Lay It Aside!

Good morning, Papa God! 

As I sit here this morning, I am so confronted with my humanity. It’s in times like this when I think I am so very strong in my faith and then discover that I am not as strong as I think. The presence of sin is everywhere, waiting around every corner to snare me yet again. So easily it is done; so easily it entangles me. A bad thought, a bad attitude, a harsh word! You have said to me in Your Word to “throw off, get rid of, strip off” every obstacle, encumbrance, weight that slows me down, which “so easily entangles and trips up, clings so closely” to me. The “how” I do this “laying aside,” this “getting rid of” and “stripping off” is the difficult part.  This I do know, Papa God, it is not within myself and my own strength and power that I can do this. In my humanness, there still dwells this relentless sin nature, but the victory over this nature is found in Christ, not me. I want to always do the right thing in Your sight, but I do not always do what is right. Sometimes, I do just the opposite of what I know is right. It is Your truth of what is right that matters, not what I or the world declares is right. But, if sin is confessed, then, as Your child, through Christ’s atoning death, You are faithful and just to forgive my sins and to cleanse me from all my wickedness. Even though sin is present, my Advocate is Jesus Christ Who pleads my case before You, Papa God. He is the One who is righteous, and covers me in His robe of righteousness. Oh, how I wish I would never sin again; wish I could “lay it aside,” and never pick it up again! This side of heaven I know sin will happen, no matter how much I wish it wouldn’t. But, Papa God, I am so very thankful that I have Your promise of forgiveness and cleansing every time I confess my sins to You. Help me to continue to run with endurance this race of life set before me, and to let go of the sin I committed once I have confessed it. Remove the guilt and the shame from me, and restore me to Your fellowship. It breaks my heart when I sin and disrupt our fellowship, when I hurt Your heart with my bad choices. Thank You for continuing to love me and forgive me, despite my inability to always do what is right in Your sight. Oh, how I long for heaven where I will be with You, changed into Your likeness, and forever free from the presence of sin. Help me to pursue holiness while I am here in my earthen vessel.

Good morning, My struggling little one,

Great is My love for you, and great is My faithfulness to you. My compassions do not fail you. They are new every morning. You have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. I hold your steps in My paths and I hold you so that you will not fall. Keep your heart in My Word. That which you have committed to Me (your heart and your life), I am able to keep against that Day when all sin will be judged. But, you My child, are covered by My Son’s righteousness; My perfect love casts out fear. My Spirit living within you makes sin very uncomfortable for you and leads you to repentance. A broken and contrite heart I will never despise or turn away! You are forgiven, My child! Now, forgive yourself and press forward, leaving behind that which is done and in the past. I love you, My child…always have, always will.

(Heb.12:1,14; Rom.7:14-25; 1 John 1:9-2:2; Lam.3:22-23; Psa.51:17; Jude 24; 2 Tim.1:12; Phil.3:12-14)