Sunday, May 15, 2011

Worthless - Says Who?

God is Holy

There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins.  Ecclesiastes 7:20


Most of us have someone in our life, perhaps a boss, a spouse, a parent, or relative that regardless of how hard we try, leaves us feeling unworthy or like a failure.  Sometimes this rejection can be overwhelming and we struggle to find our place because we know no matter how hard we try, it’s never enough.


God knows we aren’t perfect either, but he loves and accepts us anyway!  He created us to be exactly as we are, with unique talents and gifts, but by no means perfect.  Jesus, as God-made man, was the only being to walk the earth that was perfect.  His death and resurrection paid the price for our completion.  We aren’t perfect but that is okay, because Jesus is there to erase the wrongs and fill in all the gaps
as we put our faith in Him.

This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  Romans 3:22-24



Because God is holy, we can face man’s rejection with our confidence in Christ.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

The Gardner

God is Faithful

He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.  Deuteronomy 32:4
Just about everyone loves spring.  It is an incredibly uplifting and joyous time.  The flowers are in bloom, the weather is warm, the days are getting longer --a welcomed change from the dark and cold days of winter.  But without the toil of winter, would such a glorious spring be possible?
 
So too is it with life…No one enjoys walking through a difficult season, but they serve a purpose despite not always understanding what that may be.  During such hardships, we long for the day when our circumstances will change, when life will get back to normal.  But perseverance during trials can bring forth splendor in ways that we can’t even imagine.  Trusting God as he prunes the dead branches in our lives provides an opportunity for God centered traits to flourish within us.  God’s desire is to see our character and life blossom like the most beautiful garden ever imagined when we draw closer to Him.  Getting through difficult seasons is challenging and can require more patience and effort than we planned, but when we trust God to rescue us, the results will be glorious.
There is a time for everything,
   and a season for every activity under heaven:
  a time to be born and a time to die,
   a time to plant and a time to uproot,
  a time to kill and a time to heal,
   a time to tear down and a time to build,
   a time to weep and a time to laugh,
   a time to mourn and a time to dance,
  a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
   a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
  a time to search and a time to give up,
   a time to keep and a time to throw away,
  a time to tear and a time to mend,
   a time to be silent and a time to speak,
  a time to love and a time to hate,
   a time for war and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Because God is faithful, we trust that even during the most challenging of times, through Jesus, all our needs will be met.