Thoughts for your reflection from the video discussion:
1. Don't waste your wilderness time. Ezra didn't. He studied and became well versed in the law of God - even in a place of captivity.
2. Don't abuse God! After receiving such "severe mercy" from God in being allowed to return, to rebuild, to reestablish ... they return to the very sins that caused the chastisement and suffering. We have received even a greater "severe mercy" in the cross of Christ! The chance to return (to God) to rebuild (life as it should be) and reestablish (life for eternity)
3. We have become cushioned to sin, soft on it. Even among the people of God today, there is little "passionate pursuit of holiness". We want to be friendly with the world. James tell us (James 4:4) that "anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God."
4. We can't dumb down the standard. God's Word still provides the plumb line for us. Know it.
5. "Repentance" is a tender and positive word. Such a sweet concept and reality because true repentance draws us closer to the heart of God and God's heart closer to ours. Continually do it.
6. Bottom line: Do I love my sin or my God more?
7. The greatest honor we can pay to God is to believe Him. Do you?
My take home from this week: Know God's word ... Take it seriously ... Believe God ... Don't cut myself any slack when I am off course and God reveals it to me!
I loved what she said on the video about God casting our sins into the sea of forgetfulness and putting up a "No Fishing" sign. Satan constantly tries to tell us that in spite of repentance, confession and restoration, we're not "good enough" to be a child of God. God, on the other hand, has promised to remove our sins "as far as the east is from the west." Will we believe the Father of Lies, or the Way, the Truth, and the Life?
ReplyDeleteI love this quote (emphasis mine): "Faith is not a list of what we believe. It is living like God keeps His promises." On with the passionate pursuit of holiness!