~ "Following the plan..."

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. (Ps 51:17)

We all do things we wish we had not. We commit sins and need forgiveness. The price we pay is often more than is bearable. There is nothing the Lord loves more than a humbled heart. Unfortunately, the world is not as forgiving as our Heavenly Father is. Often the human price we pay is greater than we could have ever imagined. The expression "you don't know what you've got until it's gone" can often be the hardest penalty we pay for in life for our human wants and desires. If only we could be given another chance, like God gives us, to be reconciled. Mistakes we make on earth often follow us throughout our life, no matter how hard we try to escape their grasp.

Yes, Satan has a hand in this and wants us to be long suffering with regard to our failure or our infidelity. Our choices with regard to extra-marital affairs (as with David) affect not only our lives, but those around us - they produce the same ripples as a stone when cast into a pond. They radiate out from the place of origin until they touch the shore. David new this to be true. He humbled himself before God and asked for forgiveness. Some things are "fixable" - some are not - ALL things are possible with God!

We don't always know what road we are to take. We must rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We cannot put aside His commands to us - doing so brings on pain and suffering we could have avoided. Learning and knowing His "touch" is something that comes with time. The longer we walk in the light, the brighter our path becomes. It is illuminated with the light of the world...Jesus!

Take comfort in knowing that God has forgiven you. Continue to walk in His ways, honor His commands, meditate on His word. He will regenerate that spirit that seems to be dead or dying within you. He will let you know when it is "safe" to move on (if, in fact, that is what you are praying for). He will also let you know, in no uncertain terms, if you are to "wait". He is a very subtle God. As with all of God's intimate messages to you, He will lead you if you are willing to follow. Don't wander off His path for you! Follow the plan and all will be right and His name will be glorified in the end!

(photo by Brad Millaway)

~ "Real Christians..."

Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. (3 John 1:11)

We all need to blow off steam every once in a while. The direction of that vent determines whether or not what we are doing conforms to commands given us by our Father in Heaven. Even Jesus got angry, so we take our cue from Him.

In the early 1970's, Christians took to bombing abortion clinics. They were appalled by the new law allowing for the abortion of children, who were considered "not human". They killed doctors, nurses, workers, and patients (some of whom were not even being seen in the facilities for an abortion). They destroyed property. The defense of many was that "God told them to do it".

When our anger at certain things or even people causes us to commit acts of violence (or other devious acts) we are in the path of evil. We have succumbed to Satan's power, not the power of God. Our God is a loving, forgiving God - He is judge, jury and executioner alone! He doesn't need our help. As one who has been on the other side of that fence, I am grateful that the Lord allowed me the opportunity to come to Him. I was afforded the opportunity to ask for and receive forgiveness. Not all are that fortunate. I was granted a pardon for my actions. I was given new life through Jesus.

I knew "of" God - I did not know God. I do my very best to walk the path of good, not of evil. I stumble and I fall (as do many of you) more often than I'd like to admit. I sin each and every day. I ask for forgiveness each and every day. The sins of my past are forgiven, but that doesn't mean that they don't occasionally rear their ugly heads. They often haunt my dreams and continue on in the early moments of my day. I can become angry at myself and others all before placing my feet on the floor. All I can do at that point is hand it over to the Lord and ask that He take the guilt and anger from my heart and keep the enemy at arms length.

Continuing to do what the Lord asks of us, to follow His will for us and live a life that is pleasing to Him is not an easy venture. Often we want to walk away. We sometimes fail to see the promises through the dust that swirls around us. They are there - even when we cannot see them or focus on them. The horrors that befall us in our dreams are the demons of our past that still want to lay claim to our souls. They want us to continue to walk in the darkness that once surround us. We walk in the light! We are not moved by the stirring of the enemy. We are protected and lifted out of that dust by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is who dwells deep within us. He is where our strength to continue on in the midst of adversity originates. Continue to follow that which is good - continue to follow Jesus!