I want to start off by saying a few things.
1. Yes, you sinned. It's normal to feel guilty/bad/condemned/shamed
2. No, God is not going to abandon you.
3. Yes, you can be forgiven
4. God does not want anyone to perish but for all of us to come to repentance 2Peter3:9
Okay, let get in to it!
I know I was supposed to post a bible study but, I'm going to be open here, I backslid and I've been having a hard time with it. Beating myself up, running away from God and being really sad about it. Well, I think enough is enough. I'm going to drop a few bible verses and tie them together at the end.
EPHESIANS 6:12
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
LUKE 15:3-7
Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
LUKE 15:20-24
And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. ’But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
ISAIAH 43:1 AND 43:4
VERSE 1
But now, this is what the Lord says he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
VERSE 4
Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life.
PSALMS 86:5-7
You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you. Hear my prayer, Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me.
PSALM 25:3
No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause.
ROMANS 8:37-39
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord
Okay so, I think, most times we forget that we are not simply just living. There is spiritual warfare going on all around us. When we are tempted, when we get abnormally angry, depressed, insecure or when we have extreme spiritual attack. Though it is easy to love and re assure others, the enemy makes it extremely hard for us to do that for ourselves. Its almost as if he makes us feel condemned so that we do not feel worthy or able to run to God. So yes, you sinned and yes, you shouldn't have. But do not beat yourself up because there are external forces at work pulling you into temptation and sin. Run, not walk to God. (Ephesians 6:12)
Second, you have to understand God wants you. YOU are HIS child. In the parable of the Lost sheep, Jesus himself says he will always leave the 99 to find the one. We really need to understand how deep that it. The value of livestock especially in that time was and is extremely high. That would be the livelihood of not one, but multiple families: rent, meals, expenses, NEEDS. But Jesus said, he is willing to risk all of that because you mean that much to him (Luke 15). In all honesty who or what can separate us from that love. (Which is one of my favourite verses, we will discuss in Romans 8:37-39). Same in the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15). There are a few things I think we miss when we recall or re-read this story.
Number one: The father has every right to be angry at the son. Not only did the son take all his blessings that he was given to by the father, he squandered them.
Number 2: The son realized what he did was wrong, and what did he do? He tried to fix things and live with out the father. He became a servant and he was hungry and suffering. See, when we sin and we do not come back to God, we suffer, needlessly. Not only that but notice how he was hungry and the world that he was having such a good time in would not give him anything to eat. Pleasures of the flesh(sin) are temporary and they do not fill us the way the father can.
Number 3: When the son was coming home, the father saw him from far away. When I read this, all I can think is that the father was there waiting and keeping an eye out for the son. He wanted him to come back, he was waiting for him with open arms. As soon as the father saw the son, he started running towards him. RUNNING. Almost as if he didn't want them to be apart for another moment. God is running, RUNNING, to us. In all his glory, he is running to us to give us his love. That is the GOODNEWS. PRAISE PRAISE PRAISE BE TO GOD!
Lastly: When the son came back he offered to be a servant and allow his sins to be hung over his head but the father said 'NO! We are going to have a celebration' and he clothed the son in the best robe. God is not going to hold our sins over our head and allow us to suffer for them. He forgives and he forgets, making us new again. He redeems. It is who he is, who he has been and who he always will be. (Isaiah 43:1)
God is powerful, loving, kind, creative and merciful. He is the king of kings and above all the creator of Heaven and Earth, so it really touches my heart and shakes me to the core when we read about his love for us, how he thinks of us and the plans and blessings he has for us. (Isaiah 43:4) To him we are precious, he is willing to exchange nations for our lives. There he goes, leaving the 99 again. How good is God? Do you see why I am saying these things. What do you think can stop God from coming for you. I have watched quite a number of romance movies about true love but none of them stand anywhere close to the love of God. So please do not try to run, do not try to hide. He will stop at nothing to give you his love.
(Psalm 86:5-7) God does not lie and it is written in his good book, he is forgiving and abundant in love to those who what? To those who call out to him. People please, do not wait any longer to call out to God. How are we to receive forgiveness when we do not ask, the one thing we are told to do. Do not think "This is too big to forgive". For there is nothing God cannot do! When you call he is right by the phone ready to answer and you will not be disappointed if your hope is in the Lord. He will answer you and save you from wherever you've been and whatever path you are on. (Psalms 25:3)
To conclude. I know its hard to run back to God, especially when you are covered in sin but that is only because God is Light, good, righteous and full of glory. The darkness of sin runs away from that and because you are covered in it, so do you, but God is bigger than anything we could ever imagine. He will make you clean, he will show mercy and He will forgive and that is not coming from my imagination. Isaiah 43:25
I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.
Stay blessed,
xJaeden
Comments