1 John 3:7-10
Children, don't be fooled. Anyone who does right is good, just like Christ himself. Anyone who keeps on sinning belongs to the devil. He has sinned from the beginning, but the Son of God came to destroy all that he has done. God's children cannot keep on being sinful. His life-giving power lives in them and makes them his children, so that they cannot keep on sinning. You can tell God's children from the devil's children, because those who belong to the devil refuse to do right or to love each other.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
On the reality TV show, “What Not to Wear,” the fashion experts take all of the clothing in a person’s closet and analyze each piece. Most, if not all of it, ends up in a symbolic trash can. The person with such poor fashion sense is told, “You can never wear this again.” A lot of these people protest, beg, plead, and even cry. They want to keep “just one thing,” for “old time’s sake”. But the fashion experts are insistent that the old things must go. When the person is “made over,” they usually comment that they would not want their old things in the closet again. They see how much better the “new person” they have become truly is… and often the transformation is internal as well as external.
In terms of our Christian faith, we have been “made over.” And many of us have tossed our “old life” into the trash can. The trouble is… a lot of us kept one or two things in the back of the closet… for sentimental reasons…out of fear… or “just because.” And we keep dragging these things back out from time to time and wearing them!
You may have read today’s passage and asked, “If God saved us through the blood of Jesus, why are we still bothered by the devil?” In my prayer journal/sermon notes, I have written that the word “destroy” is a Greek root word – luo – which means “to undo and loosen.” Jesus “loosed” us from the curse of sin. He did not “half-save” us… but He didn’t wipe it out the curse of sin, because we have to do that by choosing to follow God completely. It may seem like we are free from the bondage of sin, doing things our way and receiving blessings… but until we completely follow the will of God, we will never experience His full blessings.
If you want to be blessed, to prosper and fully lose the curses of your old sinful life, you must obey God’s word. You must ask Him to strengthen you with the courage to dump ALL of your old ways in the “trash can” and “dress yourself” in His grace, mercy, love, and righteousness.
Too many of us are bogged down by the baggage of old sins that we cannot seem to surrender. We often make excuses… “it’s always been this way”…”this is as good as it gets”…”this is all I deserve”…”I’m doing the best I can.” In truth, God has so much more He wants to give us… we deserve more as His heirs… and until we completely surrender to His will, we can do much more to draw closer to Him!
Ask God to show you how and where you need to shed roadblocks to living fully in His blessings. Listen for His answers. Trust Him to give you the strength and courage to take whatever steps are necessary… and put on His full armor. Dress yourself in the glory of the LORD, and get ready to be amazed by His blessings upon the “new you”… and the lives of those you encounter.
©2012 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label leaving sins at the cross. Show all posts
Showing posts with label leaving sins at the cross. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for August 6, 2011
Psalm 103:12-16
How far has the LORD taken our sins from us? Farther than the distance from east to west! Just as parents are kind to their children, the LORD is kind to all who worship him, because he knows we are made of dust. We humans are like grass or wild flowers that quickly bloom. But a scorching wind blows, and they quickly wither to be forever forgotten.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
One of my favorite songs is “East to West,” performed by Casting Crowns. Based on this passage from Psalm 103, the chorus says, “Jesus, can You show me just how far the east is from the west…'cause I can't bear to see the man I've been come rising up in me again. In the arms of Your mercy I find rest… 'cause You know just how far the east is from the west - from one scarred hand to the other”. I think of outstretched arms of Jesus… and an area more vast than the arms can encompass… and that still isn’t big enough to cover how far God has scattered my sin! Amazing, isn’t it?!
To think that our all-knowing, all-powerful, Almighty God loves us enough to scatter these sins like a burned up flower that has turned to dust not only amazes me… it humbles me, as well. We’ve all picked up a dandelion and blown the spores and watched them scatter. We’ve all put two dirty, dusty hands together and swiped them back and forth as the sandy particles disappeared. But to think that God does that with our sins and mercifully, graciously sets us upright to live another day is something I have a hard time understanding... but I’ll take it!
Where are your sins today? Are you holding onto them, carrying them like a heavy burden? Or have you handed them to God and let him blow them from east to west like the spores of a dandelion? Has He taken your transgressions and dusted them from His hands and set you back on the path to righteousness? Have you left your failures and shortcomings at the foot of the cross and let Jesus wash them away with His very blood? How long are you going to resist? How long are you going to wallow in sin and sorrow?
“East to west” is one of the most joyful phrases I know. It reminds me that God loves me more than I can ever begin to understand. And the good news is that our understanding of the depth of His love is not necessary. All we have to do is give God our burdens and sins, and ask Him to forgive us. He will handle the dusting and scattering… "from one scarred hand to the other."
©2011 Debbie Robus
“East to West” – Casting Crowns – The Altar and the Door - ©2007
How far has the LORD taken our sins from us? Farther than the distance from east to west! Just as parents are kind to their children, the LORD is kind to all who worship him, because he knows we are made of dust. We humans are like grass or wild flowers that quickly bloom. But a scorching wind blows, and they quickly wither to be forever forgotten.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
One of my favorite songs is “East to West,” performed by Casting Crowns. Based on this passage from Psalm 103, the chorus says, “Jesus, can You show me just how far the east is from the west…'cause I can't bear to see the man I've been come rising up in me again. In the arms of Your mercy I find rest… 'cause You know just how far the east is from the west - from one scarred hand to the other”. I think of outstretched arms of Jesus… and an area more vast than the arms can encompass… and that still isn’t big enough to cover how far God has scattered my sin! Amazing, isn’t it?!
To think that our all-knowing, all-powerful, Almighty God loves us enough to scatter these sins like a burned up flower that has turned to dust not only amazes me… it humbles me, as well. We’ve all picked up a dandelion and blown the spores and watched them scatter. We’ve all put two dirty, dusty hands together and swiped them back and forth as the sandy particles disappeared. But to think that God does that with our sins and mercifully, graciously sets us upright to live another day is something I have a hard time understanding... but I’ll take it!
Where are your sins today? Are you holding onto them, carrying them like a heavy burden? Or have you handed them to God and let him blow them from east to west like the spores of a dandelion? Has He taken your transgressions and dusted them from His hands and set you back on the path to righteousness? Have you left your failures and shortcomings at the foot of the cross and let Jesus wash them away with His very blood? How long are you going to resist? How long are you going to wallow in sin and sorrow?
“East to west” is one of the most joyful phrases I know. It reminds me that God loves me more than I can ever begin to understand. And the good news is that our understanding of the depth of His love is not necessary. All we have to do is give God our burdens and sins, and ask Him to forgive us. He will handle the dusting and scattering… "from one scarred hand to the other."
©2011 Debbie Robus
“East to West” – Casting Crowns – The Altar and the Door - ©2007
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