Being an Example, Part 3

If you will remember, in the first study we looked at being an example to our children and why that is important.  In part 2 we studied how to be a good example in the way we use our eyes, the things we let our eyes see.  In parts 3, 4, & 5 we will further study how to be a good, holy example to our children in the way we use our mouth, hands, and feet.  In this study we will look at being an example in the way we use our mouth, the things we let ourselves say.

Lexi is 15 months old.  She is getting into everything, running all over the house, and repeating everything I say.  It is a terrifying thought to know that you have basically a recorder ready to play back any words you say.  My husband and I have had to really examine the words we say and determine what we’re willing for our child to repeat.

Proverbs 10:19, “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.”

Basically this verse is telling us that the more we say, the easier it is to sin.  Think about that for a minute.  We know that James 3 talks about the tongue:  it is a world of iniquity, something that cannot be tamed, a small thing that kindles a large fire.  James 1:19 admonishes us to be swift to hear and slow to speak.  What kind of example are you setting?  Do your children hear you speak before you even realize what you’re saying?  Are they throwing fits and screaming because that’s what they see Mommy and Daddy doing?

I have not figured out the art to perfect speech and never saying the wrong things, but I do know that what I put in my heart is what will come out of my mouth (Matthew 15:18).  In other words, when I am filling my heart, soul, and mind with good, godly things, those will be the things that I talk about.

Deut. 6:7, “And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up”

Eph. 6:4, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

The things we say to our children need to be good, Christian words.  Instead of yelling in anger because they misbehave, explain that God wants them to obey you as their parent.  When they are scared, give them spiritual comfort.  Pray with your children.  Sing them to sleep at night with church songs.

Next time you have something you want to say, ask yourself if you’d be okay with admitting that your child learned to say that from you.  Would you be embarrassed if your child repeated your words to the elders?  To Jesus?  The truth is Jesus knows and hears all, including the things your child learns to say because of you.  Let’s remember these things as we strive to be good examples to our children in the way we use our mouths and the things we let ourselves say.

Elise Fleming

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Give up and gain

Give up and gain

Mar 10:29-30 “And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, 30  But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.”

In a society that encourages selfishness we may find the above reading hard to swallow because we don’t like giving anything up. We especially wouldn’t want to give up anything on this list: house, family, or possessions. But what if these things are a stumbling block in our lives? Would you be willing then, for the Lord’s sake and the gospel’s, to give it up? If you are willing to forsake everything in your life that keeps you from Christ, He is willing to bless you with more than you could ever imagine possible!

Let me give you one example. When I became a Christian my own family turned on me with fierce opposition. To make a long story short I was looked upon as the “black sheep” and “traitor” of the family, I was even called these things, and that hurt. It came to the point that I had to face the reality of the situation: they would rather I dishonor God in order to honor them. Forsaking my family will always be heartbreaking, but thankfully God is compassionate and He also makes good on His promises. When I became a Christian I gave up a handful of family members only to gain countless family members in the Household of Faith that will encourage me to serve God, teach me from their lives, take me in as family at their homes, give me of their own resources, weep with me, and rejoice with me. It’s such a wonderful blessing to be loved and encouraged by God’s family. This is just one example of the way God can work in our lives.

Laying aside the things that keep us from living Godly lives as taught in Heb 12:1 can be a very difficult process, that is why many people have trouble just letting go of those things. Paul put it this way in Php 3:8 “ Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ”. Nothing matters but God and we should have this same willingness to sacrifice all things in order to win Christ! I’m not going to pretend it’s easy and God doesn’t either, but if we sacrifice those things which hinder us (no matter how difficult) in order to live for God, the reward far outweighs the sacrifice as we learn in Rom 8:18 “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us”.  Is there someone or something in your path holding you back from obeying God? Give it up and embrace God’s blessings. Yes, it will be difficult. Yes, it may be emotionally taxing. Yes, you can do it.

The Bible teaches us in Isa 64:8 “But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.” and the principles presented here are yet another way that the Potter molds the clay.

Ben Soto

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“The Secret of Success”

Matt 11:28-30

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to know the future? You would know what stocks to pick and when to sell. Wow, wouldn’t you have liked to known how successful Apple or Google or Microsoft was going to be so you could have “bought in” when it was cheap. On the ground floor – how cool that would have been.  Well we see in this little snapshot the formula for a successful service in God’s kingdom. Herein is contained all you need to know about the steps to take to end up with a guaranteed end result. Now often in this life do you get that kind of guarantee? Mathematically speaking, the formula has three addends and a sum.

1. “Come”

He calls us today by the gospel. But we must respond to his invitation. So our first step on the road to success is to “come” rather to go to Jesus. And, interestly, He refuses none – John 6:37b “and him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out.” We could speak about the leper, the Canaanite woman, the woman with an issue of blood, and so many more. So just come, bring what you have and prepare for the second step.

2. “Take”

Okay, this step is a little bit more difficult, because we must accept that there is a yoke, a burden if you will. But, by comparison to what the deceiver burdens us with, Jesus’ “yoke is easy and his burden is light”

3. “Learn…”

“…of me.” In John 14:8-9a we find an interesting exchange, “Philip said unto him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it suffices us.’ Jesus said unto him, ‘Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip?’” In order to learn of Jesus we must spend time, in particular the Gospels, learning about him. We know that Paul tells Timothy, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”(II Tim 2:15)

So therein we know the importance of being studious, like the Bereans.

4. “Find” – which is the sum

So there it is: come + take + learn = find. Could it be any simpler? Not in concept, but perhaps in application – not due to the formula which is perfect, but due to our own weakness. So often we “come” but for whatever reason it is the taking and learning we seem to resist. And, because we resist, we continue to struggle. I dare say that the level of our faithfulness is in direct proportion to the level of taking and learning. The more we take and learn, the more we find.

God is on the edge of his seat, ready for you to give Him a faithful opportunity to bless you. His hand is not shortened that it cannot save – Isaiah 59:1. Remember the feeding of 5000? Where in John 6:6 the bible said, “And this Jesus said to prove Philip: for Jesus knew what he would do.”

• You may not know:

o how to get across the Red Sea, but God does.

o how you will defeat the giants of the land, but God does.

o how to get through the wilderness to the Promised Land, but God does.

o how you will rekindle lost love, but God does.

o how to deal with your sin problems, but God does.

o how you will repair relationships, but God does.

You may not know the how, and you may not know the when, and you may not even understand the why – but you serve the Almighty God who does. He knows tomorrow better than you know yesterday. Listen to Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

The opportunity for us is that the solution to success is mapped by a faithful Father and is, in concept, simply stated by Jesus. So the challenge for us is trusting the Master; that if we come, take, and learn – we will find. So, what will we find … ultimately rest. And, rest is the product of peace that we receive by grace and mercy. So take comfort my friends for, His yoke is easy and his burden is light and as we learn more about Him, we can become more like him …

JerryLowry

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How Well Do You Know Your Neighbor?

“For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” – Gal 5:14

Do you really know your neighbor?  Specifically, I’m talking about your brothers and sisters in the congregation.  Even as an Elder, I struggle with this one.  Although I see each of you at Sunday Worship on Sundays I struggle to really know you as individuals.  Maybe you struggle with the same things.

What are their likes and dislikes?  What are their hobbies or things that interest them? What are their strengths? What are their weaknesses?

I ask these questions because as we strive to follow our Lord each and every day, we do it with various interests, strengths and weaknesses.  Many things confront our paths in this struggle to live our lives pleasing before God.

Can you really do it alone?  I can’t.  Aside from attendance at the assembly on Sundays being a necessity; one of the greatest blessings we share is the common bond of brotherhood in Jesus Christ.  The bond reaches across just Sundays, and reaches into our every day lives.

Have you considered reaching out to a brother or sister who needs it?  Have you considered being the strength for someone else’s weakness?  The rock for their instability?  The arm to hold onto for their stumbling?  The light for the wanderer?  The feet for those who can go no further on their own?  The Shelter for those in the middle of a storm?  The instructor of the unlearned? – You get the message.

May I encourage you to look across the isle, choose a neighbor that you don’t know so well, and get to know them.  Find opportunity to spend time with them.  Invite them over.  We need to be a close family of God.  We need to desire the presence of each other above anything the world has to offer.  Doing this will not only make someone else feel good, it will bless you immensely and strengthen you as a Christian.  Think about it!

LelandFleming

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Serving our Master

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24)

A person’s loyalties must be undivided. The Master teaches us that we cannot serve money and God at the same time. Over the years I have worked hard at not letting the love of money rule my life. However, when you think about it, this principle is true when it comes to serving any two masters and not just money.

Have you ever had more than one boss? One will say, “I need you to do this job today,” and the other will say, “No, I want you to work over here today.” Before long the first boss is trying to overpower the second boss as your mind struggles trying to decide which one to obey. At some point, one of them ends up not being happy, and it feels like the only one that loses in this struggle is you. Frustrating isn’t it?

I have come to realize in my own life, that when one boss, “myself,” tries to take control there is chaos because he tries to work contrary to the real Master of my life.

When an individual submits to Christ, they must put to death the desires of self and allow Christ to be the Master. The apostle Paul said, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

Christ is the Master of our lives when we serve Him and not ourselves!

CraigKeel

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Lot’s Wife

Gen. 19:17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

Imagine you’ve lived a long life. You have a husband and family. You have raised daughters and have seen them marry off. The place you call home has so many memories. Everywhere you look you can remember an event or time in your life. Now the city you call home is not perfect; in fact, there is sin everywhere. Fornication and adultery seem to be at every street corner, but it’s a sinful world. You reason that there is no way to avoid sinful behavior. You live your life and try to be the person you are supposed to be despite the influences around you. This is home. It’s where your life is. It’s where you have built relationships, and seen your children grow. It’s your comfort zone. It’s home. Then imagine in a moments notice you are told to leave. Everything around you will be destroyed. The Lord will destroy the city by fire and brimstone. Your world comes crashing down. You look around you as your husband scurries to grab your belongings and you are taken back to the time when your daughters learned to walk and talk. You see the spot in the corner where one child fell and bruised her knee. All you see is memories. You are told to hurry and so you shake the cobwebs out of your head and grab your clothes. You can’t help but notice all the things you will leave behind, because there simply isn’t room to take everything. Tears threaten to fall as some of your children refuse to heed the warning and decide to stay. What will become of them? You make it out of the city just as things begin to change. You can feel the heat of the fire and you can smell the smoke. You hear the agonizing screams of your neighbors calling for help. You realize what is happening. Your house is gone. Your children are gone. Your life, everything you’ve ever known is changing, and suddenly you just can’t take it anymore. What will happen from here? Where will you live? How will you survive? How can you start completely over in a new place? You’re worried. You’re uncomfortable not knowing what the future will hold. Once again you remember the way it was. Turning your head slightly, you think about what your leaving behind. And then, ever so slowly, you turn around to look one last time at your life.

I think we sometimes read the story of Sodom and Gomorrah and look down on Lot’s wife for her lack of faith. After all, she disobeyed a direct command when she looked behind her, and God turned her into a pillar of salt. She did in fact disobey, but are we really any different? Has there ever been a time in your life where the unexpected happened? Has your world ever seemed to come crashing down? If so, did you find yourself thinking about what was, maybe even wishing things could go back to the way they were?

I don’t know many people that like change. We make plans and get our lives started and then except it to stay the same. Now there is some change that we can all agree is good. The birth of a child and marriage are just a couple of happy occasions in which most enjoy the change. But then there is change we don’t expect and certainly don’t want. Maybe financial trouble, or the loss of a job, or perhaps there is unexpected sickness or death in the family; these are changes in life that no one expects or wants.

When God closes a door, he opens a window. That is a saying I’ve heard all my life, but it’s so true. When life happens, and change occurs, look to God. He is a comfort in time of need, and strength in the storm. Instead of looking back behind you at what could of been or what was, look ahead at the promises God gives.

Lot’s wife lacked the true faith that God was in control. She had been given a command, a warning of what was happening. That alone should have told her that she had nothing to worry about. God was going to provide for them what they needed. When we fail to keep our eyes on the Father, it becomes much easier to look at the earthly things around us, and in this case, behind us. Maybe life truly was better yesterday. Maybe today brings trials and tribulation. That’s okay. Look to the Father, because He is in control, and he knows your future.

Jer. 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Don’t follow in this woman’s example. You won’t turn into a pillar of salt, but you will live in misery, not able to truly enjoy the blessings in life, because your focus will be on the negatives. Take the positive approach, and live each day counting your blessings, looking forward to Heaven, which is our expected end. When life gets you down, remember this verse.

Rom.8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Melody Chatman

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A Secret Is A Terrible Thing

I want to warn you about one of Satan’s favorite schemes…secrets. A secret is a terrible thing…especially when the secret is your own sin.

When you hide a sin, keeping it “just your little secret”, what you are doing, unintentionally no doubt, is allowing Satan leverage over you. He can, and will, use that “dirty little secret” against you. “But it’s just between me and God”, “I’ll never do it again”, “It was so long ago”. Sadly, all you’re rationalizing won’t change that.

A secret sin is the equivalent of allowing Satan to put a handle in the middle of your back. Every time you try to stand up spiritually, Satan will use that sin against you. He will black-mail you. Interestingly, the name ‘Satan’ means ‘accuser’, and he is a specialist at that. “Just who do you think you are?”, “You’re not much of a Christian!”, “If people find out what you’ve done, your public humiliation will destroy you”, “How can you be so arrogant to confront them about their sin, considering what you’ve done?”

So what is the best way to get rid of a black-mailer? Pay him? That’s usually the first thing we try isn’t it? But you’ve seen the movie, he’s never satisfied, he always wants more and more, the payments never end. So, what can be done to get rid of a black-mailer? Well, obviously, get rid of the secret, confess it, expose it. When you do that, he has no more leverage over you.

That, I believe, is one reason God tells us over and over to confess our sins. Once you do, Satan cannot use your secret against you anymore. Do you have a secret sin? Find a godly brother/sister in the Lord who will give you righteous counsel and get that handle off your back!

He who covers his sins will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
Proverbs 28:13

MichaelMcCorkle

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Being an Example, Part 2

If you will remember, in the first study we looked at being an example to our children and why that is important.  Parts 2, 3, 4, & 5 we will further study how to be a good, holy example to our children in the way we use our eyes, mouth, hands and feet.  In this study we will look at being an example in the way we use our eyes, the things we let our eyes behold.

Anyone who has children knows they watch your every move.  Kids want to mimic their parents; they idolize all that moms and dads do.  My daughter just turned 1, and it is amazing to me all the things she sees and understands.  She is my biggest accountability partner.  I want to be a good example to her.  When she watches me, I want her to view the actions of a good, solid Christian woman. How can I accomplish being this kind of example?  I have to start with the way I use my eyes, the things I let my eyes see because this impressionable child is watching me.

I John 2:16, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

Here we see that basically all our sins can be pinpointed to one of three things:  the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life.  I want to take notice of the lust of the eyes and study this further.

We should teach our children how to be faithful to their spouse by being loyal to our own spouse.

Job 31:1, “I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?”

Job literally made a covenant/promise with his eyes.  He had a wife; therefore, he wasn’t going to look at any other woman.  This is a good covenant to make with your eyes because the Bible teaches us that if you even look at another woman, you have already committed adultery in your heart.

Matthew 5:28, “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”

Show your children you are faithful to your spouse.  Don’t let your eyes wonder.  Don’t let them catch you staring at someone in the grocery store or starting at some “hot” celebrity on TV.  Make a covenant with your eyes, and teach your children to do the same.

This is not the only way we can be an example to our children.  Don’t let your eyes behold anything evil or ungodly.

Psalm 119:37, “Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.”

The NKJV translates the word vanity to worthless.  Here the Psalmist is praying the Lord will help him keep his eyes from looking at anything worthless.  What kinds of movies, television programs, books, and etc. do your children see you looking at?  Are they worthless?  It is a good question yourself before you look at anything.  Is it worthless?

The Bible teaches us to do whatever it takes to keep ourselves pure and holy.  We have to purge our lives of unholy things, even if that means removing our eye from its socket.

Matthew 5:29, “And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.”

Demonstrate to your children that you will do whatever it takes to keep your eyes off of things that are worthless and focused on things that are holy, godly.

Be an example; show your children how to have “spiritual eyes.”

Luke 11:34-36, “The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. 35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. 36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.”

The things our eyes see direct our entire life.  It is important to look on godly things so our words and actions will reflect the light of Christ.  Work on spiritual attributes so you won’t be spiritually blinded.

II Peter 1:5-9, “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.”

What do your kids see you doing?  Do you watch filthy movies or read inappropriate romance novels?  Do you “check out” other people when you should only have eyes for your spouse?  Or, do your children see you opening the word of God, watching things that are not worthless, and living a life that is not spiritually blind?  Let’s remember we have little eyes watching us, taking in everything we do.  Be a good example; show them the right path.

Elise Fleming

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A Conversation With God

As believers, we all know that we should pray. The question is, do we know why, or how?  In order for us to have an effective prayer life there are a few things that we should have an understanding of. First and foremost, prayer is nothing more than having…

A Conversation With God…

Prayer is not contemplation, or meditation. Prayer is in direct address to Him. It can be oral or mental. It can be occasional or constant. It can be exclamatory or formal. Regardless of what it can be, it is a conversation.

We find Moses “beseeching the Lord” in Exodus 32:11. In 1 Samuel 1:15, we find Hannah telling Eli that she was, “pouring out the soul before the Lord,” when he accused her of being drunk, because she prayed so fervently. Hezekiah and Isaiah were “praying and crying to heaven” in 2 Chronicles 32:20. In Job 8:5, Job was “seeking unto God and making supplication.” David drew near to God in Psalms 73:28 and Paul was “bowing the knees” in prayer in Ephesians 3:14.

Prayer assumes a belief in the personality of God and his ability and willingness to hold a conversation with us. And above all things, prayer is a belief in his personal control of all things. Without this whole hearted belief, what good is our prayer?

Prayer must be Sincere and offered with reverence, Godly fear, a humble sense of our own insignificance and unworthiness. It should be offered with earnest insistence, but also unhesitating submission to His divine will. We must have faith that God is, and is the hearer and answerer of prayer.

One thing that is most certain, is that we can and even should, ask others to pray for us. James 5:16 presents this very idea to us, as God’s children.

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

Our pride sometimes keeps us from doing this, but we have so many examples in God’s word, where people took advantage of it and saw that their prayers were indeed answered. Abraham, prayed for others on several occasions. Moses prayed for The Israelites when they were facing destruction by God and God repented. Moses prayed for Miriam when God struck her with leprosy and God answered his prayer. When Aaron would have been destroyed by God because the Israelites had turned away from God during the exodus, Moses prayed for him and he was offered the opportunity to live and repent.

One particular instance that really stands out to me is when Peter was taken prisoner in Acts 12:5. The church came together and prayed for him, that he would be released, and he was. As a matter of fact, they were still praying for him, when he came to their door, knocked and asked entrance.

In all of these examples, as well as the many more that we could discuss, those offering prayer were doing so with confidence. They were having a conversation with God and God gave them an answer.

There is no doubt that we have the model prayer, in the Lord’s Prayer, that shows us how we should have this conversation, but the bottom line, is that God simply wants us to have a conversation.

If we pray in the right spirit, and with the right frame of mind our prayers will be answered. It may not be what we are expecting, or even what we selfishly want, but we should have the comfort that it is what we need…

“Prayer is like the dove that Noah sent forth, which blessed him not only when it returned with an olive-leaf in its mouth, but when it never returned at all.” Robinson’s Job.

Max Gaskins

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The God of Second Chances

Luke 13:6-9

He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? 8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9  And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

 Have you ever needed a second chance?  You messed up.  You said or did the wrong thing.  You didn’t mean to, or maybe you did.  And now you’re sick about it.  You heart aches and you want to make it right – at least the best that you can.  We find in this snapshot that we serve a God of the second chance, or fourth chance as in this account.  We find a God who is for you – not against you.  A Holy Father who’ll lift you up, dust you off, and return you to your seat at the table where He pours your cup until it overflows.  A fresh start.  Who doesn’t want that?

In the Old Testament we find that the children of Israel were a wayward people, and as we know so are WE.  They tested God regularly through the wandering in the wilderness.  But after they dealt with their sin and repented God gave them a second chance.  God forgave them and gave them a fresh start, a new beginning.  I’m thankful that our God is a God of new beginnings, of fresh starts.

It is the nature of God to forgive repentant sinners. There are probably those reading this, if fact I know there are those reading this, who have failed the Lord.  Perhaps you think God is finished with you. May I reassure you?  He is not, because He is the God of the second chance.  God is the God of grace and of mercy; of forgiveness, and new beginnings.  I want you to know that failures are not fatal and failures are not final as long as you recognize and repent of your sins.

Why?  Because God wants to give you another chance.  God wants you to have a new beginning.

Because of failure, some people will just give up – they’ll just quit.  He gave Samson a second chance didn’t he? I mean, after getting his hair cut in the “devil’s barbershop” where he lost his strength.  He was more victorious in his death than he was in his life.  John Mark got a second chance, you remember were Paul said that John Mark abandoned the work and went home; and, later Paul wrote and asked for John Mark to join him because “he’s profitable in the work.”  God gave Simon Peter a second chance – you remember he swore and cursed and denied the Lord three times.  Peter repented and subsequently gave the first gospel sermon on the day Pentecost where he used the keys to open the door to the kingdom.

The Bible is full of 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, and seven times seven new beginnings and second chances.  If you repent of your sins God will forgive you and give you a fresh start; and, you may serve him better, more faithfully, than you ever have before, because you have learned a lesson.  You’ve not only known the thrill of victory but now you have learned the agony of defeat.  Now you are ready to serve the Lord with a power that you’ve never known. 

Lamentations 3:22-23 “It is of the LORD’s mercies that we’re not consumed because his compassions fail not, they are new every morning…”

No, today may not have been perfect and odds are that tomorrow won’t be perfect either – But aren’t you glad that when sin is repented of … you get a new start.  So don’t give up or give in to the deceiver’s lies.  God loves you.  Welcomes you.  And is ready to get you started on a new path, a better path.  So let not you heart be weary … draw close to God and he’ll draw close to you.

JerryLowry

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