Weeks Message

How many times have you run across people who tell you, I can not be saved because I have sinned too much in the past for God to ever love and forgive me?God is not looking for perfection on this side of Heaven. He knew we could never do it. That is why He sent Jesus to pay for our sins. What He is looking for is a heart that desires to please Him. We are promised that, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" as it says in 1st  John 1:9.I could say that I don't sin, but then I would be lying! There is no way that a person could live free of sin. Pride, selfishness, deceit, greed, lack of faith, or lust...all of those things are sin. But, remember, sin is not always what you do wrong; it is also what you fail to do right. Sin includes the needs around you that you ignore.  It is the neighbor to whom you have not witnessed to, it is the sick friend whose children you have not offered to baby-sit.It says in Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of  God". Yes all of us have fallen short of His Glory and plans for our lives. It says in 1st John 1:10  "If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us".Yes even though we are saved, live a Christian life we sometimes fall short of His will and His plans for us in our lives. You see while we are here on earth we are in constant battle with the flesh.Whoa Cowboy !! That’s pretty heavy stuff your saying! Well let us ponder a bit and see, remember that rally you went to a few years ago, you saw that brand new shinny bike and slobbered all over it wishing in was yours and not that that ugly guy who was riding it, well thou shalt not convent.Remember seeing that girl who looked like Britney Spears walking down main street wearing only sweater bumper stars and the smallest thong you ever saw.  Yes that one she reminded you of your high school or college heart throb.In Matthew 5:27-28 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.Wow that means if we think it in our minds we have committed the act in our hearts, and that results in SIN.In Isaiah  1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.   Wow what a promise we have here, the key here is even though we may fall short and fall into sin if we taken it to the Cross and ask forgiveness Jesus is faithful and just and will forgive our shortcomings.Greatest sin the Bible tells us is found in Matthew 22:36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Mat 22:37 Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'In closing we ask for your prayers and help for all those affected in the Gulf States region some people have lost loved ones, homes and jobs with this disaster. God Bless and have a great week.
Respectfully,
Red