Category: Forgiveness

Updates

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou6 Comments

It’s been awhile since my last blog.  I’ve been recuperating from my health crisis, but I think I’m seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, and I’m really looking forward to doing all the “things” I’m used to doing.

However, In the meantime, I’ve been reading some inspiring books, and watching videos about decluttering and organizing.  (I’m going to put a link in this blog with one that helped me figure out my organizational style–and now I’m raring to put my knowledge into action.) Click here to go to video.

Also, I’m going to share a blog I’ve written called, “Spring Cleaning”.   This is the time of year, I’m thinking about and attempting to dive into some “Spring Cleaning”.  I have not been able to do that yet–but someday soon–it is going to happen!!

Without further ado—   Spring Cleaning!!

PUBLISHED ON April 27, 2022

This is the time of year for Spring Cleaning—cleaning out closets, and cupboards, giving away what others can use, and throwing away what no one can use, organizing and cleaning what remains.   

I don’t really like Spring Cleaning.  It is not my “milieu”—my area of strength.

I feel like God has been doing some Spring Cleaning, in my “house.”   Lately, I have been through some circumstances that have reminded me of other painful times in my life.  Times of conflicts with others, times I felt vulnerable and exposed and rejected.

Usually, when I am reminded of these times, I feel the same feelings of anger and a desire for the offending party to experience justice.   This time, God has said, “I want you to look at this situation, really look–and I want you to forgive this person.  Forgive them from your heart.  Now, I want you to Thank Me, for this — whatever it is.    

In the words of Ney Bailey, “We become bitter to the degree that we do not give thanks.”  Or in the words of scripture, “See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God, and no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble and by it many be defiled.”  Hebrews 12:15

“In everything give thanks for this is the will of God for you, in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 1 Th 5:18

God commands us to give thanks to Him, in everything!!  He tells us this, for our benefit–to get our eyes off the storm, and onto Him–our Protector in the midst of the storms.

When I was giving thanks to God for these difficult things–I did not feel thankful, I will probably never “feel” thankful.  I thanked Him because I am seeking to obey Him, despite my feelings.  I am seeking to live a life of faith–of obeying what God tells me, in spite of my feelings.

For a long time, I have let my feelings dictate my forgiveness of others.  But as I said in my last post, Embracing Joy, I am determined to forgive others who have wronged me, and to seek forgiveness from others whom I have wronged.

I also seek to thank God for these situations—as doing so digs out the roots of bitterness in my life, roots I did not even realize were taking hold of my heart and my life, until God began doing some Spring Cleaning in my life.

I think God has been desiring to do this Spring Cleaning in my life, for a long time, but I have been putting this off for a long time–just as I put off the Spring Cleaning in my home, because I don’t like it.  However, I love the end result of Spring Cleaning.  I love finding things in my closet.  I love finding things in my house.  I love a good, cleaned and organized, visually beautiful home.

We are God’s temple.  He lives inside of each of us.  When we allow Him to give us a “Spring Cleaning”, we really reflect Him.  We reflect His love and forgiveness for others.  We reflect His eternal priorities and perspectives.  We reflect His generosity and grace.   We shine–because He is shining through us.

I encourage all of us, to take some time with the Lord and allow Him to point out the areas where only He can go, to sweep out the cobwebs, and shine all the lights–to get rid of the roots of bitterness–and wash away the sins of unforgiveness.    It may be painful at first, but afterwards–”it yields the peaceful fruit of His righteousness.”  Hebrews 12:11  

Jesus wants to do some Spring Cleaning–and He is really good at it!!  He is just waiting for us to give Him the keys to our homes.  

May We Be Encouraged!!

Grace transforms

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God, I’m on my knees again 

God, I’m begging please again 

I need You 

Oh, I need You  

Walking down these desert roads 

Water for my thirsty soul 

I need You 

Oh, I need You  

Your forgiveness 

Is like sweet, sweet honey 

On my lips 

Like the sound of a symphony 

To my ears 

Like Holy water on my skin  

Dead man walking, slave to sin 

I wanna know about being born again 

I need You 

Oh, God, I need You  

So, take me to the riverside 

Take me under, baptize 

I need You 

Oh, God, I need You  

I don’t wanna abuse Your grace 

God, I need it every day 

It’s the only thing that ever really 

Makes me wanna change  

Oh, it’s like Holy water on my skin 

Yeah, it’s like Holy water on my skin

I just had to lead with the lyrics to this song, Holy Water, by We The Kingdom.

They just encapsulate so much of my heart and soul—the utter need for God, His grace–and how, His grace is the only thing that makes me want to change.

I mean–I have been down the desert road—and I never want to be on that road again—and I think many of you know what I’m talking about.  It’s the road that says, if you do this, this and then this–then maybe you’ll be accepted and loved by God.   It’s the road of striving to reach God, by doing good things, and somehow always falling short.

God did not wait for us to be perfect—but He came to us.  He sent Jesus.  Jesus demonstrated the love and grace of God, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  

G  R  A  C  E     God’s    Riches   At  Christ’s   Expense.       G  R  A  C  E      

One of the leaders of We the Kingdom was an addict—and he shares that this song was written from that place–of calling out to God–and God responding with grace and forgiveness.

My husband and I both come from backgrounds where people have struggled with addiction. There is a reason why one of the 12 steps said that surrendering to God, and letting Him give one the strength and comfort to overcome is so necessary to being free from addictions. Grace is the only thing that makes us want to change.

So—enjoy this Song!!  May God’s grace and forgiveness flood our souls.   May we be encouraged and transformed!! 

We The Kingdom – Holy Water (Live Album Release Concert)

October 21, 2022

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou6 Comments

This is the Thirteenth Year Since my Dad has passed–I wrote this letter to friends and family the Christmas after he passed, and I would like to share it again with you all.

Dear Family and Friends, Christmas 2009
This year, my siblings and I lost our Dad. Our mother lost her husband of 52 years. Many of you lost a brother, brother-in-law, uncle, Grandpa, cousin– a friend.
I’ve lived long enough to know that not all Dads were like mine. I was one of the lucky ones. I had a Dad who was involved and committed to his family: he loved his wife, children and grandkids. My Dad wasn’t one of the lucky ones. He overcame a very painful childhood. He wanted things to be different for his own family, and it was— in large part because of his faithful helpmate and soul mate—my dearest mother.
So many of my childhood memories involve my Dad doing things with us, taking us skating, sledding, camping, and swimming. When I was in High School I decided to join the track team– my Dad ran with me every day to get me in shape for the track season. My Dad was a great runner himself, and in many ways I think my Dad was trying to get me ready to run the race of life. We would run, and he would tell me stories, trying to impart his own passion and drive into my approach to running, into my approach to life.
It was my Uncle Jimmy, not my Dad, who told us the story of my Dad running in the State finals. He was the only white runner in the race. The other racers turned to him, and said, “Hey white boy, what are you doing in this race.” My Dad replied with a grin, “You’re about to find out”, and he went on to win the race.”
My brother Patrick summed it up so well, he said Dad has taught us and trained us in so many ways to live life. My brothers got to be with my Dad when he died, and Patrick said that Dad had one more lesson to teach them, he taught them how to die– he wrote the last chapter for them on how a life should be lived.
The biggest lesson my Dad taught me was to never give up. Our sins and failings may bring us down, but they don’t have to keep us down. My Dad was a man of faith; he learned to receive God’s forgiveness and extend it to others. This was not easy for him–sometimes the hardest person he had to forgive was himself.
The night that he died, I sensed my Dad’s presence, and he was so happy. My Dad came to say goodbye. He was finally going home—to his true home, he had finished his race, and he had finished it well.
Whenever I go to a funeral and see the body—I am struck with the fact that all of us are “living souls”. That is what the Bible calls us. It is so apparent to me that the soul of the person has passed on.
God is offering each of us “living souls” an eternal relationship with Him. He wants to give us the gift of His love and forgiveness. This is the true gift of Christmas— “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.” Romans 6:23 What we have earned is a spiritual death, because we have each sinned against God and each other. Instead of what we have earned, God desires to give us an eternal relationship with Him—Jesus’ death took away the penalty of that spiritual death and replaced it with life. But like any gift—it must be received for it to become truly ours.
In so many ways, my earthly father taught me this. I could never earn the love he freely gave me—but to experience that love, I had to receive it as the gift it was.

On another note–October 21st is my husband’s dad birthday!! I wrote about my husband’s dad in the blog titled September 23, 2013.

The biggest lesson, I have learned from both of these dads–is the lesson of forgiveness and perseverance. They both finished their races in life. They finished well. I think that is so encouraging, as it is a testimony of the faithfulness of God. We can be encouraged by those who have gone before us–for if God was faithful to them, He will be faithful to us!! (Philippians 1:6)

So Be Encouraged!!

Embracing Joy!

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou2 Comments

Today, I thought, “I think I’ll call Marilyn today.”, and then as soon as I thought about it, I realized, “I can’t call Marilyn, she’s gone.”

Marilyn is my mother-in-law.  I say “is” because although she has passed on to the next life, she is still living, and we are still connected through her son.

Marilyn passed in the summer of 2020, at the age of 90.

April is Marilyn’s birthday month, so I find my thoughts going to her during this month.  I find myself wishing I could pick up the phone and call her.

She used to tell me stories about my husband, times when he was a baby, a toddler, a young child, a young man, times when I had not yet met or known my husband.   She was so proud of her son, she was so proud of her children.

My husband swam competitively in High School and College.  He was offered a full scholarship to Boston University to swim.  My mother-in-law did not think it was a good enough school for him so she had him turn it down.  She told me, this was a great regret of hers—as my husband went out of state to college, and he never returned.

She thought if he would have gone to college in Boston–he might never have left Massachusetts.

She loved her son and her grandchildren so much–she hated to be apart from them.

I used to tell her that if he had not left MA, he would not have met me, and she might not have any grandchildren.

She would then say, “That’s true, I never imagined him getting married at all.”

It’s funny the things we look back on and regret, and wish we had done it differently–things that in reality made us who we are.  Things that we learned from—some things we learned from to never to go that way again, and some things we reaped the benefits of those choices.

I’ve been learning about forgiving myself and others, and receiving God’s forgiveness.  Part of forgiving myself and others is realizing that my brokenness, my regrets, my scars—they brought me to Jesus in the first place for that forgiveness.  Jesus was broken, was scarred, was crucified for me and for you.

Jesus died for this forgiveness to be possible.  I have determined not to take this great sacrifice of His for granted.   I will ask for forgiveness from God, from others and from myself, and I will extend forgiveness to others and to myself.  

This is a time of new beginnings.  This is a time of hope and forgiveness.  This is Spring.  This is why we celebrated Easter.  This is Joy!!

May We be Encouraged!!

Grief

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou13 Comments

We are approaching the anniversary of my son’s passing.  My son Sean died 8 years ago.  His accident was on September 16th, and he was declared dead on September 17, 2013.

I want to talk about a difficult subject—the subject of coming along side someone in grief.

When Sean died, others sought to come along side of us and help us—and there was a great outpouring of service and love and help.

But there was also silence from those we “expected” help from.  My mom told me a story, that helped me understand.  You see, my mom’s sister lost 2 of her children and her husband within a 6-month space of time.  My mom said that at times she was so overwhelmed in her own grief that it was hard to help her sister in her grief.  She did help her sister—but it wasn’t easy.

This has helped me to understand that I and my husband and children weren’t the only ones who were grieving when Sean died.  Others needed grace in their grieving as well. They may have been grieving Sean or they may have been grieving something else going on in their own lives.

Also, I came to realize that no one—not my husband, not my other children, not my extended family, no friend—could ever meet my deepest needs—only God could do that.  

That is not to say that others do not have a role to play in helping others who are grieving.

Right now, there is a family who has lost their dad.  Another friend and I have been trying to organize others to help them.  This friend frequently tells me with great passion: “We are apart of the body of Christ, we are His hands and His feet, and God wants us to move and help others.”

She is absolutely right. 

My mom and my Aunt, (who lost her family members), came most frequently to help with–well everything. Other family members also came to help.

After Sean died, a neighbor down the street from us, a sister in Christ, organized meals for us for 2 months—and people from all the churches in my town signed up to bring us a meal.

People came right after Sean died and cleaned our house.

A couple friend, (in the Pastorate), meet with us for over a year, once a week, and provided grief counseling, and friendship.

My best friends took my children on excursions and spent time with me.

All amazing things.

I also experienced rejection, conflicts, loss of friendship, and silence from others.

In reading others’ blogs—the good, the bad and the ugly are all typical and normal things to experience to those who have lost a loved one.

Grief—suffering—these are difficult, difficult things.  Grace, kindness and gentleness with oneself and with others are needed during these times.  Mostly, and above all else—God’s sustaining spirit is what is needed and is available to each of us, for the asking.

One of the worst things for my spirit, was to hang onto bitterness and unforgiveness.  God has frequently pried my hands off these ugly things I was hanging onto and told me with grace and gentleness that He had something better for me to hang onto—Him!! 

In saying this—I do not want to minimize the hurt that is felt by the grieving party, over the lack of caring they may be experiencing.  I understand the hurt.  I too, have felt the hurt.

Rather, I want to give a way for the hurt party to understand that they are not alone—others have walked the same path and have found freedom from the hurt in forgiveness and in the presence of God.

If you are grieving right now, I am praying for you!!  I would appreciate your prayers for my family and myself.  Thank you!

What would I say to my younger me?

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou2 Comments

Have you ever played a game with yourself, where you wished that you could go back in time and make a different choice?  I have.  At the time, the choices seemed so muddy—but in hindsight—it becomes clear what would have been the better choice.

There is a song, titled, “Dear Younger Me?”  It starts with the lyrics:  Dear younger me, Where do I start,

If I could tell you everything that I have learned so far, Then you could be, One step ahead,

Of all the painful memories still running thru my head.   I wonder how much different things would be—Dear younger me.

Then the song goes on to say: Dear younger me, I cannot decide, Do I give some speech about how to get the most out of my life,
Or do I go deep
And try to change
The choices that you’ll make cuz they’re choices that made me—Dear younger me.

I love this song because it depicts—a scenario, I have experienced so many times—wishing I could have a do- over.  Wishing I had not made the mistakes I have made.  Living with regrets and guilt.

That’s why my favorite line of this song is this one:  Dear younger me
It’s not your fault
You were never meant to carry this beyond the cross
Dear younger me

I start crying when I hear this part of the song—I was never meant to carry those regrets and that guilt beyond the cross. 

Then the song goes on to say:

You are holy
You are righteous
You are one of the redeemed
Set apart a brand new heart
You are free indeed

Can you believe—that is how God sees us now?!!!—because we are in Christ, and Christ is in us.

Don’t believe that because the song says so, or I say so, believe it because God says so:

…… you are a chosen people, you are royal priests , A HOLY NATION, God’s very own possession. As a result you can show people the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His glorious light. 1 Peter 2:9

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes.  Ephesians 1: 3,4


Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—…….. Galatians 3:13

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

“THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME,
BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR.
HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES,
AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND,
TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, Isaiah 61:1/ Luke 4:18 This was a prophesy about the Messiah found in Isaiah, and Jesus said he fulfilled this prophesy. Jesus sets us free!!

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.  Romans 8:2

John 8:36   So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

We are righteous, We are holy, We are of the redeemed, Set apart, a brand new heart,

We are free indeed!!

So—let’s all tell our younger selves—to carry our regrets and guilt to the cross—and leave them there.

Let’s be encouraged!!

Here are the words to this song:

Lyrics

Dear younger me
Where do I start
If I could tell you everything that I have learned so far
Then you could be
One step ahead
Of all the painful memories still running thru my head
I wonder how much different things would be
Dear younger me,

Dear younger me
I cannot decide
Do I give some speech about how to get the most out of your life
Or do I go deep
And try to change
The choices that you’ll make cuz they’re choices that made me
Even though I love this crazy life
Sometimes I wish it was a smoother ride
Dear younger me, dear younger me

If I knew then what I know now
Condemnation would’ve had no power
My joy my pain would’ve never been my worth
If I knew then what I know now
Would’ve not been hard to figure out
What I would’ve changed if I had heard

Dear younger me
It’s not your fault
You were never meant to carry this beyond the cross
Dear younger me

You are holy
You are righteous
You are one of the redeemed
Set apart a brand new heart
You are free indeed

Every mountain every valley
Thru each heartache you will see
Every moment brings you closer
To who you were meant to be
Dear younger me, dear younger me

You are holy
You are righteous
You are one of the redeemed
Set apart a brand new heart
You are free indeed

You are holy
You are righteous
You are one of the redeemed
Set apart a brand new heart
You are free indeed

You are holy
You are righteous
You are one of the redeemed
Set apart a brand new heart
You are free indeed

The Gift of Babies

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou4 Comments

Babies: adorable, sweet, cuddly, who can resist them?  Well, I thought I could.  Before I got married, I had a conversation with a friend, stating that if for some reason, I couldn’t have a child, I would not try to change that ability through medical means.   If I wasn’t a mom, oh well, I had no great longing and desire to be a mother.

Then I had my first child, and a switch was turned on inside me.  All my latent maternal instincts sprang into being.  This child had to be the most fabulous baby on the face of the earth.  My heart was flooded with love, tenderness and emotion.  I had never felt such devotion before in my life.  I would look with pity on mothers who had older children, as they did not have a baby any longer.

I wondered when I was pregnant with my second child, how I would ever love my second child as much as my first.  Yet, when I held our second child, once again, overwhelming love came over me.  I think I was experiencing what God does with His children—limitless love.  Sometimes, I think some of the greatest lessons I’ve learned about how much God loves me, is when I see how much I love my children.

I think God uses babies to remind me of His love. Have you ever noticed how a happy, smiling baby can effect others? They seem to bring joy and laughter into each social occasion they are in, be it a funeral, a wedding, or a family gathering. Babies comfort.

My granddaughter was born 11 months after my son died.  She brought and still brings immense comfort to me and my family.   From the beginning, she would snuggle into me when I would rock her.  As she grew older, she would pat my back, as I patted hers.  I sensed God’s presence when I was holding her, as if she could hear Him whisper in her ear, “Be kind to your Nana, she needs special love right now.”

Babies remind me that there is a God, and He creates and designs life.  Each baby is a miracle, an absolute miracle.  There is a verse in the Bible that says, “…You have knitted me in my mother’s womb….  I am fearfully and wonderfully made….”   Psalm 139: 13, 14.  I love the visual image this presents of God, crafting each child, putting into each child the things He wants them to have—not just their physical attributes, but their special talents and gifts. 

Babies also bring—ok, I’m going to go there—guilt.  This could be the reason I did not initially want to be a mom. I knew instinctively that I would fail and feel guilty.  I wanted to avoid those feelings.  I wanted to avoid these thoughts and questions:  Am I doing enough?  Should I go back to work?  Should I stay at home?  Should I nurse, or bottle-feed?  Should we homeschool or send our children to private school or public school? How should we discipline?  Etc., etc., etc.

 The decisions are countless, and unending. The practical decisions frame the moral decisions of choosing to pay attention to each child, being consistent , choosing to follow through on an assignment or a consequence, remaining patient and kind, acting out love in all the ways that are significant to that child.

Here’s the thing– I have failed many times as a mother.   I have failed in what I have done, and what I haven’t done, in what I have said and what I haven’t said, in what I have thought and what I haven’t thought. 

 Here’s the good news–Jesus has died for all the ways I have failed.   Jesus has died for all the ways you have failed.  He gives us Forgiveness. He gives us the courage to begin again.

 Jesus has given us His Word to guide us in raising our children.  The Bible is full of wisdom, (All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 2 Timothy 3:16).   

God loves our babies more than we do.  He loves us, more than anyone else does.  Maybe that’s why we love babies so much, because babies remind us of who God is:  The Creator, the Designer, the Giver of every good gift, the Giver of Forgiveness, the Giver of Love, and the Giver of the Gift of Babies!!

So be Encouraged!!

Corrie Ten Boom

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou9 Comments

Corrie Ten Boom was a Dutch woman, who hid Jewish people during WWII.  I think she is one of the  most influential Christians who ever lived.  She has greatly impacted my life and millions of others’ lives.

Here’s the thing—I have a very good friend who is married to a relative of Corrie Ten Boom.  He is also Dutch.  When they lived in the Netherlands, she was shocked to find out that not many Dutch people she talked to, knew who Corrie Ten Boom was.  I was talking to another friend yesterday, who spent time in the Netherlands, and when I mentioned this—she said, “That’s true.  You can easily get in to see her home in the Netherlands, but you can’t get into Anne Frank’s home, the crowds are so great.”

I found this astounding!!  If I asked any of my peers, who are Christians, “Do you know who Corrie Ten Boom is?”  They would say, “Of course!”  I love her!  I love her writings!”   In fact, in the last letter that my friend Becki Crain wrote, she referenced Corrie Ten Boom.

Why is she not well known and revered in her own home country?  Well, Jesus said, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own hometown and among his own relatives and in his own household.”  In addition to this– perhaps Corrie Ten Boom’s message of forgiveness and love to our enemies , was a hard message to accept for Europeans who had just come through the ravages of war, and the evilness of war.

Corrie Ten Boom had this message tested herself, when after a speaking engagement– the Nazi officer who had beaten her sister and herself, came up to her, stuck out his hand and asked her for her forgiveness.  Corrie Ten Boom, saw her sister die in the Concentration Camp.  She was filled will hatred and anger towards this man—and—she said that she could not in her own strength extend and shake this man’s hand and forgive him; she found herself asking God for His strength and His power, and her hand was moved and she was speaking, telling this man she forgave him.  She says that was not done in her own power, but God was moving through her, forgiving through her, loving through her.

I too have experienced this supernatural power, after my son died.  I can’t explain getting through the ordeal then and now—except by His power, His grace, and His strength.

Corrie Ten Boom wrote the book, “The Hiding Place”, detailing the events of her life during WWII.  If you have not already read it, I pray that you will. 

Others who have gone before us and lived a life of faith during trials and temptations can help encourage us as we go through our own trials, our own temptations.  Right now, people are filled with anger and hatred toward each other.  I think Corrie Ten Boom’s message of love and forgiveness is very timely.  It is not a weak message.  It is not a roses and lollipop message.  It is God’s message to all of us, every day.  The reality of God’s love–sent Jesus to the cross for each of us, to save us.  It sent Corrie Ten Boom to the concentration camps, as she tried to save Jewish people.  It sent her on a pilgrimage around Europe after the war, proclaiming that sacrificial love—and living out that love in forgiving those who had done evil to her.

Corrie Ten Boom’s life was one of taking one step at a time, in trust and obedience to God.  Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to take the first step.  The first step is to be honest with God about our need for Him, our need for love and forgiveness—our need for His power to live out that love and forgiveness with each other.

Corrie Ten Boom is one of the Netherland’s national treasures, indeed her life is a treasure from God that He has shared with us—mostly because her life points to Him and what He has done for us!

May we be encouraged!!

Sexual Sin

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 I have been thinking a great deal about sin.   For instance, recently a well-know Christian leader was found to have been participating in sexual sin with several women.   The world is appalled and disgusted, fingers are being wagged and pointed.  “Hypocrite, hypocrite!!” is shouted from the rooftops. 

I remember when I was a young woman, I heard of a Christian leader involved in sexual sin.  I was appalled and disgusted.  “How can this be?”  I thought.  “How can people who claim to know God, and claim to be surrendered to Him, do such things.”

My heart was broken for this situation.  My heart was broken for God.

With time and experience, I saw this repeated over and over again.  Women having affairs, and leaving their husbands—breaking hearts, breaking families, breaking children.  Men having affairs, leaving their wives, breaking hearts, breaking families, breaking children.

That’s the thing about sin.  It hurts others.  It destroys.  It mars the image of God in our lives.

Make no mistake—we are involved in an invisible spiritual battle.   The devil is a prowling lion seeking whom he may devour.    A lion takes down those at the fringe of the herd.  He takes the hurt, the vulnerable, the unprotected.

Satan wants to take us down.  He wants to use us to take down each other.  How does he do this?

He uses our fear– our fear of pain, our fear of consequences, our fear of God, and our fear of each other. He will lie to us and twist the truth.

We need to care more about God and what He thinks of us, than what we think of each other and the consequences our sin may carry. Why is this important?  Because we hide our sin from God, and from each other.

 We need to bring our sin out into the light and receive God’s forgiveness and healing and power.  We usually don’t bring that sin out into the light, and confess it to Him or to each other, because we don’t want to be judged and rejected.

 God is not rejecting us.  He wants to heal us.  Many people who participate in 12 step programs receive healing when they go to the people they have sinned against, and admit their sin, and ask for forgiveness.   Some people may not forgive them, and they face that possibility– but in the process, they learn to receive God’s forgiveness and they learn to forgive themselves.  They overcome the temptation to sin again, as they see the evidence with their own eyes, of how their sin has hurt others—they see the devastation their sin has wrought. 

2 Tim 2:22 tells us what to do when we are faced with temptations:  “So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”

  1.  FLEE– youthful passions!!  That’s what Joseph did when faced with sexual temptation.  That’s what we need to do.   Run!!  Sometimes we think—I’ve got this, I won’t succumb.  God tells us to flee!!  Look for the escape and take it!! I Corinthians 10:13 
  2. PURSUE righteousness, faith, love and peace.  Pursue God, get to know Him, spend time in His Word.   Pray—talk with Him, every day, every moment!!  We need to care more about what God thinks of us than what others think.  People will never be able to fill the empty, infinite void in my heart, or in your heart.  Only an infinite being can do that—only our Father God can do that.
  3. Do this ALONG WITH others who call on the Lord from a pure heart.  Join a bible study—I’m part of an on-line women’s bible study right now.   Go to a church where God’s Word is honored and preached, and where love and grace are demonstrated.    (It is much harder for Satan to take us down, when we run with the Herd.)    People who have been able to finish their races well– here on earth —had accountability and support from trusted, Godly people.  I think of Billy Graham, who traveled with the same, Godly men for the duration of his ministry and there was never a hint of sexual sin to taint his ministry or his legacy.

I do want to say—that my husband and I have done some simple things to guard ourselves from sexual sin.  We share email addresses, and social media pages.   We do not have correspondence with anyone that the other is not privy to that correspondence.   If I wanted to look at his phone, I could, and he could look at my phone at any time.  

We also, don’t have friends of the opposite sex.  We have couple friends, where we spend time as a couple with those friends.  The purpose of this is not to form emotional attachments with the opposite sex, apart from the attachments we have as a couple with those persons. (We do have friends of the same sex—I have women friends, and my husband has men friends.) 

These are suggestions that may not work with everyone’s situation.  The point of these suggestions is accountability and transparency.

One thing I have become more aware of—is the magnitude of what Jesus did on the cross for us.  Jesus literally took on all the sins of the world, and those sins were crucified.   Ugh!!   Think about this.  I have heard that Jesus died for my sins, since infancy.  I have heard Jesus died for the sins of the world, ever since I can remember.  So, I don’t always think about what that means.

  Jesus died for every imaginable evil act and thought, (our sin begins in our thoughts—Jesus said those who look at someone other than their spouse, and think lustful thoughts have committed adultery).   

Jesus died for the men and women cheating on their spouses and breaking up their families.  Jesus died for the people abusing others sexually.  Jesus died for all the abusers—those beating others, those stealing others and selling them into slavery, those verbally assaulting others, those murdering others.    Jesus died for those addicted to drugs and alcohol, and possibly abusing others in the process.    Jesus died for the thieves, the greedy, the manipulative, the liars, the selfish and the self-centered, the power hungry, the control-freaks, the sexual deviants, the war-mongers, the haters, the rapists, the racists, the (whatever your hot button issue is–the people you don’t think deserve to live)—Jesus died for them. Jesus died for you. Jesus died for me.

 Jesus died for the things that deserve God’s wrath, in fact, God’s wrath was poured out on Jesus on the cross. 

Scripture tells us that maybe someone would die for a friend, or a righteous man, but Jesus died for us when we were sinners, and enemies of God.   He died to free us and redeem us—to pay the price for our souls and take us from Satan’s grasp.

The question is:  do we want to be freed?   And do we want to stay free?  We need to be aware: Satan will try to ruin our lives and make us believe that sin still has power over us when in reality– sin has been crucified with Christ.    So, remember—

FLEE Temptation……PURSUE Righteousness……ALONG WITH Others who are doing the same thing!!

And Be Encouraged!!

To Comfort and Encourage

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou3 Comments

In my last blog I wrote about guilt.  This was a difficult topic to write about and probably to read about.  I thought that I would share some things that would comfort and encourage.  These are scriptures that have greatly comforted me and I pray they will comfort and encourage you as well.

  Psalms 103:12 says: “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103 was written by King David, and if anyone can tell us about guilt and forgiveness, it is King David.  He committed adultery and murder, and his story speaks to the fact, that God can forgive anyone of anything.

In fact—think about it—the east is an infinite distance from the west—and when we admit our sins, that is how far God removes our sins from us.

David also wrote in that same Psalm: “Praise the Lord…. who forgives all your sins…who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.”

David is telling all of us, that this is what the Lord does for us, he tells us: “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him, for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are but dust.  The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear Him and His righteousness with their children’s children……”

These words of David fill me with hope.  They tell me that God knows me, He knows us—He knows that we are mortal—that our lives are fleeting here on this earth—the Lord understands us, and He sees us as a father sees his children.

These scriptures encourage me because they help me to go to God.  God loves me.  God loves you.  God has compassion for me.  God has compassion for you.  He knows our weaknesses.  He knows that we are but dust.   He has put eternity in our hearts and made it possible for us to live forever.

God forgives all our sins.  He redeems our lives from the pits and crowns us with love and compassion.

We can go to God—our Heavenly Father.  He knows us.  We can admit our faults and sins.  We have a Heavenly Dad who loves us.

So—let us be Encouraged!!