Unstained

Saturday, ‎November ‎19, ‎2022

Good Morning, Lord

Verse of the Day: John 17:17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

Memory verse: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Readings: EZEKIEL 11-13 JAMES 1

Unstained

It means clean. It sounds almost double negative-'unstained'. So why did the Bible not just say, "Stay clean, stay innocent". It does over and over. Everywhere you look, the Bible says for us to be good in many different ways.

Look this verse : "Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord..."

It is easy to see why people can get confused about what does save us. It is not our behavior.

Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not by works, so that no one can boast.

"Not from yourselves..."

Our behavior does not save us, faith in Christ does. But the scripture also says,

9Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother.…1 John 3

But...the entire new testament is written to believers. It is full of 'do's and don't's'. Why?

Because the work of what the scripture calls sanctification or setting apart. It works out to be work on our part of getting it wrong and working to get it right. 2 Corinthians 7:1

1 Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

Continuous work-the rest of our lives. It sounds long and difficult and it is until we learn that we cannot do it ourselves-just like we cannot save ourselves, we cannot sanctify ourselves; the Holy Spirit works in and through us to make us right.

I've been on jobs where things just could not get done and then someone comes one day and the light 'comes on' and things fall into place and all works-as long as folks listen to the one who knows how to get it done.

The Spirit of God knows how to get it done-this is all He does-He counsels us. As long as we listen, we will progress. We stop listening and we stop learning and progressing.

Another place where we must yield our choices to God-say, "Yes, lord", to whatever it is. Why?

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven,

Forgive my hard head and stiff neck. I choose to follow Your leading-whatever that may mean.

Merciful and mighty Father!

In the name of Christ Jesus,

Amen