My Journey Journal

Often those of us that follow Jesus can find it emotionally challenging to let go of the shame of our sins.

 

 

It is valid to experience shame that accompanies our guilt before the only holy God when we are in our sinfulness for He is perfect and we aren’t.  The sense of shame that accompanies our recognition of how we’re sinful, however, isn’t God’s ultimate goal.  Our recognizing Him, coming into a right relationship with Him on His terms then worshiping, glorifying and enjoying Him is.  Once we’re forgiven based on the blood sacrifice of Jesus, He sees us through His grace as perfectly sinless; the shame should lead to repentance and then freedom and a deep sense of value as we realize the living God loves us but often we get hung up on what demons, our messed up human brains and our fellow humans tell us.  Read more... (804 words, 2 images, estimated 3:13 mins reading time)

God is loving and patient.  He sets times according to His purpose and we don’t know the specifics of when they are.

It appears that when God ordained Obadiah to pronounce His judgement against Edom He had endured all of Edom’s choices and His judgement against Edom would be complete with no mercy given them.

God starts the prophecy of Obadiah by telling us that a human coalition was formed to destroy Edom.  From there, the rest of the prophecy is focused on God and His promises to actively destroy Edom until there is nothing left of the nation.  He promises to destroy them five times, He tells them why and He finishes by promising that He will restore His people.  Read more... (1583 words, 5 images, estimated 6:20 mins reading time)

As a person given to pride, too often my focus is on myself.  I’m at the center of the stories I create in my head.  Upon reading the Bible, however, I learned (and continue to learn) that everything is about God.

I’m made to love, worship, glorify and commune with Him (as is everything else that’s created).

   Read more... (644 words, 2 images, estimated 2:35 mins reading time)