Mistakes: A Part of Life

"Marilla, isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?"

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Mistakes are part of life. 

Regardless of how we try, each day we will slip up, take a wrong turn or all together "drop our baskets". We are not perfect and our lives are surrounded by the sin of this world. Sin and mistakes are two peas in the same pod.

Sin infiltrates our lives in a variety of ways. Sometimes we sin by consciously choosing to turn away from what God has asked of us. And sometimes we sin by following the simple temptations of life. We make these mistakes by listening to the world or to our own selfish desires rather than focusing on what God wants us to do.

Take your evil deeds out of my sight;
   stop doing wrong.

Isaiah 1:16

At times it can feel overwhelming to think of how we each, individually, fall short of God's expectations for us. The frustration and disappointment might even cause one to turn away from God completely assuming that he or she could never measure up to what God requires.

In reality, while we live on this earth, we will never fully measure up to what God intends for our lives to be, because we will consistently fall into the mistakes of everyday living, but God has a solution.

Though your sins are like scarlet,
   they shall be as white as snow

Isaiah 1:18

We will never be able to avoid mistakes  - to avoid the sin of this world - but with God's help and the grace of Jesus we will be able to turn away from as much sin as possible, trusting that God's love and forgiveness will wash each of us clean as snow.

Mistakes are part of life, but with God's help we will find that each day can have fewer than the day before until the great day when we are resting safely in Jesus's arms and we are free with no mistakes.

Scripture

Isaiah 1:16-18

Quote of the Day

"Forgiveness is God's invention for coming to terms with a world in which, despite their best intentions, people are unfair to each other and hurt each other deeply. He began by forgiving us. And he invites us all to forgive each other."
Lewis B. Smedes - Forgive & Forget: Healing the Hurts We Don't Deserve

Question of the Day

What mistake that you made yesterday (or last week or last year) can you ask God to help you avoid in 2012?

Seeing Miracles in Tithing

A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD.

Leviticus 27:30

Tithing means to give back to God a portion of what He has given to you. Tithing often has a negative connotation in our secular world where our focus tends to be: "What's in it for me?"

The idea that we are required to give a sizable portion rankles our selfish nature. We want to keep everything we have an only share what we want to share. We tend to not like the idea that we are required to give a specified portion of our goods, wealth, gifts and skills back to God...even though He is God.

Tithing isn't about what we are giving up or what we are losing. Tithing is about each of us recognizing the supremacy of God and honoring Him for the grace He has bestowed upon each of us. God could have asked us to give Him 90% and we keep 10% but He told us to give Him 10%. And with that 10%, He will do mighty things.

When I stop and think what is done with only 10% of our wealth I am amazed. Missions are funded. Children are saved. Churches are built. People are welcomed. The hungry are fed...and the list goes on and an on... Only through God's miraculous grace could such feats be accomplished with so little.

When you evaluate what you will give to God, remember the blessings He has showered upon you and what little He has asked you in response. Think about what awesome things He can do if you willingly and cheerfully give God what He requires. 

What an awesome gift to know that by giving what is asked, you are part of thousands of miracles.

Scripture

Leviticus 27:22-34

Quote of the Day

“If you as parents cut corners, your children will too. If you lie, they will too. If you spend all your money on yourselves and tithe no portion of it for charities, colleges, churches, synagogues, and civic causes, your children won't either. And if parents snicker at racial and gender jokes, another generation will pass on the poison adults still have not had the courage to snuff out.”

Marian Wright Edelman

Question of the Day

If you don't already tithe, how can you start focusing on what you are giving to God?

Seeking Self-Discipline

 

We have a ton of temptation staring us in the face each and every day. From food to technology and everything in between, the world is a veritable playground of debaucherous activities.

We could easily overeat, overstimulate, oversleep, over speak, and flat out over-do-it without ever leaving the comfort and warmth of our homes.

Being disciplined following the example laid out for us by Jesus, can be difficult in the face of the bounty of delights which await us at our very fingertips. Even now, as you read this either in an email or on the website, you could easily click on an advertisement or another email and lose yourself in something which has no real value, but could be fun for a bit of time.

Our whole world is set up to make life easy. We have convenience stores and to home shipping. We have services which will clean your home and research your paper. We have organizations which will write resumes and restaurants which will cook all of your food. For a price, you can buy anything you want - whenever you want it.

But, the ultimate price has already been paid for each of us. Jesus bought us through his sacrifice on the cross. He didn't look for the easy way out or search out the "thing" which would give him the most pleasure in that exact moment; rather he gave up perfection for nails in his hands and a criminal's death to pay the ransom for each of our lives.

In order to redeem our salvation, all we have to do is ask Christ into our hearts and seek his perfect love and forgiveness. However, in order to honor Christ for all that he has done on our behalf and to reflect the loving relationship God has offered us, we have the obligation to turn from the wickedness of this world and seek the beautiful discipline of a right relationship with God.

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age
Titus 2:11-12

God gave us everything. And in His salvation He has provided us the tools for living a life which honors Him.

As you begin this new year, begin to think about how your life reflects, or doesn't reflect, the relationship you have with your Savior.

Scripture

Titus 2

Quote of the Day

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."
Aristotle

Question of the Day

What is one bad habit you can leave in 2011?

Each Day...

Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:12

January 2, 2012....

What does today mean to you? Are you beginning a bunch of new resolutions? Are you relieved that 2011 is completed? Is today your last day of vacation before you return to the grind of your daily routine?

January 2, 2012....

Each day is important, regardless of the date. Each day we are given a chance to learn something new and exciting. Each day we are given the opportunity to mend a broken relationship or create a new one. Each day we have the ability to stop a bad habit and begin a good one. Each day we can...we can do anything. We are only limited by the restrictions we place on ourselves.

You have a decision today. You can simply allow today to float by like any other day or you can make today January 2, 2012. You can make this day matter. You can make a choice to seek everything this one day has to offer. You can make today an each day and discover all of the possibilities it holds.

January 2, 2012...What will today be to you?

Scripture

Psalm 90

Quote of the Day

There's a time for daring and there's a time for caution, and a wise man understands which is called for.

John Keating, Dead Poet's Society (1989)

Question of the Day

If you could do anything today...what would it be?