5: 50 Days of Pray – Time for a Change

Do you remember when you first gave your heart to Jesus? You gave him it all even though you most likely did not know what that meant at the time. Maybe you followed him for a couple of years learning what He was all about, but one day it just felt like he left you, or something you heard made you question why you were even involved with him. You are not alone in this, almost all believers have this time in their lives. It was the same for the disciples.

 

“And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting their nets into the sea; for they were fisherman. Then He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ The immediately left their nets and followed Him.” Matt 4:18-20

 

We see here the moment Peter and Andrew left their lively hood. The reason the word their is italicized I believe is to emphasise the fact that these men owned the nets, they were not just some workers who left their job owned by someone else. They left everything they owned behind to follow this man who, like most new believers, didn’t know a lot about. Over the next three years they learned much about who Jesus was, they say incredible miracles and were personally taught by Him. Peter even confessed Jesus to be the Son of God; “He said to them ’But who do you say I am?’ Simon Peter answered and said ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’” Matt 16:15-16. So here we see that Peter knew who Jesus was and loved Him, yet when things got tough Peter like all the other disciples ran away from God. When Jesus was arrested in the garden we read that they fled and we hear nothing more from them until after the resurrection. We, however, hear of Peter who denies Jesus three times when asked if he knew or was an associate of Jesus.

 

As we read about what happened to Peter we see that he like many believers went back to his old way of living. He returned back to what he thought he knew which was fishing, defeated and wonder why he had wasted his last three years. Jesus found Peter here in John 21, I encourage you to read the full story. In this second experience Peter became a different man then He was the first time he met Jesus. His confidence and knowledge of Jesus had changed. He was ready to become the man who God was calling Him to be, he was ready to change.

 

So today Jesus wants to invite you to see Him for who he truly is. The resurrected saviour who love you no matter if you decide that you no longer believe in Him. He is calling you back to do amazing things, you are important to God. If God can change a fisherman into a founder of the church what does He have in store for you? I can tell you from experience that God has called me from serving my country to serving as a Pastor, and it is scary the amount of work involved in this transition yet each step forward I fell confident in the calling. Not everyone is called to this path but you are called to something. Have you taken the time to ask him what it is? If not lets change that and ask him today.

 

Father, Peter is a beautiful example of your love and grace. He could have been easily dismissed for his actions yet you used him to build the early church. We cannot ignore that you use people to do amazing things if they would only submit to you and trust that your ways are much better then our ideas. I pray that if anyone reading this today asks for the direction that you will guide them to your plan for them. I know it may not be the full plan but get them started on a journey where they feel purpose and hope. Use your people to reach the lost, Holy Spirit provide us with the wisdom that only comes from you. We trust you, God, that you are in control so it is time for a change where your faithful step up to their callings. Use us. Amen

4: 50 Days of Pray – Time for a Change

“I was pretty angry towards God and pretty bitter towards his world. How could a loving God blind me? Why? Anyway, [he said] God’s plan is like a beautiful tapestry, and the tragedy of being human is that we only get to see it from the back, with all the ragged threads and the muddy colours. We only get a hint at the true beauty of what would be revealed if we could see the whole pattern on the other side as God does.” (Daredevil, S3E15, Matt Murdock)

 

How many would read this and understand the feeling? Maybe you’re not blind as the character in the show, but you lost a child, parent, or a host of other things that cannot be explained.

 

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

Isaiah 55:8

 

I have been looking into the problem of evil in this world for my schooling and it is startling how many people will run into this wall and easily walk away from God. I have this thought that in this day and age we have so much information that one might think that we would be able to answer life’s questions, yet we have so many people focusing on disproving God’s existence that the information is so muddled that it is hard to know the truth anymore. That’s the issue with lies, when you peel off a layer there is another right there that has to be disproven. What makes it even more difficult is we have been neglecting to teach and discipline our fellow believes on what truth is so that when the lies come, they can protect themselves from them. But they get distracted and many falls to them. This responsibility is not the Pastors, he or she has an hour each week to instil wisdom and truth. The adage goes it takes a community to raise a child, well it takes a church family to raise up strong believers. If we want to see the next generation avoiding the pitfalls that have plagued believers for years, then we need to teach them the truth.

 

Here is the problem, how can we teach what many of us just do not know? If we do not know how to defend our faith basics and just use ‘because the bible says so’ we will fall flat. It takes a motivated person to take some time studying what the Bible and solid Christian scholars use to defend the faith. We have a plethora of solid teachers who have been sharing their knowledge through books, talks online and teachings. C.S. Lewis, James Taylor, William Lane Craig and many others have worked to defend the faith against others who want to tear it down. We need foundations, Jesus reminded us of that himself when he told us to build our house on a foundation so when the winds and storms come, we will not fall.

 

Can you answer any of these three questions that might shake a believer’s faith?

• Why would a God who is all loving let bad things happen to good people?
• Wasn’t the bible written long after the events after years of storytelling? How do we know it wasn’t written in that Jesus was resurrected and it never really happened?
• Why follow Christianity, don’t all religions end up in the same place?

 

Small groups of believers who meet weekly and work through these types of foundational truths, investing the time will become the leaders of tomorrow. The church needs to change from just one man or a small segment of the church doing all the work. If we follow Jesus example, he trained up a group of people and sent them out to do the work. It took a few years but when it was all said and done, they were ready to lead and became the first generation of Christian leaders.  In those preparation years, we see them making mistakes, misunderstanding what they were being taught, and more. Yet what the learned and the experience made them so much stronger.

 

It is time for a change.

 

Father, we need to build our foundations. Many have been swept away by little theories and questions when they couldn’t get the answers they needed. The church family needs to be ready to help answer the questions or even better prepare them to defend against them before they happen. Give us the fortitude to start preparing believers for this, Holy Spirit give us the wisdom to mentor our brothers and sisters in the faith. We pray for a revival in the hearts of believers to defend their faith, with knowledge and love. Use us God to reach the lost all around us. Amen

1: 50 Days of Pray – Time For a Change

All too often we get to a point in our lives where we wonder where God has gone. We want to hear him speak to us and wonder where he has disappeared to.  I was reminded again today about the old saying that when it feels like God is distant it isn’t Him that moved. He is faithful and just and longs to have this relationship with us that is inconceivable to those who don’t know Him. When I took a break from writing it was only meant to be two weeks as I was moving, yet life happened, and the excuses flowed, and I never started up again.  To be honest, I felt like I was done with this chapter of my life, when I started, I dreamed of a following of readers that would change the world. High expectations from an unknown writer yet aspirations and hope stove me forward. After three years of seemingly minimal results, this felt like a good time to jump out, it wasn’t like anyone cared that I had stopped.

I don’t write this to ask for pity or comments of encouragement. I write this as an apology to you those who did read what I have written. You are important and there have been many moments where I have received confirmation that what I was doing was important. My pride and ego wanted something I don’t think that I would have been even close to prepared for. I know that God has called me to ministry and a journey I began three years ago is still going. But I had once again begun filling my life with distractions that have been working to silence God in my life. So here I am halfway around the world in a hotel room reconnecting with God and knowing that I cannot live the same anymore.

So, I am asking for forgiveness, I haven’t always followed through on what I have written in the past. I posted about accountability, yet I have not been able to find anyone to hold me accountable. I don’t put myself out there to help my brother be accountable either. I get scared and wonder what they will think of me if I call them out on their actions. It is something I have to work on, easy to say but harder to put into action. It confuses me how one can go to church on Sunday then get drunk the next week. How do I reach out to someone like that who I want to see grow in their faith yet give themselves into drunkenness? Are they ready for that sort of spiritual intervention?

 

Don’t hide your light! Let it shine for all; let your good deeds glow for all to see, so that they will praise your heavenly Father.

Matthew 5:15-16 Living Bible (TLB)

 

For far too long I have been hiding my light, embarrassed by the glow and the power it has. Our lights are meant for more than out gatherings on Sundays, we are called to so much more then that. Far too long have I(we) been tiptoeing around the fact that this world that we live in needs to see who Jesus is. Who he is to them. Our brothers, sisters, families, friends, co-workers and more. I(we) have become so over sensitized into believing that what we have will offend others if we share it. That we will lose them in the process never to speak to us again. Jesus himself told us that following him would not be easy. He knew that some would forsake you for your choice, but that the reward would be far greater than the pain caused by losing the loved one. We focus on the pain we receive here on earth when it is only a blip on the grand scale of eternity.

 

It is time for a change. It is time for believers to step up to the calling we have been given. It is time to wake up from the slumber and rise to the occasion. I for one am so tired of the distractions and the excuses that I have been giving to live like this. It is time for a change. In writing this I am giving each and every reader permission to hold me accountable for my actions. If what I say or do contradicts what Jesus asks of me then please let me know. If you take the time to share this, you are making the same request of anyone who reads it. Are you ready for that?

If you are reading this and don’t quite know what this is all about, it boils down to this.

• God Loves you, he created you,
• God wants to have a relationship with you,
• Sin separates us from having this relationship, and due to a serious of events all mankind is living in sin,
• God sent His Son Jesus to live as a man, and die on the Cross, taking on all the sins past, present and future, paying the ultimate price, his life.
• Jesus did not stay dead, he rose again after three days defeating sin once and for all,
• And he is ready willing and able to take your sin from you if you would only ask it of him.

 

I would like to say that if you follow Jesus everything will change, and life will be filled with rainbows and puppies, but that would be further from the truth. You will, however, feel whole, love, joy and peace. You will be joining a family of millions who lift one another up. We will fall as you might assume from my writings above, but without these moments we cannot grow. In storms trees send their roots deeper to avoid falling over, they grow stronger because of the storm.  If we continue to trust God in the storm, we come through it we will be stronger because of it not despite of it.

 

So will you join me in another 50 Days of Pray? It’s time for a Change.

 

Father, forgive me for my inactivity and laziness. I ask that you strengthen me in all that I do. I no longer can sit back and just watch the days go by not doing anything. I need to be a man of action and working to share the love you have for others to those around me. Remove any fears I may have of failure and insecurities I am holding on to, no more excuse. The harvest is now and I want to be counted among the workers. Help me to be effective in sharing your love with my world. I know I have prayed this in the past but it still rings true today, they matter to you so they have to matter to me. Amen

 

50: 50 Days of 3:16

As we conclude this 50 Dyas of 3:16 we see that many of these verses all lead us to the same thing. That God loves us and desires to know us more.

 

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

1 John 3:16

 

The words teach us how to live as believers.

 

Keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

1 Peter 3:16

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

Colossians 3:16

Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

Philippians 3:16

These words teach us how to be bold in our faith.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.”

Daniel 3:16

 

It reminds us that sometimes we must wait on the Lord but that he will speak to us.

After seven days the Lord gave me a message. Ezekiel 3:16

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness

2 Timothy 3:16

Remember that God is always with you seeing what is happening and waiting for the right moment, our ways are not his ways.

“Now go and call together all the elders of Israel. Tell them, ‘Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—has appeared to me. He told me, “I have been watching closely, and I see how the Egyptians are treating you.“

Exodus 3:16

 

Take some time to study your bible. Grab hold of a scripture and ask the Holy Spirit to connect you to God through it. You will find that he can speak to you through his word. There is truth in the scriptures that will help you manoeuvre through this life and become effective in reaching the lost.

 

Father use us to be a people who want to hear from you. Holy Spirit gives us boldness to step out of our comfort zones and share our faith with others. Bind our fears and help us to be great witnesses and fishers of men. Use me. Amen.

 

Thank you for following with me through his 50 days. I will be back in September with a new series.

 

 

 

 

 

48: 50 Days of 3:16

The church has come to a place where they need to decide where they stand in the world. Many have split and split again each time becoming something that suits the needs of the people. Inherently this leads to unbiblical foundations sneaking there way in and undermining the faith. The traditions and rules become the way of living and attendance almost feels more important than the relationship with God.

So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Revelations 3:16

 

Our relationship with God needs to be the driving force in our lives. We see here in today’s verse one statement that has been used by many ministers to hopefully motivate the congregation to action. The sermon preached and the all to action accepted but the follow-up is lacking. If we want to see the church come alive we cannot expect it to happen without follow-up. Expecting Sunday services week after week to grow a church might happen but there are a few key things that need to happen;

1. Believers must spend time in prayer and read their bibles,
2. Connecting with fellow believers in fellowship, accountability, and study, and
3. Putting faith into action and taking the love of Jesus to the world around them.

 

Lukewarm tends to be comfortable. We were never called to live comfortable lives. Jesus promised us a comforter, he sent a comforter because our life in Christ isn’t meant to be comfortable. If we are living a comfortable life it may be time to asking ourselves where we stand in our relationship with God. A fire engulfs and consumes things around it. It is unafraid to share itself with others. We sing many songs that ask God or the Holy Spirit to send the fire, why? Because we need to have a life that is willing to be shared with others. Our faith needs to consume us and positively influence those who need to experience the love of Jesus. We are called to be the light, light gives off heat. Cold is the absence of heat. There is heat in life, God is calling us to live a life full of the light.

 

Father, set me on fire, help me to move past an apathetic kind of faith. I want to be more then an attendee and experience what you have for me. Let me be willing to share my faith with those around me. Give me boldness to step up in my faith, not being comfortable in where I am now. Use me. Amen

47: 50 Days of 3:16

The world desperately is looking for love. People have an ingrained desire to connect and have a relationship that foundation is so much deeper. Not just the superficial love in which we fall in and out of, but a love that will stick around when times get tough. Hollywood has become a love-generating machine showcasing fantasies of how man and woman might fall in love. It rarely continues the story and focuses on the deep love that keeps us connected.

 

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

1 John 3:16

 

Have you ever been in love? How many times would you say that this feeling of love has overwhelmed you to the point of telling the person? It is to bad that we have this one word overused to the point where in our conversations we throw it around cheapening the meaning. I love this hamburger. I loved that movie. I love this music artist. I love, I love, I love. We have truly lost the meaning of what it means to love. No wonder it is difficult for people to understand the love that Jesus has for us. If the acquaint love of Jesus with the love of superficial things it becomes non-important. Something we say when we enjoy something, yet it is really not going to become the centre of our lives. We may love the burger, but we do not embrace it in such a way we change our lives for it.

 

Here we see love explained in such a way that we must be willing to give up everything as Jesus did to showcase that love. This act of love asks us to change for the betterment of what we love. Jesus asks us to love him and follow him, giving up our old habits and burdens. His love for us is more than superficial love, so much that he was willing to die to show us how much he loved us. We often hear people say would you take a bullet for someone else, this is exactly what Jesus did for ever single person on earth, past, present and future. But we are called to do the same for our brother’s and sisters. Do we love them like that? Would you be willing to lay down your life so that someone else would live?

 

Hearing about these random shootings around my country, USA and the world, I often wonder why we don’t hear much about those standing up to take down the shooter. We are a people with a self-preservation instinct that gives us a flight or fight mentality and we tend more often than not to run. Love is stepping into the fight and preparing to lay down your life in love, not to be the hero, but so that others may experience the love of Christ. It has been said that love isn’t loving until you give it away. Laying down your life can also be sacrificing something that is important to you so that someone else can grow. It could be time, money, talents or many other things.

 

Father, thank you for sending Jesus and his sacrifice of love so that we could show love to others. We ask for boldness and faithfulness to show this love to others as Jesus did for us. Let our lives reflect a love that would be willing to be laid down for our brothers and sisters. Let our love be deeper than the word that is thrown around. Empower us to reach the lost. Amen

45: 50 Days of 3:16

We have an ingrained sense of what is right and wrong. Our upbringing will shape that to some extent allowing us to mould our moral compass. Our original programmed moral code is given to us by the creator. We tend to self-program ourselves to agree with some things because it makes sense to us. A little lie cannot hurt. Stealing from them shouldn’t matter, do you know what they have done and who they are stealing from, they have lots of money and no one will notice. God created the human form so why shouldn’t I be able to gaze at it in all its beauty whenever I want however I want in the privacy of my own home. Blurring the lines of what is right and wrong sets us up for all kinds of trouble.

 

Keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

1 Peter 3:16

 

We are living in a society where the moral compass of right and wrong might as well be broken. Some of the foundational facts are inherently followed, you ask anyone if murder is acceptable they will quickly correct you and tell you, of course, it is wrong. Then ask them their thoughts on abortion and you may hear them tell a different story. Or ask them their thoughts on those who prey on children or vulnerable woman. Some quickly change their tune and condone the destruction of these people.

 

As believers in Christ, we need to be better at following the moral compass that God has provided us. We do not need to be programmed robots, but we need to know right from wrong. How we live our lives outside of church needs to reflect our lives as a believer. We cannot be seen as one who speaks out of both sides of their mouth, saying they believe one thing but acting out another. What we do in secret will not always remain a secret. We will be tempted to do things, that is inevitable, we may even step into the temptation, but as a believer, we see our mistake, take a step back ask for forgiveness and walk away from it. When we choose to stay in the temptation that will lead us into all sorts of trouble.

 

Is your life focused on doing good things for God? Works do not get us to heaven and we do not need to do good works to be accepted into heaven. Jesus paid the cost for that and when we accept what he has done that is all the payment needed to be welcomed into heaven. We are to do good works because of what he has done for us. We have been called to share this faith with others. If we keep ourselves doing good work, other then being lazy, we will keep ourselves from doing things that lead us into sin. Idle hands tend to wander into places that tempt us to do things we shouldn’t. We see this in the children/teenage years, those kids who have activities to do tend, for the most part, keep busy and get into less mischief. Keep busy doing God’s work, not just to keep busy but to grow the kingdom of God.

 

Father, what in my life is keeping me distracted from doing the work you have called to do? Forgive me for the distractions I have allowed, the temptations I have dipped my hand in. I want to follow you with everything so forgive me for my weak ways. Strengthen me to withstand the temptations that are sent my way, Holy Spirit show me ways out and guard my heart from evil. Let those who wish to slander me realize that their words are not true and that the God I follow is the God who is calling out to them. Use me to reach the world around me. Give me boldness to be effective in all I do. Amen

44: 50 Days of 3:16

Bigger, better, faster, stronger, cooler, more exciting. These are just some of the things we see that other people have a desire to obtain. Many call it keeping up with the Jones. If your neighbour buys a new car well then we had better buy a new car, they upgrade something in their house, must be time for us to upgrade. Your friend buys the latest phone, you can’t have that and buy a better phone. All these things lead us into debt and jealousy. A place where we just want to be better, instead of just being happy for the person and their success we need to one-up them.

 

For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

James 3:16

 

Jealousy is not a New Testament concept. It first popped its ugly head up back with the first two recorded offspring of Adam and Eve. Cain and Able were both adept at what they did, one a hunter the other a gatherer. They offered some of their respective hunts to God and God was more pleased with Ables offering than Cain’s. Cain could not control his jealousy and recorded the first murder ever. If only Cain had been happy with his brothers offering, things might have been different. He could have learned from him, Able had given the best of the best. One might assume that Cain had not given of the best, maybe he had added a few pieces of fruit that had already fallen off the tree, being lazy he offered God bruised fruit in hopes that it would not get noticed. His selfish ambition to one-up his brother was his downfall. It might have also been a case of Able seeing his brother about to give a sacrifice, not to be left out decided to give one as well and gathered things in a hurry not to glorify God but to make himself look good.

 

How are you living your life? Are you content in what God has provided for you or are you always looking at what others have, desiring to upgrade your life so you are living like them? Is your self-ambition overpowering your desire to serve others? Working hard to be seen by others so they take notice of you and shower you with praise? Being recognized for things you do is not a problem, but when we work looking only for the praise it leads to cutting corners and stepping on others in our quest for this recognition. God honours those who work diligently in their jobs, the mission and church that push forward knowing what needs to be done, doing it and not boasting about it. I have heard it said that if all you desire is mans praise for the works you do here on earth then that will be the blessing you receive. God promises to give us crowns for our faithfulness here on earth, I would prefer those then mans praise. Let us not let our jealousy and self-ambition lead us to a road of disorder and evil.

 

Father, thank you for loving us. If we have been envious of others in our lives I pray for forgiveness. Help me to be satisfied with what I have. Let me take time to pray and be wise in the things I do buy so not to be keeping up with the trends. I want to work to glorify your name, if I have been working for man’s praise, forgive me, I want to work to show my faithfulness to you. Let us be a witness to those around us, working hard and consistently. Give us wisdom and boldness to be a light in the world around us sharing your love with others. Speak to us today. Amen

35: 50 Days of 3:16

For the last couple of days, I have been off grid or at least separated from the electronic devices that tend to keep us connected. Working as a counsellor at a Camp for Children. I really enjoy taking these times to pour into the lives of the next generation and although it wears me out I know that these times are vital to the growth of these kids. The kids learned about being empowered with Jesus. He is their hero they are looking for. He gives them Super Purpose, a Super Mission and Super Power through the Holy Spirit. This power is available to anyone who has turned to the Lord.

 

But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away

2 Corinthians 3:16

 

Back in the Old Testament, before Jesus had made the scene, God had provided the people with an earthy way for them to distinguish His presence. He had first given them a portable tabernacle and then they build the temple. The ark of the covenant was created not as an idol to be worshipped but as a seat where God’s presence rested. The power of God’s presence was revered and separated by a curtain and eventually a large veil. No one but the highest priest was able to go inside this veil and see the ark. This task was performed not very often and when it was the priest assigned went in with a rope around his ankle and bells so that if the presence of God overwhelmed him or he fell over dead that the other priests could pull him out. That is how serious they took the presence of God in their midst.

 

Jesus came along and turned everything upside down. He when talking promised to shake things up, he promised that every believer would have access to God’s presence, no veil required. He would take the place of the veil and ensure that those who needed to see God would and could experience His presence without fear of falling over dead. Not only that but He promised that each and every follower would have Gods presence inside them through the Holy Spirit, who will live within every believer. He even proved his power and authority in this by ripping the veil in two, when he died on the cross. This was no accident that the veil was torn, no Jesus didn’t sneak into the temple and cut the veil, he was hanging on the cross. The veil was no longer required Jesus displayed his power by removing the veil as a symbol that we could now enter into God’s presence.

 

Do you feel unworthy to be seen by God? That may be the sin that is shaming you. Sin separates us from God, Jesus on the cross provided a way for us to be free from the sin that causes this shame. This sin cleansing is offered freely to anyone alive that makes the step of faith and chooses Jesus. He may have died on the cross but displaying the awesome power of God, He rose again bringing life and forgiveness. Providing a way for us to remove the sin that separates us and removing the veil that divides us from Gods presence, and even goes one step further sending the Holy Spirit (which is part of God) to live in us. We are empowered by God, what is holding you back from receiving this power?

 

Father, many who will read this may not know you, I pray today that they will find the truth they need and finally make that giant leap into your arms asking Jesus to forgive them of their sins. They say the first step is admitting that we have a problem. Until they realize this they will fight the help Jesus offers. Give us wisdom and boldness to show the world that they need help, in my family, my friends, my community, and my world. Let me be the light you are asking me to be so that those around me can see what you have done for them and the power you want to give them. That following Jesus isn’t about losing everything but gaining everything.   Amen

33: 50 Days of 3:16

Mankind without the redemptive power of the cross is destined for destruction. Ever since sin was unleashed in the world it has steadily been working to destroy the creation that was meant to glorify God. Many are oblivious to this destructive destiny that is a part of their lives going through the motions.

 

Destruction and misery are in their ways:

Romans 3:16

 

Here is Romans Paul is writing about the human condition. How by our own means we are not or never will be righteous in Gods eyes. We all will one day be held to account for our actions and the sin that we have accumulated in our lifetimes. The judgement is based on sin, not on levels of good and bad, which many believe is what is coming. Our good deeds and bad deeds are not put on a scale with whichever has the most weight winning. Our sin, fully exposed will be the basis of what we are judged on. Each and every human born into this world is born into sin and they with their own strength cannot remove it.

 

God knew this to be true and worked out a way for mankind to be free from the bondage of sin. He sent his son Jesus to be born on the earth, walk among us and die so that we may have a way to be free of the curse of sin. Believe my sin is a curse, unknown to us this curse has infected us, and Jesus blood is the only cure. This cure is freely given to those who would surrender themselves to serving him. This must be a choice of each person as this gift must be accepted never imposed.  It just doesn’t work any other way.

 

Do you feel like your life is full of destruction and misery? Maybe you have been living your life trying to weigh your deed feeling the good outweighs the bad. The harder you work at this the farther behind you get. Jesus is waiting for you to surrender your life to him, all you need to do is admit that you cannot do it yourself and need his forgiveness. He will remove your sins, not just cover them over but remove them as far as the east is from the west. No other religion promise this type of grace, love and forgiveness. What are you waiting for?

 

Father, forgive us for our sins and help us to surrender fully to you. You never promised that this life would be an easy one, give us the strength to endure. Give us the wisdom to talk to others and share your love with them. Help us overcome our fears and speak the truth to them. Use us to be your light. Amen