Know This, Whatever Dirt They Have On You.....

God Makes Beautiful Things Out Of The Dust!

Imagine being in the temple praying on the day Jesus was crucified, feeling the earthquake and hearing the enormous temple curtain to the Holy of Holies tearing from top to bottom.  As my mind has been contemplating what it means that...

Love Keeps No Record Of Wrongs

I was thinking about my long list of sins and seeing, in my mind's eye, GOD totally ripping that list in two and discarding it....not that it means nothing to HIM that I committed those sins, nor that my objective as a believer should not be to "go and sin no more!", but that HE loves me more than all of that and wants me to live in Christ, to live a life without condemnation in an intimate relationship with Him that has no barriers.  That led me to thinking of the tearing of that holy curtain and a connection in understanding that because of God's plan for Christ to be our High Priest and our atonement or payment for sin, I can and should forgive myself for the past and not fear future failures.  I take sin very seriously, but sin and death do not have to hold any power over me because of Christ.  Does that mean I will never sin?  Does that mean I never need to seek forgiveness?  NO, but I strive to be holy and when I mess up, I know I need to go straight to the one who offers me forgiveness.  

This should also apply to my attitude toward my brothers and sisters in Christ.  It has been crazy awesome this weekend how GOD has reinforced this point to me.  We were at Solo and Ensemble with Savannah and on the way back to Jackson we were talking about the judge's comments and criticisms and how Vannah could take those points and use them to become better.  Don't you love when a simple conversation suddenly becomes a spiritual conversation?  She asked, "But, isn't it wrong to judge?"  "Doesn't the Bible say that?" So we talked about the difference between pronouncing judgement in order to condemn someone and our responsibility to still hold each other accountable for mistakes and sins in an effort to build each other up, correct, guide....those things are definitely not wrong, but a lot of Christians group all of this together into "JUDGING" and want to say it is all sinful.  AND THEN OUR PASTOR SPOKE ON THE EXACT SAME THING....right on, GOD!

It's not my responsibility to condemn.  I have no idea what is in the hearts of men or why they behave the way they do sometimes.  It is my responsibility to offer forgiveness with complete understanding that I have also been offered it MANY times.  AND, it is my responsibility to show others what grace looks like through a life lived with no condemnation.  I believe the beauty in this is what the Spirit so often uses to draw men to Christ if we are faithful.  Let's be people who are rich with forgiveness.  I think I have posted this video before, but it so powerfully illustrates this point.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGT1rGxfaKw

I wanna be the little girl with the camera, don't you?  Know what I like about her?  Besides her photography, I like her feet.  It's not just her shoes, but I love how whoever made this video started it by showing her feet....and her All Stars :) I think it is symbolic whether they meant it or not.   It makes me wonder if they were considering the verse from Romans that talks about the beautiful feet of those who bring good news :)  This little girl is bringing GREAT NEWS!