A reminder from last week, these Scriptures assure us that not all of God’s Word is as effective in the building of up hope, as God’s PROMISES (please read each one slowly and let them soak into your soul):
The “therefore” is simple:
I don’t know what promises you need to hear today, but there have certainly been a few that have touched my heart this week. I needed the reminders. You might want to hear this one I’ll share today, as an example…
So, where do I start?
I’ve hesitated to begin, because then I have to be truthful. Vulnerable. Authentic.
I’ll start with what we all know: I am a sinner.
That doesn’t surprise anyone.
Nobody is shocked, and no balloons are popped by this statement.
What gives me a sense of safety in saying this is that you are a sinner, too. So hopefully you read with grace.
A few weeks back I made a conscious decision to leave someone out of a conversation, who really should have been included.
I had wrestled with the choice, I really had.
However, I found multiple reasons why I didn’t need to include them.
Among those were these justifications. 1) This individual had made several hurtful choices that had excluded me over the course of several years. 2) I had felt repeatedly ignored on several occasions.
3) Because I’d been excluded, well……….you get the picture….an-eye-for-an-eye-rationalization.
So…with that said I made my decision; and, no justification or rationalization, gets me past what Jesus taught, “You’ve heard it said, ‘an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth…but I tell you… (Matthew 5:38-42).”
As a Jesus follower, I fell short.
As a disciple of Christ, I sinned; and, it caught up with me early this week.
I wasn’t confronted.
I wasn’t pinned in a corner.
Yet, I felt I had to make an explanation; and, in reality, that explanation, while truthful, wasn’t the whole truth. The explanation was, in all honesty, an EXCUSE. So, I covered one sin with another sin…and, eventually had to confess.
God rebuked me.
I felt His sweet conviction, that, obviously, felt more like a hammer to my heart, at the time.
He used two Scriptures with two promises attached.
Here was the first, from Proverbs (1:23):
Oh, sweet Holy Spirit!
Wouldn’t you know it, for several days, I’d been having trouble hearing from the Lord in my quiet time. Even God’s Manna was falling short of the ears of my heart. No wonder! First, before I could do ANYTHING else, I needed to respond to God’s correction, His loving reproof. Thank you, Lord, for the God-Breathed Truth, along with the promise!
Then, I read this:
I fell back, once again, on the PROMISE of 1 John 1:9.
This wonderful PROMISE declares
If / When…
Then…
…and, the God-of-Forgiveness bathed my soul, cleansed it til it was pure, removed any shame, and unclogged the pipes that allowed him to “pour out his thoughts and make His words known.”
One of God’s best promises that fills us with hope anew:
PS. While this is one of God’s BEST PROMISES EVER, the BESTEST is yet to come.