Perfection: Matthew 5:48 and Isaiah 41:13

Hi! (:

Two senerios to keep in mind today: our standing with God every day...
and where we are with our exams.

First of all, we have to identify the problem.  Problem?  What problem?  *smirks*
Our doubts from our un-perfect actions.

"We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws." - Daniel 9:5 
     Worries constantly plague us and fear of failure or the illusion of it weigh us down.  Can you feel it?  A heavy heart pierces the soul and tears threaten all the day long.  When tired out and heads down, the love of God and His healing peace can seem unobtainable.  To say it lightly, we have not been perfect.

Good news comes quickly (:
"He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit," - Titus 3:5 
"Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death." - Psalm 68:20 

No matter what offense lies on your conscience or worries about the future, God places His holy name and guardianship on you.  The past evil deeds of our hands only glorify the Lord's works even more.  Jesus Christ conquered the darkest place so that we should not fear the dark voice of Satan's calling or the dark of the old nature of rebellion that was inside of us.

But we still sin.  We still rebel.  We're scared.  We want to please God by living in accordance with His commands, living in a way that the world was meant to work.    But we don't.

"My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One." - 1 John 2:1 

Our own defense doesn't rely on how many prayers we pray for forgiveness.  Jesus talks to the Father specifically for you about the worries that plague you most.  Jesus has got it, He's worked through it and He saved you.  Your past, your present and your worries for the future are already forgiven.  We don't need to be afraid of living a holy life.

"who has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time," - 2 Timothy 1:9 
Therefore, we don't need to be afraid of failing.  

Since "God is our refuge and strength, our very present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1) and "He saves you from destruction." (Psalm 103:4)  "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:48) 

Matthew 5:48 isn't as daunting now that God reminds us that:  "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."  (Romans 10:13)  God's promises are strong and as you go into the weekend with more time alone with your thoughts and doubts, remember Isaiah 41:13.   

 Isaiah 41:13 "For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you."

Late New Year's Resolution

The title pretty much states my purpose.

"Be still, and know that I am God;" - Psalm 46:10


Since it is midterms week, to be continued...

Death for Life

Hi!

Thanks for hanging in while I try to make sense out of all the thoughts I've had.  They just refuse to complete themselves.  Should have called this a sporadic (in more ways than one) thought blog.

         Anyways, on to today (onto or on to, anyone?).  I've been familiarizing myself with TWLHA or To Write Love on Her Arms.  In the story of their beginnings, they write about a cocaine addict.  In this story is possibly the best example of the Gospel I have ever heard.


     "She hands me her last razor blade, tells me it is the one she used to cut her arm and her last lines of cocaine five nights before. She's had it with her ever since, shares that tonight will be the hardest night and she shouldn't have it. I hold it carefully, thank her and know instantly that this moment, this gift, will stay with me. It hits me to wonder if this great feeling is what Christ knows when we surrender our broken hearts, when we trade death for life."  (www.twloha.com/vision/)

         Our God is pretty great to incorporate His Gospel into our lives to lead us to great realizations.  Here's some correlation.  

      "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." - 1 John 1:14  Jesus took on our flesh, wrestled with the tempter and took the responsibility and the pain of our sin - all starting with his birth into flesh.    

   "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." - 2 Corinthians 5:21   God had no business taking our sin away from us.   He not only took the razor from us but wrenched it out of our ungrateful hands.

God does so many incredible things that its just unfathomable!  Maybe this was just one aspect of this particular story, but a part of the great story of the universe!

Happy prepping for midterms, everyone  :)

-Sarah