More from yesterday
Yesterday, I shared with you a story about stumbling. I did. I used some harsh words (no cursing, but truthful words in a harsh tone) that after reflection I felt were not appropriate on Sunday. I wanted to share with you the followup things that happened yesterday.
This is no word of a lie, and this really happened. But to tell a story, I have to tell a story just to let you know I had no way of knowing, you know?
I spend my lunch period at work listening to a radio program I enjoy on BBN (99.5 f.m. or bbnradio.org online). The program is called "Dynamic Living" and is a Bible study program. On Fridays I cannot listen to the program because we go to lunch a half hour earlier and we had a group lunch on Friday. That's the setup:
The topic of the program this week, and this is no word of a lie, how Christians should react to those Christians, especially those in leadership positions, who have fallen as a result of being human and sinning.
The program is on at 8 p.m. locally or you can listen on-demand on the BBN website. I had no way of knowing this, as I've said now three times and to tell the truth, I wasn't really sure I should share what I did with all y'all yesterday. Again, it's an important topic because people do stumble. They do fall. And I think it's an important topic to understand how we should respond when we, or others, do.
I'd encourage you to listen to the programs this week. They last about 20 minutes each and well worth the time spent.
The other thing that happened to me yesterday was that I realized I was kind of blaming the person I talked about yesterday for not doing something that was promised which put me in a real financial bind. Iin the way that only the Holy Spirit can do, I came to realize that the reason I'm in the situation I'm in now has everything to do with the sins of the past. If I'd done what I was supposed to do, I wouldn't be in the bit of a jam I'm in now. When I understood that, and I didn't see it before yesterday, I took the blame from the other person and put it right back where it belonged:
On me.
Sometimes you have to own your part and at the root of my problems are my actions, both before, and after coming to know the Lord. The sins of the past though, are just those. The past. Jesus forgave me for them, and I know that He died for me (and you too!) on the cross for that purpose. I'm really grateful for the struggles in my life because I see them for what they are right now: Lessons. And I'm truly blessed that if I do have to pay for them, it's on this side of eternity, where time is short.
Praise God for that understanding and the peace it brings. Thank God for good Christian friends, a strong church, good teaching and preaching to help me get through the day, for the Bible, and for being able to share with all y'all. I hope you're learning as much from this little journey I'm on as I am and that it's drawing you closer and closer to Jesus. He teaches us that no man can come to the father except through Him and I hope you hear Him calling out to you. My life may be hard, but I made it that way, not God. He's the one helping me get through it and you may not think so by looking at it from a worldly viewpoint but my life, even in the mess it is right now, is so much better than it's ever been.
And praise God for making it that way!
This is no word of a lie, and this really happened. But to tell a story, I have to tell a story just to let you know I had no way of knowing, you know?
I spend my lunch period at work listening to a radio program I enjoy on BBN (99.5 f.m. or bbnradio.org online). The program is called "Dynamic Living" and is a Bible study program. On Fridays I cannot listen to the program because we go to lunch a half hour earlier and we had a group lunch on Friday. That's the setup:
The topic of the program this week, and this is no word of a lie, how Christians should react to those Christians, especially those in leadership positions, who have fallen as a result of being human and sinning.
The program is on at 8 p.m. locally or you can listen on-demand on the BBN website. I had no way of knowing this, as I've said now three times and to tell the truth, I wasn't really sure I should share what I did with all y'all yesterday. Again, it's an important topic because people do stumble. They do fall. And I think it's an important topic to understand how we should respond when we, or others, do.
I'd encourage you to listen to the programs this week. They last about 20 minutes each and well worth the time spent.
The other thing that happened to me yesterday was that I realized I was kind of blaming the person I talked about yesterday for not doing something that was promised which put me in a real financial bind. Iin the way that only the Holy Spirit can do, I came to realize that the reason I'm in the situation I'm in now has everything to do with the sins of the past. If I'd done what I was supposed to do, I wouldn't be in the bit of a jam I'm in now. When I understood that, and I didn't see it before yesterday, I took the blame from the other person and put it right back where it belonged:
On me.
Sometimes you have to own your part and at the root of my problems are my actions, both before, and after coming to know the Lord. The sins of the past though, are just those. The past. Jesus forgave me for them, and I know that He died for me (and you too!) on the cross for that purpose. I'm really grateful for the struggles in my life because I see them for what they are right now: Lessons. And I'm truly blessed that if I do have to pay for them, it's on this side of eternity, where time is short.
Praise God for that understanding and the peace it brings. Thank God for good Christian friends, a strong church, good teaching and preaching to help me get through the day, for the Bible, and for being able to share with all y'all. I hope you're learning as much from this little journey I'm on as I am and that it's drawing you closer and closer to Jesus. He teaches us that no man can come to the father except through Him and I hope you hear Him calling out to you. My life may be hard, but I made it that way, not God. He's the one helping me get through it and you may not think so by looking at it from a worldly viewpoint but my life, even in the mess it is right now, is so much better than it's ever been.
And praise God for making it that way!
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