Proverbs 3:26 For the LORD is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.
1 Samuel 12:20 Samuel replied, “Don’t be afraid. Even though you have committed all this evil, don’t turn away from following the Lord. Instead, worship the Lord with all your heart.” Samuel was saying, “Just because you have messed up big time, don’t stop following God. Get your heart back into believing the love that God has for you.”
Don’t fall for the lie – that God no longer loves you. You might be saying in your heart, “But I have failed so many times, because of my weaknesses. How can a perfect God love me?” That’s just it. God is perfect, and out of His perfection, He chooses to love you no matter where you are at.
Satan, the accuser, will always lie to you, and tell you that your sin has caused God to reject you and that you should run away from the Lord. The truth is the complete opposite. When we fall because of sin, we should quickly run to God. He is full of mercy and grace, waiting for us to ask for forgiveness. Heb. 4:16 Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.
Don’t accept the lie that you must earn God’s love. You are loved and there is nothing that can take God’s love away from you. Rom. 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Many people falsely believe there is no hope for them because they have messed up big time. Some of the biggest mess-ups recorded in the bible were committed by the fathers of our faith. Saul was persecuting and signing off on the brutal stoning of Christians before he became the Apostle Paul, who led many to Christ and left us with his epistles of faith. King David, had committed adultery and sanctioned Uriah’s murder to cover up his sinful acts. He lived with the guilt of these sins until Nathan the prophet exposed David’s transgressions. Psalm 51:2 Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. King David came back to his senses by repenting and reestablishing his relationship with God.
Many people falsely believe there is no hope for them because they have messed up big time. Some of the biggest mess-ups recorded in the bible were committed by the fathers of our faith. Saul was persecuting and signing off on the brutal stoning of Christians before he became the Apostle Paul, who led many to Christ and left us with his epistles of faith. King David, had committed adultery and sanctioned Uriah’s murder to cover up his sinful acts. He lived with the guilt of these sins until Nathan the prophet exposed David’s transgressions. Psalm 51:2 Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. King David came back to his senses by repenting and reestablishing his relationship with God.
Many of the bible patriarchs messed up in their walk with God. They were not perfect people, but they had this one thing. They kept coming back to God where their security in Him was assured, and the unwavering love of God could be found. Prov. 3:26 For the LORD is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.
There may have been traps laid out for these pilgrims of faith, but God kept them from being destroyed by them. The Lord is still doing the same for us. He protects us from falling into the snares of the enemy. We can come to our Lord at any time and anywhere asking for help, strength, and absolute forgiveness. We can be assured that God will give it to us in the full measure of His grace.
We may have messed up big time on many occasions in our lives, but in greater measurement, God has saved us big time. Through Christ, the Lord has made a way for us to live in His grace. Rom. 5:20b But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more. Don’t let the sins and memories of our past cloud the vision that our heavenly Father has for our future. God is not finished with us. The Lord has an eternal plan for us and He is writing our story as we walk in faith. Heb. 12:2a Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.
The enemy of our soul has no say whatsoever in our destiny. God has the final say, and He says, “You are His, and you are loved with a perfect love.” If you have messed up big time, then come home to your heavenly Father. It does not matter what you have done. There is forgiveness if you ask for it. Psalm 32:1 How joyful is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered!
Very good advice Norm!