This Week's Focal Passage:
"So she fell on her face, bowed down to the ground, and said to him, "Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?" Ruth 2:10
I have had the privilege and the blessing of writing a study of the book of Ruth and leading the Ladies' Sunday school class through it over the past two months. Now, I do not say this to bring any attention to myself, I simply mention this because this devotion is a continuation of what I began writing about in a previous devotion. A few months ago, the Lord began convicting my heart that I was focusing more on preparing lessons for other people instead of studying His Word for my own personal life application and spiritual growth.
The Lord began to use Psalm 42:1 ("As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God.") to draw me closer to Him. I began praying for the Lord to change my focus and to teach me through His Word. God graciously allowed me to prepare lessons to share with the ladies but this time my focus was not on "preparing to teach" but "preparing to LEARN." The insight that our ladies at church have, the depth of their own personal relationship with the Lord, and their willingness to be a vessel for the Lord to display His work has been such an enormous blessing to me and I have learned so much.
I love our focal passage. "So she fell on her face, bowed down to the ground, and said to him, "Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?" (Ruth 2:10) Ruth had found favor in the eyes of Boaz and he allowed her to glean in his fields and invited her to join his women each day. He offered her provision and protection. Ruth was overwhelmed by Boaz's compassion, grace and mercy, and fell down before him in pure thanksgiving. Remember, Ruth was a foreigner and there were laws mandating that she be given any more than a few leftovers along the corners of the fields.
The book of Ruth is a precious story of faithfulness, love, and loyalty. Until our class began studying this book in-depth, I always thought the story was about Ruth. But as all the books of Scripture, the more we dig deep into the pages and the context, we see that the entire Word of God is about the Lord God. God's handprints are all over the life of Ruth and the faithfulness, love, and loyalty were not only displays of Ruth's character but the display of God's character! I love that about our God…HE is alive and active and we cannot help but see Him in all things when we look for Him. God graciously uses Ruth to teach each of us more about Him.
God's faithfulness is poured out upon His children. "…The LORD will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly" (Psalm 84:11). God's desire for us is to walk in a right relationship with Him and to love Him, honor Him, glorify Him in all that we do, in all that we say, in all that we think, and in all that we love. As God's children, we are foreigners in this world. We have been placed here for "such a time as this." Nothing about you is by chance. God purposefully and specifically designed every fiber of your being, ordained every breath that you take, orchestrated every detail of your life, and calls you to glorify Him in unique ways.
How are you walking with the Lord? Are you walking by faith and trusting in Him to guide and direct each step? Or do you focus on the circumstances that surround you and out of fear try to determine the best path to take? God's will for you is to live by faith in Him alone and to "be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God" (Philippians 4:6).
Ruth is a precious example of a life surrendered to the Lord God. Her surroundings, her circumstances, her mood, and/or her success did not determine her faith in the Lord God. Her faith was rooted and established in who God was, is and always will be. Her trust in Him rested solely upon His promises and her belief that HE was faithful. Ruth was able to display faithfulness, love, and loyalty because she had learned them from her Father and HE used her to display Himself to those around her.
You see, Ruth prepared to LEARN not to teach yet the Lord God used her to teach all of us more about Himself. My Friend, we do not have to have a teaching title to be a teacher. Anytime we follow the Lord God and surrender our entire lives to Him, He uses us as examples to point others to Him and HE draws us closer to Himself as well. May each of us bow before the Lord God and allow Him to teach us how to dig deep into His Word. May we be well equipped to live in such a way that leads others to the cross where complete healing, complete forgiveness, and absolute love and acceptance await. All glory and honor and praise to our Lord in heaven!! Thank you for allowing me to share my heart with you today. You are a gift to me and I appreciate you studying God's Word with me so very much!!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Monday Morning Devotion #271
This Week's Focal Passage:
"For thus says the LORD; Your affliction is incurable, Your wound is severe…'For I will restore health to you, And heal you of your wounds,' says the LORD…" Jeremiah 30:12 & 17a
Let me begin by confessing something to you. I am an unclean woman who has been cleansed solely through and by the grace of God. When I speak/write to you, it is not as one who is above you or ahead of you or better than you in ANY way. It is because I have been forgiven much that I come to you and share with you so that God alone in glorified. If you ever read/hear something that touches your heart or turns you towards Christ Jesus, I assure you it is the Lord God working in you and has NOTHING to do with me. I am but a vessel of the Lord God and I am learning right along side of you.
Last week, we studied together about the woman at the well. We joined her there and allowed the Lord Jesus to speak to our hearts and reveal to us His unconditional love and His complete forgiveness that HE alone offers. Today, we meet once again at our well. This time, let's look deep within Scripture to study what God is teaching us about His healing that transforms severe, deep, and often fatal wounds that we have suffered due to our own sin of rebellion against Him. Turn to 1 Peter 5:8 "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."
My Friend, we MUST understand that Satan roams around us, seeking to devour us. Most often, he will not approach us with the promise of death and destruction. He approaches us and offers us something that our flesh desires - health, wealth, success, power, knowledge, love, attention, affection, status, etc. This is what Beth Moore has termed as "friendly captivity." Satan entices us with the promise of something that benefits us but keep in mind, friendly captivity NEVER remains FRIENDLY but it ALWAYS remains CAPTIVITY!!!
I have been in captivity and I can testify that I never saw it as captivity when I willingly entered into it. My flesh desired something and I followed the path that I thought would obtain that satisfaction. And I can tell you, My Friend, I never saw the bars surround me, the ceiling closing in over me, or the door locking behind me until I felt the pain of my consequences and realized I was trapped. There were years that I just sat in that cell because I felt that I had sinned against the Lord God and this was "what I deserved." I listened to the lies of the Enemy and believed that God would not rescue me because I did not deserve to be rescued. After all, I knew what God's Word said, but I rebelled anyway.
I fell deep into a pit of despair, destructive behaviors, and self-loathing. I hated myself so much, I could not look into the mirror without the desire to hurt myself. It was some of the darkest days in all my life. I began to "punish" myself with even more self-destructive behaviors because I believed that if I punished myself this would appease the Lord. HE would see I was sorry and somehow have pity on me. But all that did was deepen my despair and draw me deeper into captivity.
You see, God's Word tells us "If we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). "He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy" (Proverbs 28:13). "When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," And You forgave the iniquity of my sin" (Psalm 32:3-5).
When we sin against the Lord God the only way out is through Him. His Word clearly outlines the steps to freedom and we must follow them exactly. I love what our pastor says, "The only way to God is on His terms!!" There is no other way. "For thus says the LORD; Your affliction is incurable, Your wound is severe…'For I will restore health to you, And heal you of your wounds,' says the LORD…" (Jeremiah 30:12 & 17a) When we rebel against the Lord, we must confess that sin and REPENT of that sin. We must surrender our entire being to the Lord God and allow Him to reign in our lives as Lord. When we do that, God is faithful to forgive, heal, restore, renew, rebuild, and deliver us from any and ALL unrighteousness. Do not allow Satan to convince you that your sin is too vile, too wicked, too evil, or too often for the Lord Jesus' blood to cover, cleanse and remove.
Where are you today? Are you in captivity? Did you willingly walk into a trap that the Enemy set for you? Have you been in that prison longer than you can remember? Perhaps you are in so deep that you feel as though the Lord could not find you even if HE wanted too. God's Word promises us that "God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). "For HE made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21). "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).
Has the Word of God spoken to your heart today? If so, how will you respond to the Lord God - the Most High? Will you run to Him and allow Him to heal you, cleanse you, and set you free from sin and self or will you remain right where you are and continue to allow the Enemy devour you? I pray that you will run to the Lord Jesus Christ…Let's meet at the foot of the cross and praise His name forever and ever!!
"For thus says the LORD; Your affliction is incurable, Your wound is severe…'For I will restore health to you, And heal you of your wounds,' says the LORD…" Jeremiah 30:12 & 17a
Let me begin by confessing something to you. I am an unclean woman who has been cleansed solely through and by the grace of God. When I speak/write to you, it is not as one who is above you or ahead of you or better than you in ANY way. It is because I have been forgiven much that I come to you and share with you so that God alone in glorified. If you ever read/hear something that touches your heart or turns you towards Christ Jesus, I assure you it is the Lord God working in you and has NOTHING to do with me. I am but a vessel of the Lord God and I am learning right along side of you.
Last week, we studied together about the woman at the well. We joined her there and allowed the Lord Jesus to speak to our hearts and reveal to us His unconditional love and His complete forgiveness that HE alone offers. Today, we meet once again at our well. This time, let's look deep within Scripture to study what God is teaching us about His healing that transforms severe, deep, and often fatal wounds that we have suffered due to our own sin of rebellion against Him. Turn to 1 Peter 5:8 "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."
My Friend, we MUST understand that Satan roams around us, seeking to devour us. Most often, he will not approach us with the promise of death and destruction. He approaches us and offers us something that our flesh desires - health, wealth, success, power, knowledge, love, attention, affection, status, etc. This is what Beth Moore has termed as "friendly captivity." Satan entices us with the promise of something that benefits us but keep in mind, friendly captivity NEVER remains FRIENDLY but it ALWAYS remains CAPTIVITY!!!
I have been in captivity and I can testify that I never saw it as captivity when I willingly entered into it. My flesh desired something and I followed the path that I thought would obtain that satisfaction. And I can tell you, My Friend, I never saw the bars surround me, the ceiling closing in over me, or the door locking behind me until I felt the pain of my consequences and realized I was trapped. There were years that I just sat in that cell because I felt that I had sinned against the Lord God and this was "what I deserved." I listened to the lies of the Enemy and believed that God would not rescue me because I did not deserve to be rescued. After all, I knew what God's Word said, but I rebelled anyway.
I fell deep into a pit of despair, destructive behaviors, and self-loathing. I hated myself so much, I could not look into the mirror without the desire to hurt myself. It was some of the darkest days in all my life. I began to "punish" myself with even more self-destructive behaviors because I believed that if I punished myself this would appease the Lord. HE would see I was sorry and somehow have pity on me. But all that did was deepen my despair and draw me deeper into captivity.
You see, God's Word tells us "If we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). "He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy" (Proverbs 28:13). "When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," And You forgave the iniquity of my sin" (Psalm 32:3-5).
When we sin against the Lord God the only way out is through Him. His Word clearly outlines the steps to freedom and we must follow them exactly. I love what our pastor says, "The only way to God is on His terms!!" There is no other way. "For thus says the LORD; Your affliction is incurable, Your wound is severe…'For I will restore health to you, And heal you of your wounds,' says the LORD…" (Jeremiah 30:12 & 17a) When we rebel against the Lord, we must confess that sin and REPENT of that sin. We must surrender our entire being to the Lord God and allow Him to reign in our lives as Lord. When we do that, God is faithful to forgive, heal, restore, renew, rebuild, and deliver us from any and ALL unrighteousness. Do not allow Satan to convince you that your sin is too vile, too wicked, too evil, or too often for the Lord Jesus' blood to cover, cleanse and remove.
Where are you today? Are you in captivity? Did you willingly walk into a trap that the Enemy set for you? Have you been in that prison longer than you can remember? Perhaps you are in so deep that you feel as though the Lord could not find you even if HE wanted too. God's Word promises us that "God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). "For HE made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21). "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).
Has the Word of God spoken to your heart today? If so, how will you respond to the Lord God - the Most High? Will you run to Him and allow Him to heal you, cleanse you, and set you free from sin and self or will you remain right where you are and continue to allow the Enemy devour you? I pray that you will run to the Lord Jesus Christ…Let's meet at the foot of the cross and praise His name forever and ever!!
Friday, May 15, 2009
Monday Morning Devotion #270
This Week's Focal Passage:
"Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you,'Give ME a drink,' you would have asked Him, and HE would have given you living water." John 4:10
Have you ever had your heart shattered? Has someone you loved ever rejected you? Perhaps you have experienced the pain of being abandoned by a person or people you never thought would leave you. Maybe you have made decisions that lead to disappointment or despair. If so, you are not alone. Join me in looking deep into the pages of Scripture to see one young woman who experienced the same thing and how she overcame her circumstances and ended up with a brand new heart and a brand new life!!!
Some important background information: Samaritans were the remnants of the northern Jews who had been taken into captivity. They had intermarried thus the Jews believed they had corrupted their bloodline and were unclean people. The Jews hated the Samaritans and refused to interact with the Samaritans. As a result, the Samaritans hated the Jews. The Samaritans built an alternate temple on Mount Gerizim and rejected the Old Testament teaching except for a revised version of the first five books. Because of this, the Samaritans had a limited understanding of the God of Scripture.
Imagine standing at the well in the middle of the day. You are alone, hot, and probably feeling like an outcast. The women of the city had already come for their water and visited together during their morning chore. You, however, were not permitted to join them because you were considered "unclean" because of your sorted past. This is where the woman at the well stood when Jesus approached her. Imagine her surprise when Jesus spoke to her. Her surprise was multifaceted. First, Jesus was a Jew and Jews NEVER spoke to Samaritans. Second, Jesus was a Jewish man and Jewish men never spoke to women in public not even their wives. Thirdly, Jesus asked her for a drink of water. This may not seem odd to us, but in that day, the Jews believed that the saliva of a Samaritan would infect the Jew and make him/her unclean. Yet, Jesus reached out to this young woman and initiated a conversation.
Because Jesus loved her and began speaking with her, HE was able to minister to the very heart of her issue - sin. This young woman needed a Savior and she needed internal cleansing. She needed a new heart - a heart that was surrendered to God. Her entire life she had sought love, acceptance, value, worth, and a purpose in men. Yet Scripture tells us that she was married five times and was now living with another man that she was not married too. God's Word always gives critical information and we must learn to dig deep so we do not miss anything God wants us to learn. Part of diving deep into Scripture is understanding the culture and customs of that time. In that day, women were not allowed to divorce her husband but the husband could at anytime divorce his wife. With that bit of information, we see another side to this young woman. She had loved five men and they had all rejected her. Now, she was with another man who would not marry her. Can you imagine the pain and brokenness this young woman must have experienced?!?! I certainly can! There are many different heartaches we can/will experience in our lifetime. Each one is painful and at times can be life altering.
One of my favorite chapters in Scripture is John 4. I have always been able to identify with the woman at the well and each time I study this passage I find a new way in which I relate to her. Allow me to share a personal story with you. My heart has been shattered twice in my life. Absolutely, I have felt pain and loss many times over my lifetime, but what I am referring to right now are two specific instances where my heart was so broken I truly never thought I would recover. Both times involved rejection, abandonment, humiliation, alienation, wrong choices and the loss of relationships that involved people I loved very deeply. The first time, my flesh screamed for relief and I sought that relief in and of this world. I did not turn to the Lord God but turned from Him because a part of me tried to blame God for allowing me to suffer. What I did not understand at that time was that God was allowing me to suffer the consequences of sin in order to restore me to Himself.
God's heart for me was never to suffer, but because I had rebelled against Him and His Word, HE allowed the pain into my life to draw me to Himself. Now, to our flesh, that sounds ridiculous. Some may even say, "Well, I have children and I would do anything to protect them from pain!" But, My Friend, we have to understand that God is holy and HE cannot accept sin in His children's lives. What I have learned is that because of His holiness, His love, His grace, His mercy, and His forgiveness, HE lovingly sifts those consequences through His hand and only allows what is absolutely necessary to draw our hearts back to Him.
Years later, my heart was shattered once again. This time, however, I chose to turn to the Lord God and seek Him in the midst of my pain. God used a number of our church family to minister to me in ways that truly pointed me to the cross. Through the pain, I was able to learn more about God's grace, mercy, unconditional love, and forgiveness. I have also experienced God in entirely new ways. HE is my friend who is ALWAYS faithful. HE is my refuge in the midst of any storm. HE is my foundation that stands firm even when the winds of the storm seek to destroy me. HE is my healer who gave me a brand new heart. God is truly my contentment. There is no one or nothing that satisfies my soul, my heart, my life like Jesus Christ. Just like the woman at the well, I stand amazed that Jesus Christ approached a sinner like me. I am in awe that HE initiated a conversation within my soul that lead to my salvation. I needed the water that HE offered to this young Samaritan woman and Jesus Himself has quenched the desire in me to seek the things of this world.
Where are you standing today, My Friend? Are you standing, or trying to stand, in the midst of sin and self? Is your heart shattered? Have you made one bad choice after another? Are you at the "end of your rope"? Do you feel that your past is so vile, so sinful, so rebellious that Christ Jesus would not love you, accept you, heal you, restore you, cleanse you, or forgive you? If so, you are believing a LIE!! God's Word promises us that Christ came to heal the broken hearted, to set people free from sin and self, to comfort those who mourn, to give hope to the hopeless, to trade our sorrows for His joy, to remove the spirit of despair and depression, and to restore us in Him (see Isaiah 61:1-4). Christ Jesus can and will rebuild what our sin and rebellion destroyed. HE is able to fully cleanse us and give us a new heart, a new mind, and make us new creations (see 2 Corinthians 5:17). My Friend, God is faithful and HE loves you with an eternal love. HE offers you healing, forgiveness, restoration, mercy, grace and unconditional love, but you must fall before Him and confess your sin. Pour your heart out to Him and do not hold anything back.
Confessing sin is the first step. The second step is repenting from those sins. Repentance means that you agree to turn away from your past and not participating in those sins again. God's grace will sustain you and enable you to be faithful to the Lord God. You cannot have the world and God. You must choose who/what you will serve. Christ is standing at your "well" offering you eternal life in Him. Will you receive it? "Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you,'Give ME a drink,' you would have asked Him, and HE would have given you living water." (John 4:10)
"Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you,'Give ME a drink,' you would have asked Him, and HE would have given you living water." John 4:10
Have you ever had your heart shattered? Has someone you loved ever rejected you? Perhaps you have experienced the pain of being abandoned by a person or people you never thought would leave you. Maybe you have made decisions that lead to disappointment or despair. If so, you are not alone. Join me in looking deep into the pages of Scripture to see one young woman who experienced the same thing and how she overcame her circumstances and ended up with a brand new heart and a brand new life!!!
Some important background information: Samaritans were the remnants of the northern Jews who had been taken into captivity. They had intermarried thus the Jews believed they had corrupted their bloodline and were unclean people. The Jews hated the Samaritans and refused to interact with the Samaritans. As a result, the Samaritans hated the Jews. The Samaritans built an alternate temple on Mount Gerizim and rejected the Old Testament teaching except for a revised version of the first five books. Because of this, the Samaritans had a limited understanding of the God of Scripture.
Imagine standing at the well in the middle of the day. You are alone, hot, and probably feeling like an outcast. The women of the city had already come for their water and visited together during their morning chore. You, however, were not permitted to join them because you were considered "unclean" because of your sorted past. This is where the woman at the well stood when Jesus approached her. Imagine her surprise when Jesus spoke to her. Her surprise was multifaceted. First, Jesus was a Jew and Jews NEVER spoke to Samaritans. Second, Jesus was a Jewish man and Jewish men never spoke to women in public not even their wives. Thirdly, Jesus asked her for a drink of water. This may not seem odd to us, but in that day, the Jews believed that the saliva of a Samaritan would infect the Jew and make him/her unclean. Yet, Jesus reached out to this young woman and initiated a conversation.
Because Jesus loved her and began speaking with her, HE was able to minister to the very heart of her issue - sin. This young woman needed a Savior and she needed internal cleansing. She needed a new heart - a heart that was surrendered to God. Her entire life she had sought love, acceptance, value, worth, and a purpose in men. Yet Scripture tells us that she was married five times and was now living with another man that she was not married too. God's Word always gives critical information and we must learn to dig deep so we do not miss anything God wants us to learn. Part of diving deep into Scripture is understanding the culture and customs of that time. In that day, women were not allowed to divorce her husband but the husband could at anytime divorce his wife. With that bit of information, we see another side to this young woman. She had loved five men and they had all rejected her. Now, she was with another man who would not marry her. Can you imagine the pain and brokenness this young woman must have experienced?!?! I certainly can! There are many different heartaches we can/will experience in our lifetime. Each one is painful and at times can be life altering.
One of my favorite chapters in Scripture is John 4. I have always been able to identify with the woman at the well and each time I study this passage I find a new way in which I relate to her. Allow me to share a personal story with you. My heart has been shattered twice in my life. Absolutely, I have felt pain and loss many times over my lifetime, but what I am referring to right now are two specific instances where my heart was so broken I truly never thought I would recover. Both times involved rejection, abandonment, humiliation, alienation, wrong choices and the loss of relationships that involved people I loved very deeply. The first time, my flesh screamed for relief and I sought that relief in and of this world. I did not turn to the Lord God but turned from Him because a part of me tried to blame God for allowing me to suffer. What I did not understand at that time was that God was allowing me to suffer the consequences of sin in order to restore me to Himself.
God's heart for me was never to suffer, but because I had rebelled against Him and His Word, HE allowed the pain into my life to draw me to Himself. Now, to our flesh, that sounds ridiculous. Some may even say, "Well, I have children and I would do anything to protect them from pain!" But, My Friend, we have to understand that God is holy and HE cannot accept sin in His children's lives. What I have learned is that because of His holiness, His love, His grace, His mercy, and His forgiveness, HE lovingly sifts those consequences through His hand and only allows what is absolutely necessary to draw our hearts back to Him.
Years later, my heart was shattered once again. This time, however, I chose to turn to the Lord God and seek Him in the midst of my pain. God used a number of our church family to minister to me in ways that truly pointed me to the cross. Through the pain, I was able to learn more about God's grace, mercy, unconditional love, and forgiveness. I have also experienced God in entirely new ways. HE is my friend who is ALWAYS faithful. HE is my refuge in the midst of any storm. HE is my foundation that stands firm even when the winds of the storm seek to destroy me. HE is my healer who gave me a brand new heart. God is truly my contentment. There is no one or nothing that satisfies my soul, my heart, my life like Jesus Christ. Just like the woman at the well, I stand amazed that Jesus Christ approached a sinner like me. I am in awe that HE initiated a conversation within my soul that lead to my salvation. I needed the water that HE offered to this young Samaritan woman and Jesus Himself has quenched the desire in me to seek the things of this world.
Where are you standing today, My Friend? Are you standing, or trying to stand, in the midst of sin and self? Is your heart shattered? Have you made one bad choice after another? Are you at the "end of your rope"? Do you feel that your past is so vile, so sinful, so rebellious that Christ Jesus would not love you, accept you, heal you, restore you, cleanse you, or forgive you? If so, you are believing a LIE!! God's Word promises us that Christ came to heal the broken hearted, to set people free from sin and self, to comfort those who mourn, to give hope to the hopeless, to trade our sorrows for His joy, to remove the spirit of despair and depression, and to restore us in Him (see Isaiah 61:1-4). Christ Jesus can and will rebuild what our sin and rebellion destroyed. HE is able to fully cleanse us and give us a new heart, a new mind, and make us new creations (see 2 Corinthians 5:17). My Friend, God is faithful and HE loves you with an eternal love. HE offers you healing, forgiveness, restoration, mercy, grace and unconditional love, but you must fall before Him and confess your sin. Pour your heart out to Him and do not hold anything back.
Confessing sin is the first step. The second step is repenting from those sins. Repentance means that you agree to turn away from your past and not participating in those sins again. God's grace will sustain you and enable you to be faithful to the Lord God. You cannot have the world and God. You must choose who/what you will serve. Christ is standing at your "well" offering you eternal life in Him. Will you receive it? "Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you,'Give ME a drink,' you would have asked Him, and HE would have given you living water." (John 4:10)
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