If We Confess...

Sin. It's a word we don't really like to use. Sin. It just sounds so... bad, old-fashioned, serious, etc. "Making a mistake" can't be as terrible as "sinning against the Most High God", can it? And yet the Bible isn't about people's 'mistakes', it's about people's sin, and how God, even in His perfect justice, could be so merciful as to save those who believe in Him. What a rich blessing that we as Christians share!!! What a reason for us to be joyful every day! God sent his only Son to die for us, so that we could be washed in His blood and be made to be children of God!

But still, in our lives, even as Christians who try our best to live for Christ, we sin. We break God's law. We don't worship Him wholeheartedly. We fall into the trap of worldliness. We place our trust in everything but God. Even if we do a decent job of keeping our language clean, that doesn't mean our hearts are pure! It can be so discouraging to try to live as a Christian while still having to deal with the weaknesses our our sinful flesh. So today, I thought I'd share some verses about the forgiveness that can be found in Christ. I find them to be incredibly comforting and uplifting!

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,"Acts 3:19

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,"Romans 8:1

"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.""Isaiah 1:18

"The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against Him;"Daniel 9:9

"For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."Colossians 1:13-14

"As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 103:12

A Woman's Heart...

"A woman's heart should be so lost in God that a man must seek Him in order to find her."

I've been thinking about this quote lately. I'm reading a book called Lady in Waiting: Becoming God's Best While Waiting for Mr. Right by Jackie Kendall and Debby Jones. I find this to be a great book so far. It is based on the book of Ruth, so I've also been studying the book of Ruth.

"A woman's heart should be so lost in God..."

It doesn't say a woman's heart should be so lost in her romance novels, or her day-dreams about her future husband, or even her work, but in her Heavenly Father. 1 Corinthians 15:58 calls us to be, "abounding in the work of the LORD, knowing that in the LORD your labor is not in vain."

Ladies, we are called to give ourselves to God with reckless abandonment. Think about it. If you trust in God's will for your life, and you believe that God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love Him, why do you need to worry about your future? Whether it is the prospect of being single, or finding a job, or being too busy, you don't need to waste your time worrying about the earthly struggles of this life. King David teaches us an important lesson in Psalm 27:4, "One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple." David completely places his trust in God's providence and almighty power. All a Christian needs is to dwell with God, and they will be complete. So for the single women? Devote yourselves wholly to God. Participate in church events, bible studies, mission trips and other works of charity. Trust God to care for your future. He knows best!

Introduction: A Work In Progress

Lately I've been thinking. And reading. And praying. About the kind of woman I want to become: A woman who reflects Christ in everything she does. I want to be someone who is filled with joy and delight in the LORD and who really trusts Him with her whole heart, soul and mind. The purpose for this blog is to keep track of my progress and to share book reviews, but also to (hopefully) encourage others in their walk with Christ.