Are you willing and obedient?

“Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land;”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭1‬:‭16‬-‭19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/114/isa.1.16-19.NKJV

Our sins are red like crimson or scarlet before we come to God. The figure of sin as the color of scarlet suggests the undeniable stain that sin leaves upon one’s soul. Sin is no joke. It is a reality which leads to spiritual death (Romans 6:23). Its stain will remain until one receives God’s forgiveness. When we repent and become a believer of Jesus Christ, He washes our sins away and makes them white as new fallen snow.

Lord don’t hold back your tender mercies 🙏

Dear Heavenly Father,

“I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.” I have told all your people about your justice. I have not been afraid to speak out, as you, O Lord, well know. I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart; I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power. I have told everyone in the great assembly of your unfailing love and faithfulness. Lord, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me. Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭40‬:‭8‬-‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.40.8-11.NLT

For God so Loved ❤️

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/114/jhn.3.16-18.NKJV

Thank you, Father, for your unconditional love sending your son to redeem the world. Thank you, Jesus, for loving the Father and the human race. Thank you for showing the world true unconditional love and faithful obedience that you were willing to give your life to set us free from bondage and do the Father’s Will. May we all be grateful for this sacrifice you paid and surrender our lives to you in love, obedience, and honor. Thank you for the gift of eternal life.

Follow Christ vs Follow the World!

How hard is it to walk with God when the world keeps tugging at you through temptations? This Psalm emphasizes the difference between those of us who follow Christ and those of us who follow the world. He says a person who delights in the Bible, who finds a joy and peace in following Christ is blessed. The author of this Psalm compares a follower of Christ to a tree to illustrate his point further. While being a follower of the world takes away life, becoming a Christ follower will make you prosper. YouVersion

“Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/114/psa.1.1-3.NKJV

A clean slate, having a fresh start!

This article was posted on Facebook today by a friend. People say, “ I wish I could live my life over, to have a fresh start.” That is what God promises us when we give our life to him. We are spiritually born again. God wipes the slate clean, never to be remembered again.

Sometimes I don’t think we realize the importance of getting that fresh start – without baggage and expectations and past stumbles – placed on us and our kids and others.

Because it is so easy to judge.

It is so easy to think that others are going to do the same thing again. Or to get frustrated. Or to set the bar low.

It is so easy to do that to ourselves as well. To remember the mess ups or hard days and challenging moments and to forget to give ourself a clean slate.

Not just in the morning.

But now.

Right now.

Because I know there are so many of you who might feel stuck in old stories and are looking for that breath of hope and newness. Or maybe you’re still thinking about yesterday and are carrying it today.

So wipe it clean.

Erase those negative thoughts and worries and fears and allow yourself the grace and freedom to try again.

Try again.

Believe in you.

Give yourself the grace you’d give others.

Because I believe those words from my favorite quote – fall seven times, stand up eight. Instead of looking at the falls and negatives – look at it as trying, showing up, living.

The quote doesn’t end on falling – it’s ends with more times standing. And it’s courage to stand again, to try again, to give yourself a fresh start.

Keep standing, my friend.

And bless those around you with that clean slate too.

1 John 1:9. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

“Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.”
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭3‬:‭19‬ ‭NLT‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/116/act.3.19.NLT

At the right time, the Lord will make it happen!

When we all get to heaven what a day of rejoicing that will be. When we all see Jesus, we will sing and shout the victories 🎵🎶😇

“No longer will you need the sun to shine by day, nor the moon to give its light by night, for the Lord your God will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun will never set; your moon will not go down. For the Lord will be your everlasting light. Your days of mourning will come to an end. All your people will be righteous. They will possess their land forever, for I will plant them there with my own hands in order to bring myself glory. The smallest family will become a thousand people, and the tiniest group will become a mighty nation. At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen.””
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭60:19-22‬ ‭NLT‬‬
https://www.bible.com/116/isa.60.19-22.nlt

Our Heavenly Father!

“Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! The Lord gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly. He revealed his character to Moses and his deeds to the people of Israel. The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭103:1-13‬ ‭NLT‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.103.1-13.NLT

As I read this passage in the Bible tonight, my heart was overwhelmed with love and gratefulness for everything God has done in my life. He loves us unconditionally.