If you kept a record

If you, O Lord, Kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?

Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

The fullness of the Godhead bodily, the very I Am, hung on a cross and gave his life to pay the penalty for your sins. He shed his blood for each and every one of us.

Some of us continue on in our defeat because we think we are the only ones who have failed. Everything from moral to financial failure smears us with shame long after the poor choice. The silence of the body of Christ leaves people to believe that no one would understand.

Jesus is the author of connection. Satan is the author of isolation. The more our enemy takes us captive, the further we distance ourselves from healthy people. If we remain in captivity long enough our circle gets smaller and smaller and ultimately we feel isolated even from the ones still left and we are left feeling that we are entirely alone.

If we are in Christ, we are NEVER alone. He never disconnects himself from us. Anytime we feel disconnected from God, we are the ones who moved. Not Him.

Psalm 139:7-10 says "Where can I go from your spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; If I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise up on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

God is so connected to us, he even shows up where we don't want Him. No matter how ashamed we are for Him to find us in the shape that we are in, acknowledging His Presence in our pit is our first step out of it.

1 John 1:9 says If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness. That infinitely broad term includes the one thing you keep reliving and grieving.

God is not the one keeping the record of your sins. You are. You keep playing that record over and over. You may think you are honoring God with your misery over past mistakes but you are not. You are actually walking in unbelief - not trusting what He promised to do if you'd repent. Self-condemnation does not honor God. If you want to honor God with your response to His forgiveness then be happy about it. Our enduring misery over our past is one reason we end up getting back into the pit. Somewhere deep in our souls we want to punish ourselves and return to what we deserve. Christ took what we deserve.

All of this came from Week 5, Day 1 in Beth Moore's Stepping Up bible study.

I never thought of dwelling on my past mistakes was dishonoring to God. I can relate to wanting to punish ourselves and I find myself wanting to punish others at times as well and see them get what they deserve. I know that is not the right attitude to have because we are supposed to forgive just like Christ forgives us. I find that forgiveness - both of myself and others can be a hard thing for me. I can forgive the little things but the big things are much harder to forgive and I find myself holding on to things a lot longer than I should. I have to remember that I don't deserve forgiveness any more than anyone else does and that Christ not only took what I personally deserve but He took what those around me deserve as well.

Video sesion five was really good as well.
The enemy just loves it when we choose not to forgive. Second Corinthians 2:10-11 says that we are to forgive people in the sight of Christ in order that Satan may not outwit us.

Hebrews 10:24-25 says that we are to encourage one another.

1 Peter 4:8 says that we are to love each other deeply. (for love covers over a multitude of sins)

Finally she says that if we don't want to be counted amoung countless Christian casualties in our pilgrimage , we have to learn to fight FOR each other instead of with each other.

Zephaniah 3:9 says "Then will I purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him shoulder to shoulder".

At the end of the video she had everyone get shoulder to shoulder. She says this is our calling. Do not let anyone come between you. Anytime we put space between us and are not standing shoulder to shoulder, the enemy is coming in. He will fill that space. He is just looking for a void to fill. NOTHING should come between us. We are to take up for one another. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. When we aren't standing shoulder to shoulder the enemy is winning and he WILL come in and fill the void.

During the prayer time she asks God to help us to choose to encourage one another. Help us to choose to stand shoulder to shoulder.
Help us to love one another deeply.
Help us to forgive.