When I have conflict with a friend, the angst I feel over the disruption in our friendship is awful. There is always a moment of uncomfortable tension—stand-offish behavior that highlights the friction between us. Even when I know I have done something to hurt their feelings, I don’t always want to own up to it. So the chasm between us grows. It’s a terrible feeling to lose, even temporarily, that human connection that we all long for.
When I read about the ways that sin separates us from God, I feel that same pit in my stomach. I don’t want there to be anything that keeps me from being near to God. Yet we all start our relationship with God separated from Him because of our sin (Romans 3:23). We were created to be close to Him, and many of us spend our lives trying to fill this gap of connection that can only be found in God.
In the book of Isaiah, God promised a great rescue for our painful separation from God. One would come to bear our griefs, carry our sorrows, be crushed for our iniquities, and heal our wounds with His (Isaiah 53:4–5). It is through this person, Jesus, that the gap was closed, the separation was mended, and our hearts were restored to peace. By “his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding” (Ephesians 1:7–8).
Those who are saved by Jesus experience the joy of knowing they are forgiven! And yet…we still sin. We know the beauty of being close to God, and still we disrupt the connection.
It is because of the fall of humanity (see Genesis 3) that we cannot hold onto this mended relationship. Our sin always gets in the way. The sorrow from our continual betrayal of God can either sink us in despair or cause us to turn to Jesus once again, trusting that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Him (Romans 8:39). God’s love is so much greater than our sin! Because of Jesus, we can confess our sin and ask for forgiveness, and we can celebrate what Christ has done on our behalf. We can pursue humility, and we can approach His throne with confidence (Hebrews 4:16).
Because of this truth, we can approach our other relationships with confidence too. Yes, we will mess up. But we can own our mistakes more freely knowing that God does not condemn us (Romans 8:1). We can acknowledge where we went wrong and ask for forgiveness. We can forgive others and take steps to restore the closeness we once shared. For we are all sinners, deeply flawed but even more deeply loved.
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77 thoughts on "Sin and Redemption"
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I think an important aspect we need to remember is that the Holy Spirit empowers us to walk uprightly before God. We may not ever be able to truly eliminate sin from our lives entirely, but I believe there’s a transformation that helps us to sin less and less as we become more like Christ. Thankful for the Holy
Spirit!
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“God’s love is so much greater than our sin!”
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This quote from Bailey really stood out to me. Not sure I had ever really thought of it that way. Praise the Lord! Gives me new hope. ❤️
Thank you all for the sweet congratulations on getting engaged! And for so many of you to remember the dark times of my dad’s accident. You all are amazing ❤️
Praying for you all today!
My sin, more than anything else, is too often the cause of my own pain. In Psalm 38, David talks about how there is ‘no health in my bones because of my sin’, and I have seen this to be true in my own life.
Lord, please teach me to obey and commit all to you, knowing and believing that I have redemption through your blood according to the riches of your grace.
God, thank you for still wanting me as yours in spite of my imperfections. Thank you for leading me and for steering me on the right path now that I am a believer to protect me from my own sin. God, without this, I wouldn’t stand, and I would fall back into my old ways. Thank you for your patience with me. Please continue to cleanse my heart of all its impurities.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
Amen❤️
This was beautifully said. I wholeheartedly agree. I am often distraught over my short comings. Not because im failing those around me, although that certainly doesnt help…. but because I despair over my failure to act out the appreciatiation I so often feel in my heart.. through my bones and flesh. My bones and flesh fail me daily. I do what I ought not. But I want to do what’s right. That is my deep struggle. I never want to sit and become stale in my sin or make excuses. I want out. I war within myself oved my human “nature”?
We can pursue humility & approach his throne with confidence. ⛅️☀️
Thank you so much to all of you ladies for the comments today. I was on early but knew there would be good stuff so had to stop back by.
Sin can separate people from God. Sin creates a wedge that can sever the most sacred bonds. Sin can separate a family. Sin can separate friendships. Sin can separate a nation. It is through one Person that reconciliation is made. God offers a covenant on His terms, if you love Me, you follow Me, you pick up your cross and deny yourself and take up My will, you do what I teach you, you don’t stay as is, but you put on a new mind, new clothing (put on Christ), learn and practice new ways, for you don’t just believe in Me (demons also believe and tremble) but you go deeper by doing what I teach you, be the doers of the Word, not hearers only, deceiving yourself. How can the two walk together unless they agree? (unless they align moral values, priorities, directions, conduct, etc). “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners” (Psalm 1:1). It is mind boggling to think about the holy love God bestows on mankind, knowing truly well what’s in the rebellious heart of man, wicked above all things. This reminds me of a beautiful quote that touches my heart every time I read it. “To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is a lot like being loved by God. It is what we need more than anything. It liberates us from pretense, humbles us out of our self righteousness, and fortifies us for any difficulty life can throw at us” -Tim Keller.
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Lifting up prayers:
SOPHIE M- praying for Millie’s heart issues and strength for your family.
LAUREN M- praise God for the joy you carry despite the loss, may God bless you with a safe and healthy pregnancy.
GWINETH52- so great to see you back. Amen to “daily discipline & dialog & will soon return” ❤️
CEE GEE- thank you for your answer yesterday (I was late to respond to Rhonda’s question). I posted on yesterday’s comment, and I’m posting here again. The Bible study we did was a 5-week long one, called Lord teach us to pray, with videos for each week, comprised of different teachers on each video, including Jen Wilkin, Jennifer Rothschild, Jackie Hill Perry, Kristi McLelland, Kelly Minter. I searched but could not find the exact study, though the closest one is what CEE GEE suggested (you’re so good! thank you), it’s a 7-week study called When you pray.
Be blessed dear sisters.
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Help me to never forget the wonder of God’s forgiveness. I don’t want to take for granted how wonderful he is.
Thank you for this reminder
One thing I noticed in the Genesis passage was that after Adam and Eve sinned was the first time they knew fear (v.10), when they were afraid to answer God’s call. The apostle John tells us in his first epistle (I John 4:18) that perfect love casts out fear, but that perfect love had been interrupted by sin. Also,Satan actually spoke the truth in v. 5 when he told them that eating the fruit would cause them to know the difference between good and evil; they just didn’t understand that it would cost them their innocence and disrupt their relationship with God. And we are really no different. Grace, sisters.
I. LOVE. that you pointed that out!!!!! It’s the same nonsense he pulls when he temps Jesus in Matthew 4– I mean the guy really has NO creativity, just his same process on repeat… He absolutely uses truth, but twists/deforms it ever so slightly… “did god REEAALLYY say not to eat from ANY tree?” – bc NO, He didn’t say “ANY” tree. But it was enough of a distortion to engage and plant doubt in her mind of the goodness of God. Even Jesus called him out during that time of temptation, restating in truth, not just words (as Satan did), but heart and meaning behind the truth; revealing the heart of God behind his own words. That, imo, is what was missing in Eve’s response- not just truth, but “God, our creator who loves us has protected us from the harm that will come from eating that fruit”. For me, it’s a lesson to keep my focus on the loving, protective nature of the boundaries God sets around me… goodness knows I try to push them (SMH…)
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Hello Shes
Popping in to at least say “Present”.
I have not been participating of late.
I am slack & behind on this spiritual practice.
I miss the daily discipline & dialog & will soon return.
Meanwhile I hear your voices & receive your prayers & join the silent chorus.
Some times are marked by absence.
Other times a return to rigor.
We mourn. We dance.
We dash. We linger.
We join in. We step out.
We fret. We forgive.
The rhythm of life.
But He is faithful.
His Word is true.
His love endures.
That’s just The Way!
Yours in Christ!
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Good to hear from you GWINETH! Don’t be a stranger! We love you!
SO many comments (RELATABLE COMMENTS) about “but I still sin…”, “Grateful he forgives, and I mess up again…” I just wanted to come back to encourage and remind ya’ll of something God lead me to remind one of my kids on the way to school today:
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Yes, we sin. Yes, it’s a distraction from our enemy to lure us into distrust of our loving God. AND– if we are in Jesus, we have to remember that he loves and advocates for us the exact same amount the moments before we sin that he does the moments after we sin. There is no change! WE ARE HIS and He knows it and is proudly standing before the Father saying, “nope! Satan is placing blame on her, but she is ours! she’s covered! she’s an heir to OUR Kingdom and nothing can come against her! (then, in my own imagination, I believe Jesus says something close to “So Satan you can suck it.”, but that’s not in actual scripture so feel free to disregard).
Remember- it was WHILE I WAS A SINNER (an enemy of God, against God, selfish, prideful, gloating in my sin) THAT JESUS DIED FOR ME. If he has the audacious love to suffer ruthlessly WHILE I’M REJECTING HIM, how much MORE do I get to believe that he’s nothing short of obsessively in love with me after I’ve claimed him as my King!?!?!?!!
Ladies- You are loved, cherished, wanted, forgiven and precious.
Anything other than that is a lie spoken in order to rob you of your true identity–❤️
Thank you! I love this so much!
For the joy that was set before him, he endured the harsh, humiliating experience of the cross. It is seen in Isaiah 53 in the same light when we read “YHWH was pleased to crush him severely.” The “LORD”, Yahweh, is the fullness of the trinity–God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit–so to understand it that the Father was pleased at the suffering of his son is inaccurate. It is saying the Father and the Son (and the Spirit) were “pleased” because Jesus already made it clear that nobody takes his life, not Rome, not the Pharisees, and not even the Father–he voluntarily laid it down and gave it up. Why? Because of the joy–the pleasure–set before Yahweh in the ultimate sacrifice that would result in all of humanity having access to the Kingdom of God. Even in the middle of unimaginable torture, joy and pleasure were experienced because of the known outcome for the world God so dearly loves. Even in the crushing of a precious life, grief did not win. It had it’s rightful moment, but only as intertwined with joy and hope. I need this to resonate in me so that I can more generously apply the concept of “For the joy set before me, I will endure ___”. Maybe it’s for the joy of a healthy relationship, I’ll swallow my pride; for the joy of financial health, i’ll stop turning to Amazon; for the joy of growing spiritually, I will replace some netflix with scripture; etc… There is a LOT OF JOY TO BE HAD!!!! I don’t want to miss it… ❤️
Eve and Adam, tempted by satan to ‘be like God’, chose the tree of knowledge over the tree of life; disobedience, sin and evil over God and His perfect paradise.
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Let’s cling to the Lord and His goodness and stop swapping God’s love, steadfastness, guidance and all that He is for sparkly lies leading to all manner of sin and destruction.
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Praying for requests ❤️
❤️ “stop swapping”
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What a beautiful selection of scripture! We see man’s fall, God speaking through a prophet of His plan of redemption, then Jesus came fulfilling God’s plan! Romans reminding us that we are all sinners, but we become more than conquerors through Him who loved us! Nothing can separate us from God’s love!
This makes me think of all the things that God is working for us that we don’t see but will one day!
He’s busy even if we don’t see it! Take heart dear friends, He has a plan and a purpose for all of us even if we are caught in the middle waiting! He is faithful!
Prayers for all!!!
The last part of this devo is a little challenging for me this morning. Boy do I mess up, YET I know my Jesus is quick to forgive me, YET it’s hard for ME to be quick (and sometimes understood), especially with my mom. Just yesterday after a long days work we had an argument. Sometimes I struggle with where does “honor your mom and dad” and where do I speak up without getting defensive. AND many times my mom does not understand or even “hear” me. This is something my own sisters and I have talked about so at least I’m not alone. Prayers for wisdom please.
So sorry to hear. Praying for wisdom and patience to speak with your mom. It can be very difficult and challenging to be unheard and be misunderstood.
Sin and Redemption.
Two words that everything hinges on. In the larger sense, as in the world and all creation, and in my personal world. Until we get a grasp on it, we will never get the impact, the everything, Jesus is. Who He is. Most that grow up in church have the understanding as far as the technical, learned, religious answer and knowing that without him we are lost from eternal life (heaven). And that’s an easy choice–YES, I chose heaven over hell, sign me up.
But after that, we kinda go about our own business, while maybe still continue to go on Sundays to worship. But has our life changed?
I don’t believe until we have our Messiah moment, our “on our knees, cry out in hunger and thirst” moment that we realize our true need, and our inability to make things right on our own.
There is an aha moment that we can bring nothing in ourselves to a perfect God. The creator of the earth and stars and all things in and of it. We see we our filthy rags, covered in sin, and because of that, not able on our own to come to him. That is the importance of knowing the old testament. It was to show that we could never obtain it ourselves, yet he loved us and had a plan in place. Jesus the Christ. The Messiah that could save us.
In him we become a new creation. Born again. The ONLY way. Not on our own- so why do we still try to live our life without him leading. Why do we choose sin, when we know it separates us from Jesus. Why can’t we surrender things we shouldn’t hold on too. Why do we have fear and anxiety controlling us? Why do Christians still live as the world. With hundreds of thousands of churches and Christians, why are the number of homeless people, starving and hungry, unwanted children in foster care and the list goes on.
When we have something SO good, so priceless, so needed…REDEMPTION for a hurt and lost world…don’t we want to yell it from the street corner?! I love to see those that do go out and spend their time/ their life to SHARE what we have. It is SO imperative, time is short. People perish daily. People also live in shame, fear, and brokenness…searching, covering, and falling every day. Someone’s daughter, your son, his mother, that sick child. It’s time to be ACTIVE hands and feet of Jesus…because SIN and Redemption are all around us. And our heart should ache for what His heart aches for. We are Chosen, not just for our salvation, but to have purpose and run our race well! Nothing is better or more important than leading people to Jesus! Asking them…do you want to this gift? Do you want to receive Jesus into your heart today…now! Let’s pray! Whooooo, it is SO good! Let’s be a part of what Jesus lived for to show us what to do!! He left us with those words…go and tell the world. The disciples gave up everything, and face death, to share The Way, the Good news! Amen!
Listening to “Mercy”- by Elevation Worship that fits with all of this!
And one more “What a Miracle” Leeland and Chris Brown
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“For we are all sinners, deeply flawed but even more deeply loved.”….what a great truth, relief and reassurance that is to know we are loved no matter what. It is hard to fully understand the depth of love God has for us, the willingness He had to sacrifice and I feel so unworthy and yet, with arms stretched wide He did just that. Just as my mind can’t fully understand “the why” he would do this, my words feel inadequate and can’t fully express my gratitude and thankfulness for the grace, mercy, redemption and forgiveness that He freely gives. Thank you Heavenly Father.❤️
Thank you Jesus for your constant intercession. What a beautiful imagery of God’s love! Jesus’ death and resurrection is more than enough, and yet God loves us so much that He allows Jesus to intercede on our behalf! How blessed are we?
“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.”
Romans 7:15-25 NIV
Thanks be to God for His deliverance! ❤️
Yes! And amen
Oh yes Paul…you are so right, thank you for telling us that so …well, “plainly!” lol But when you get it you get it! :)
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“God’s love is so much greater than our sin!”…Amen!! What a comforting, reassuring truth!
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Not only is God’s love greater than our sin – His grace and love are lavished on us!…””lavished” describes God’s extravagant, abundant, and unreserved outpouring of love and grace upon believers, far exceeding what is necessary or deserved.” – That’s my God!!
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Nothing, nothing, nothing, can ever separate us from His love – praise God! – Our sins are covered by the blood of the lamb, allowing us to come boldly before His throne. Thank you Jesus!
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My mind can not comprehend how God could take a sinner like me, cover me with the blood of Jesus and make me acceptable in His sight, but I am forever thankful, grateful and blessed for His redemptive power!
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Song share for today – Resurrection Power by Chris Tomlin…
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[Verse 1]
You called me from the grave by name
You called me out of all my shame
I see the old has passed away
The new has come
[Chorus]
Now I have resurrection power
Living on the inside
Jesus, You have given us freedom
No longer bound by sin and darkness
Living in the light of Your goodness
You have given us freedom
[Verse 2]
And I’m dressed in Your royalty
Your Holy Spirit lives in me
And I see my past has been redeemed
The new has come
[Chorus]
Now I have resurrection power
Living on the inside
Jesus, You have given us freedom
I’m no longer bound by sin and darkness
Living in the light of Your goodness
You have given us freedom
You might also like
Living Hope
Phil Wickham
Happy Day
Tim Hughes
Forever (Live)
Kari Jobe
[Bridge]
Freedom, You have given us freedom
You have given us freedom, my chains are gone
Freedom, You have given us freedom
You have given us freedom, Hallelujah!
Freedom, You have given us freedom
You have given us freedom, my chains are gone
Freedom, You have given us freedom
You have given us freedom, Hallelujah!
[Chorus]
Now I have resurrection power
Living on the inside
Now, I’m no longer bound by sin and darkness
Living in the light of Your goodness
You have given us freedom
Now I have resurrection power
Living on the inside
Jesus, You have given us freedom
Now, I’m no longer bound by sin and darkness
Living in the light of Your goodness
You have given us freedom
[Outro]
I have resurrection power
Living on the inside
Living on the inside
No longer bound by sin and darkness
You have given us freedom
You have given us freedom
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Happy Wednesday She’s – may each of us live in the light of His goodness today. ❤️
I can’t help but think of a secular song that sometimes hit on a truth.
Many years ago pop singer Bonnie Tyer sang a song called, ” I Need a Hero”. It was resurrected in the movie Shrek.
” Where have all good men gone and where are all the gods?”
Chorus: I need a hero. I am holding out for a hero. He ‘s got to be tough and gets strong. He’s got to be larger than life.
Thank you God, that you looked beyond my fault and saw my need.
Jesus came to rescue us all! He supersedes David, Samson, Goliath, all of them.
Click to Edit –
That sounds like a song that was in the movie Footloose back in 1984. Yes, I am showing my age, but I’m still here. ;)
Awe what a beautiful reminder and it’s just so amazing to think on His love & His grace — they are is so deep andn
Amen!
boldly I come before rhe throne
Jesus ❤️❤️❤️
Amen
Thank you Jesus for being everything I need today. Forgiveness, healing, peace, a new mind and fresh heart.
Amen!
Anen
More loved than we are flawed❤️
“For we are all sinners, deeply flawed but even more deeply loved.”
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It can be hard some days to remember that the depth of my “flaws” and “sin” are never greater than the depth of God’s love.
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“How deep the Father’s love for us” by Stuart Townend
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How deep the Father’s love for us,
How vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss –
The Father turns His face away,
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory.
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Behold the man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders;
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished;
His dying breath has brought me life –
I know that it is finished.
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I will not boast in anything,
No gifts, no power, no wisdom;
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer;
But this I know with all my heart –
His wounds have paid my ransom.
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Praying for your requests.
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I love this hymn that expresses God’s love for us so well! Another good one that does is The Love of God.
I love this song, Kelly. Thank you for sharing these words words.
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Thanks for the song share! I haven’t heard this song in ages and we are singing it this Sunday and here it is mentioned here!
I like this song. Thank you for sharing. Haven’t heard it in some time.
Yes, it sure can be hard to remember that He covered it all.
I love this hymn too and haven’t heard it in a while! Thank you Kelly.
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I used to feel such guilt over my lack of understanding as to the depth he really loves us (me!). While I wish I could grasp it more accurately than I do, I realized recently that he’s not disappointed or left to feel hurt by my limitations. He MADE humans to have limitations of knowledge and understanding (cue the trees in the garden that he planted and warned us away from). I just have had a realization that he knows my limitations, even expects them, and is hopeful that I will go to HIM alone as my source to grow my knowledge and wisdom of life and of his deep love for me. He has no desire for me to take a bite of a fruit and be filled with all wisdom. He wants me to come to HIM, in relationship and community and intimacy, and learn from HIM personally. His grace is really just too much, you know?
You are right. I need to think on this. Thank you.
Ephesians 3:14-21: Paul’s prayer for spiritual power includes request, “I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God‘s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
I have always loved this prayer and that it says “to know Christ’s love which surpasses knowledge!“ This makes my mind explode in a good way!!! “…so you may be filled with all the fullness of God”!!!
Amen
In the book of Isaiah, God promised a great rescue for our painful separation from God. One would come to bear our griefs, carry our sorrows, be crushed for our iniquities, and heal our wounds with His (Isaiah 53:4–5). It is through this person, Jesus, that the gap was closed, the separation was mended, and our hearts were restored to peace..
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And boy did He!
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We get angry.
We get mad
We get frustrated.
We get aggrieved.
We get discombobulated..
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For sure..
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BUT GOD..
For all those feelings of discontent, (and contentment) He gifted us, the sinner, His Son to carry our dysfunctional lives and sins so we can draw near to Him.. wherever life may take us.. sin-filled or otherwise, He breaks those chains, abd He breaks them in love, for love and with love, not because He is a pushover, no siree, but because He would die (and he did) for us to be reconciled to Him!
Our sin hurts Him, our troubles upset Him, our mourning breaks His heart, our joys make Him smile.. our knowing Him and living as He would love us to, brings great joy to Him..
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Making way today to walk the walk and talk the talk as I thank God for His Son, JESUS, who affords me my freedom to approach the throne of Grace and our Father God, when life throws me lemons and i respond, not in the way Father God expects me to, knowing i have a way out by His grace and in the person of JESUS, His Son, my Saviour..
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Amen.
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Happy Wednesday ya’ll! Be blessed, whatever your day looks like.
Much love, covered in prayers and hugs..❤️
Beautiful, sister ❤️
I look forward to your recaps every day Tina! Thank you! ♥️
Thank you Tina. Have a wonderful afternoon, ad I imagine it is that across the pond. ❤️
Happy Wednesday Tina! ❤️
Amen, Tina!!
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Although sin separates us from God, God’s loving power is so much stronger and greater than our sin. What an encouragement that even if we feel distant from God, nothing can ultimately separate us from our Heavenly Father.
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Yes!
Amen! ❤️
NOTHING!! CLAPPING HANDS!! YAY!!! I wish this was something my heart clung to more aggressively… IT’s the absolute truth, and yet I allow my own insecurity to dilute my thinking of what my God sincerely feels towards me…
This is profound! ❤️