I have felt this so many times in my life and I have felt isolated and alone which led to confussion, selfishness and guilt.
We live in a world of people wearing masks of pretension covering up the true condition of the heart. The fear of rejection cripples us from being open and vulnerable.
Do you know that the Lord will never reject you? He sees everything that concerns you and He wants you to TURN to Him and bring your heart to Him in trust and dependence believing that He wants to help us in our time of need no matter how huge or small.
In 1 Samuel 17 David represents incredible faith as he states one of the most victorious verses in the bible while fighting the giant Goliath. He says, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javlin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the GOD of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand." David's courage and trust came as he recognized the power of God to be his defender against all of the odds and in no ability of his flesh. He didn't even use conventional weapons but a sling and a stone by God's direction.
The Lord allows these situations so that our confidence and faith would increase in HIM and in His word and not in the opinions of others. We can also misplace trust in ourself, our influence, and our self-sufficiency. We tend to measure our obstacles against our own strength rather than the size of our God. We must believe that He sees, He listens and He only has the answer if we will just open our hearts to Him. We have to be willing to be honest and vulnerable before God about our own heart and be willing to release our fear and sin to Him. God is looking for hearts that are pure before Him so that he can work on their behalf. David had a heart that loved God and feared Him and believed in Him. God used him mightily because David realized that the Lord does it all.
Anxiety and fear can leave us feeling so unsettled and gripped with turmoil and unrest in our mind and body. Anxiety drives our mind to race ahead. Fear can paralyze us from moving at all.
Unexpected situations can cause these feelings. A comment directed at you that just threw you for a loop and your mind was consumed. They can also arise from circumstances we've been dealing with for while like a sick family member or being let go from a job or a life long addiction. These situations can leave us feeling angry and frustrated even depressed and hopeless.
Depression can be caused by repressed anger. The fear or inability to express ourself and our emotions which cause us to shut down. Our anger or disappointment over hurt or conflict of injustice can grip us with emotional paralysis. I have felt this so many times in my life and I have felt isolated and alone which led to confussion, selfishness and guilt.
We live in a world of people wearing masks of pretension covering up the true condition of the heart. The fear of rejection cripples us from being open and vulnerable.
Do you know that the Lord will never reject you? He sees everything that concerns you and He wants you to TURN to Him and bring your heart to Him in trust and dependence believing that He wants to help us in our time of need no matter how huge or small.
In 1 Samuel 17 David represents incredible faith as he states one of the most victorious verses in the bible while fighting the giant Goliath. He says, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javlin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the GOD of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand." David's courage and trust came as he recognized the power of God to be his defender against all of the odds and in no ability of his flesh. He didn't even use conventional weapons but a sling and a stone by God's direction.
The Lord allows these situations so that our confidence and faith would increase in HIM and in His word and not in the opinions of others. We can also misplace trust in ourself, our influence, and our self-sufficiency. We tend to measure our obstacles against our own strength rather than the size of our God. We must believe that He sees, He listens and He only has the answer if we will just open our hearts to Him. We have to be willing to be honest and vulnerable before God about our own heart and be willing to release our fear and sin to Him. God is looking for hearts that are pure before Him so that he can work on their behalf. David had a heart that loved God and feared Him and believed in Him. God used him mightily because David realized that the Lord does it all.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Build on the Rock Matt 7:21-27
Each morning one of my first prayers is Lord help me to fear you and not man. This is and will continue to be a life long surrender to acknowledge and obey the Lord's voice over all others.
Reading through Luke 7:21-27 Jesus compares 2 types of people who call on His name. Those who come to Him, hear what He says and do what He says. Jesus describes this man or woman as one who digs deep building a strong foundation, building His house on the Rock-Jesus. The other person is decribed as hearing but doing nothing having no foundation. Jesus describes the eventual outcome for both of these people. When the winds, floods and storms of life came the one built on the Rock-Jesus stood firm and secure unshaken. Contrary the one who heard and knew what would happen but choose not to prepare ended up ruined.
Today happens to be a very windy day which leads me to pray every time the gust is overwheliming.
Have you experienced days of reckoning? Seasons and times in your life when the bottom dropped out? I have. Too many of them have come as a result by putting my faith in other people or trusting in "idols" that don't deliver. So much disappointment and hurt have resulted by looking for something other than God to meet my need.
Spending time with the Lord each day builds our foundation secure and unshakeable as we pour all our concerns at His feet and allow Him to strenghten us in His word. His word is alive to speak and fill us supernaturally. The more time we spend with Him the firmer and more solid our foundation. If we spend little or no time with Him we have nothing to stand on but our self. We will be moved and shaken by our feelings and circumstances that are constantly changing. We will have no roots and will topple easily. How do we stand recieving the unexpected phone call of heart breaking news concerning us or a loved one, or the friend that betrays us, or our husband that doesn't meet our expectation? How will these things move us? Do we have Christ at the center so we can stand in the face of unexpected circumstances?
God wants to give us victory over the enemies that want to rob our soul. Ps 62:1 David says, "Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation. HE ONLY is my ROCK and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved."
If the Lord is speaking to your heart that your foundation is not as secure as you know it could be, that other things are in the way of His peace and quality time with Him, pray this with me "If you return , O Israel, (say your name) Return to Me, and if you put away your abominations (idols) out of My sight, Then you shall not be moved."
Jesus is always willing and ready for us to come to Him. We can trust Him with ALL of our life.
Reading through Luke 7:21-27 Jesus compares 2 types of people who call on His name. Those who come to Him, hear what He says and do what He says. Jesus describes this man or woman as one who digs deep building a strong foundation, building His house on the Rock-Jesus. The other person is decribed as hearing but doing nothing having no foundation. Jesus describes the eventual outcome for both of these people. When the winds, floods and storms of life came the one built on the Rock-Jesus stood firm and secure unshaken. Contrary the one who heard and knew what would happen but choose not to prepare ended up ruined.
Today happens to be a very windy day which leads me to pray every time the gust is overwheliming.
Have you experienced days of reckoning? Seasons and times in your life when the bottom dropped out? I have. Too many of them have come as a result by putting my faith in other people or trusting in "idols" that don't deliver. So much disappointment and hurt have resulted by looking for something other than God to meet my need.
Spending time with the Lord each day builds our foundation secure and unshakeable as we pour all our concerns at His feet and allow Him to strenghten us in His word. His word is alive to speak and fill us supernaturally. The more time we spend with Him the firmer and more solid our foundation. If we spend little or no time with Him we have nothing to stand on but our self. We will be moved and shaken by our feelings and circumstances that are constantly changing. We will have no roots and will topple easily. How do we stand recieving the unexpected phone call of heart breaking news concerning us or a loved one, or the friend that betrays us, or our husband that doesn't meet our expectation? How will these things move us? Do we have Christ at the center so we can stand in the face of unexpected circumstances?
God wants to give us victory over the enemies that want to rob our soul. Ps 62:1 David says, "Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation. HE ONLY is my ROCK and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved."
If the Lord is speaking to your heart that your foundation is not as secure as you know it could be, that other things are in the way of His peace and quality time with Him, pray this with me "If you return , O Israel, (say your name) Return to Me, and if you put away your abominations (idols) out of My sight, Then you shall not be moved."
Jesus is always willing and ready for us to come to Him. We can trust Him with ALL of our life.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Thy Word Gives Life
God's word is healing and life-changing wherever we are in life. The bible reveals every false teacher we have had that points to any other way to freedom and truth then God's plan of salvation which is clear in His word; the way of the cross. It is the way of submission; the attitude of our heart.
I was assured of my calling to write 3 years ago. This was not an ascent but the Lord took me on a descent that purged so much out of me. God convinced me this would be nothing of my flesh, my scheming, or by any appointing of man or woman. The calling of God is God-given by the power of the Holy Spirit. He uses our natural gifts and abilities but what He does in and through us comes fully by His initiating and His annointing in complete dependence on His Spirit through our emptiness and nothingness so he receives the glory and not us. Our identity in Christ must come before any service HE will accomplish through us.
I've walked with Him, serving Him, seeking Him then 3 years ago He revealed the depth of my true need for Him. I was bound in the oppression of approval addiction-fearing man and needing to be right and at peace with everyone. I was emotionally paralyzed with no voice or personality of my own. I knew there were walls in my heart and had begged God to remove them. I was looking in every place to fill my cup of emptiness through service, books and other people which only led to more bondage. I found myself in a trap the devil purposed to destroy me but God designed to deliver me and point me to see my need of Him. He allowed circumstances and pain into my life that broke me forcing me to bend my knees and acknowledge to Him honestly what was going on in my heart. His word exposed what I was trying to hide in shame. I was so comfortable and used to hiding and denying the truth. I had spent years in my teens and into my 20's in and out of mental hospitals. I was emotionally paralyzed- imbalanced from depression/suicidal thoughts to complete anxiety at times even euphoria, so ashamed of my past and poor decisions. I didn't realize I was still hiding the truth of what was inside my heart that needed to come into the light for healing. It was in this place Jesus showed me specifically my sin and how my sin was affecting me and others. Such deep emotional insecurity and rejection, my own grief and bitterness, my selfishness, jealousy and unbelief.
He began showing me my need to repent and to surrender these emotions to Him. This verse came alive to me, "How you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God 1 Thess1:9. He called me to TURN and to confess and acknowledge my sin to Him. To say, "Yes, I'm guilty." Maturity is taking responsibility for our own actions, thoughts and motives which the Lord led me to do. God, in one way or another leads us all to the place with Him that only the 2 of us can go. No one else. We have to settle who is Lord-Him or us. Then we choose to lay our self down and bow before His truth. It is a wonderful place! A place of tears at first then joy unspeakable as He wraps His loving arms around us like no One else. He Himself is the real desire of every human heart. His love for us is not dependent on the way we feel or perform.
I can so relate to the apostle Peter when he bowed before the Lord in Luke 5:8 saying "Depart from me, I am a sinful man." Jesus is so holy that this exposed Peter's sin of unbelief and self-sufficiency. God showed me further in this passage that I had an authority problem. I continued to do my part which is repent. I just didn't think God could do His part which is forgive me. Jesus went onto say to Peter, "Don't be afraid... (then Peter) left everything and followed Jesus v 10-11."
Faith is believing God is bigger than my shame and pain. It is accepting His offer of forgiveness and reconciliation through His shed blood at the cross. No works, religion, or man-made band-aid will do. Jesus only saves and gives new life. I accept His offer to stand in my place as I am choosing to let go and let Him live in me as His word renews my heart and life.
I have such freedom sharing this with you because I have come to believe there is nothing more satisfying than sitting in His love and Presence where all of my fears, sorrow and unbelief is washed away. It doesn't mean I won't sin anymore but I can humbly bring sin into the light so that I am not controlled by it. Trusting Jesus, releasing sin to Him, opens the door to new life as we believe He is aware of everything concerning us. In Him we are declared not guilty. We can sit under God's mercy, bathed in His continual love and forgiveness. This love and peace Jesus offers is too good to keep to myself. I'm trusting and looking to Him in complete faith to help me share with you how His word gives life, healing and hope day by day.
Thank you Kelli Regan for setting this blog up for me. Visit my favorite posts from Kelli at Awesome God, Ordinary Girl: The Church Has Left the Building. Part 1 and Part 2.
I was assured of my calling to write 3 years ago. This was not an ascent but the Lord took me on a descent that purged so much out of me. God convinced me this would be nothing of my flesh, my scheming, or by any appointing of man or woman. The calling of God is God-given by the power of the Holy Spirit. He uses our natural gifts and abilities but what He does in and through us comes fully by His initiating and His annointing in complete dependence on His Spirit through our emptiness and nothingness so he receives the glory and not us. Our identity in Christ must come before any service HE will accomplish through us.
I've walked with Him, serving Him, seeking Him then 3 years ago He revealed the depth of my true need for Him. I was bound in the oppression of approval addiction-fearing man and needing to be right and at peace with everyone. I was emotionally paralyzed with no voice or personality of my own. I knew there were walls in my heart and had begged God to remove them. I was looking in every place to fill my cup of emptiness through service, books and other people which only led to more bondage. I found myself in a trap the devil purposed to destroy me but God designed to deliver me and point me to see my need of Him. He allowed circumstances and pain into my life that broke me forcing me to bend my knees and acknowledge to Him honestly what was going on in my heart. His word exposed what I was trying to hide in shame. I was so comfortable and used to hiding and denying the truth. I had spent years in my teens and into my 20's in and out of mental hospitals. I was emotionally paralyzed- imbalanced from depression/suicidal thoughts to complete anxiety at times even euphoria, so ashamed of my past and poor decisions. I didn't realize I was still hiding the truth of what was inside my heart that needed to come into the light for healing. It was in this place Jesus showed me specifically my sin and how my sin was affecting me and others. Such deep emotional insecurity and rejection, my own grief and bitterness, my selfishness, jealousy and unbelief.
He began showing me my need to repent and to surrender these emotions to Him. This verse came alive to me, "How you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God 1 Thess1:9. He called me to TURN and to confess and acknowledge my sin to Him. To say, "Yes, I'm guilty." Maturity is taking responsibility for our own actions, thoughts and motives which the Lord led me to do. God, in one way or another leads us all to the place with Him that only the 2 of us can go. No one else. We have to settle who is Lord-Him or us. Then we choose to lay our self down and bow before His truth. It is a wonderful place! A place of tears at first then joy unspeakable as He wraps His loving arms around us like no One else. He Himself is the real desire of every human heart. His love for us is not dependent on the way we feel or perform.
I can so relate to the apostle Peter when he bowed before the Lord in Luke 5:8 saying "Depart from me, I am a sinful man." Jesus is so holy that this exposed Peter's sin of unbelief and self-sufficiency. God showed me further in this passage that I had an authority problem. I continued to do my part which is repent. I just didn't think God could do His part which is forgive me. Jesus went onto say to Peter, "Don't be afraid... (then Peter) left everything and followed Jesus v 10-11."
Faith is believing God is bigger than my shame and pain. It is accepting His offer of forgiveness and reconciliation through His shed blood at the cross. No works, religion, or man-made band-aid will do. Jesus only saves and gives new life. I accept His offer to stand in my place as I am choosing to let go and let Him live in me as His word renews my heart and life.
I have such freedom sharing this with you because I have come to believe there is nothing more satisfying than sitting in His love and Presence where all of my fears, sorrow and unbelief is washed away. It doesn't mean I won't sin anymore but I can humbly bring sin into the light so that I am not controlled by it. Trusting Jesus, releasing sin to Him, opens the door to new life as we believe He is aware of everything concerning us. In Him we are declared not guilty. We can sit under God's mercy, bathed in His continual love and forgiveness. This love and peace Jesus offers is too good to keep to myself. I'm trusting and looking to Him in complete faith to help me share with you how His word gives life, healing and hope day by day.
Thank you Kelli Regan for setting this blog up for me. Visit my favorite posts from Kelli at Awesome God, Ordinary Girl: The Church Has Left the Building. Part 1 and Part 2.
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