If you have strayed away, from God, stop running from him. Turn around and run towards his wide open arms of Grace. All is forgiven never to be remembered again. The angels in heaven rejoice that you found your way home. Blessed be the name of the Lord. 🙏
We all have gone astray but that doesn’t mean that God has. We all have things that divert us from God’s primary purpose. Some things may derail us but we need to know what these things are so that we can recognize and lean towards God when it happens. Don’t beat yourself up over it, pray, and come back to God. Just like in the story of the prodigal son, the father was waiting for him with opened arms at the end. He doesn’t want us to go astray but it does happen.” Heavenly father thank you so much for yet another beautiful day. thank you for always being there for us even if we feel as though you aren’t. You have never left our side. You know that we are just human and that we will make mistakes and sometimes move away from you. But you’re always there waiting for us with open arms. Thank you for always loving us being with us innocent around us. In Jesus name amen!” Isaiah 53:6
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6 NIV https://isaiah.bible/isaiah-53-6
“Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit.”
3 John 1:2 NLT
We had to take our car in to get a smog and then pay for the registration. The check engine light had been on for about a year and had obviously put it off because I didn’t want to spend the money. The mechanic had ran a diagnostic test and the car ended up needing some repairs. It’s going to end up costing us around $1000.00 to fix everything and get it registered. God is great because just two days prior we had received our stimulus check that would more than covers the amount. God has always met our financial needs and exceeded them. If we trust, have faith and give it to him completely he never fails.
he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken. Isaiah 25:8 NIV https://isaiah.bible/isaiah-25-8
“My brothers and sisters, God called you to be free, but do not use your freedom as an excuse to do what pleases your sinful self. Serve each other with love. The whole law is made complete in this one command: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” If you go on hurting each other and tearing each other apart, be careful, or you will completely destroy each other.”
Galatians 5:13-15 NCV
My friend sent me this picture while she was out walking last week. The beautiful butterfly made me think how it originally was a soft little caterpillar crawling on plant leaves, knowing one day it’s life would be transformed. The caterpillar stops eating, hangs upside down from a twig or leaf and spins itself a silky cocoon. While in its new protective casing, it radically transforms its body. It will change into a butterfly or a moth. It can’t become anything else, but there’s no reliable way to know which it will become just by looking at it.
Paul wrote in Romans, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
Romans 12:2 NLT
Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Transformation to the image of Jesus Christ. As I pondered on this thought for a couple a days. I realized we are a lot like the caterpillar when we become age of accountability knowing right from wrong is when the process starts. We have freedom of choice we can either choose to serve God or our sinful nature which is evil.
What will you choose?
When you give your heart to God little by little you recognize things in your life that needs to change.
“When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.”
Galatians 5:19-21 NLT
Whatever your sin may be, when you offer it up to God he will transform your mind in order to put it to death. By refusing that thought you are refusing to let it continue to grow. God will replace it with the fruit of the spirit.
“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”
Galatians 5:22-23 NLT
As I was writing this story, I definitely didn’t want to be a moth. I sadly have to say I wanted to be a beautiful butterfly. I thought everyone would want to be a butterfly. That’s how easy Satan deceives us. When I studied each specific specie a moth is drawn toward light for some unknown reason. Even when its efforts toward light prove dangerous the moth continues to drive forward, demonstrating its faith and determination. Jesus is the light of the world that draws us closer and closer to him.
Dear Lord, please continue to transform my life from pride, and self – centeredness that I may always glorify you. The butterfly 🦋 for me represents my old sinful nature. Thank you Lord, for giving me this simple story. I pray that it will touch many hearts that will choose to follow you today. In Jesus name, amen 🙏
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6 NIV
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 NIV https://galatians.bible/galatians-2-20
www.bible.com/111/gal.5.1.niv
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