Grateful Hearts Start with Humble Hearts

January 10, 2017 by Kelli LaFram 2 Comments

What is Gratitude?

Gratitude. Simply put, it is the state of being grateful — feeling or showing an appreciation for a benefit received. We can be grateful for all sorts of benefits, such as family, friends, home, health, career, car, and so on. But is there more?

We should absolutely be grateful for these things, because every good and perfect gift is from above (James 1:17). However, we should also recognize that there is more — much more — to be grateful for. And in order to be grateful for these other things I am alluding to, we need to come to a place of humility.

Grateful hearts start with humbled hearts.

And being truly humble comes from knowing who God is and who we are.

Who is God?

Let’s be honest. None of us know God perfectly — not yet anyway. We are sinful people living in a fallen world. And because our sanctification is not yet complete, we allow our sin to separate us from God. Even though God has fully revealed Himself to us (Hebrews 1:2-3), our sin keeps us from seeing and knowing Him clearly. That said, even a small glimpse of who God is can begin to lead us to humility. So, who is He? (NOTE: This is just a short list and the scripture references are not all inclusive. As a sinner, I could not possibly answer this question fully.)

God is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. (Genesis 1:1-2:2, Colossians 1:16-17)
He is holy and just, setting the standard for right living. (Psalm 145:17, Romans 7:12)
He is merciful, gracious, and patient, yet does not let evil go unpunished. (Exodus 34:6-7)
He abounds in goodness and truth. (Exodus 34:6)
God’s loves perfectly, because He is love. (1 John 4:8)
He is our only Provider, Comforter, and Saviour. (Matthew 6:25-34, 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, Psalm 68:19)
He alone is wise. (Jude 1:25)
He is the One true God. (Deuteronomy 6:4, Isaiah 44:6, Jeremiah 10:10, 1 Corinthians 8:6)

Who is Man?

Let’s be honest again. We know who we are. Apart from God, we are each a mess. No matter how hard we try to fool ourselves or others, we know that we are far from perfect. We may arrogantly try to fix our flaws and make ourselves right with God, but we just can’t. Here is a short list of who we actually are.

We are created, not the Creator. (Genesis 1:26-27)
We come from dust. (Genesis 3:19)
We frequently do what is right in our own eyes instead of consulting with God and accepting His holy standards. (Proverbs 21:2)
Apart from Christ, we prefer the darkness over light — because in the light our sin is exposed. (John 3:19)
We are liars and haters and lawbreakers. (1 Timothy 1:8-10)
We are self-serving and our hearts are deceitfully wicked. (Proverbs 28:26, Jeremiah, 17:9, 2 Timothy 3:2-5)
We are in need of a Saviour. (Romans 3:23, 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-9)

And yet…

And yet, despite how radically opposite we are from God — He is holy, we are anything but… Despite how sinful we are… Despite the death that we deserve — death that would separate us from His love for all eternity… Despite how much God hates sin…

He loves us.

We don’t deserve Him.

He has every right to turn His back on us. To forget us. To destroy us. To grind us back into dust.

But He doesn’t.

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and great in mercy. The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works. (Psalm 145:8-9)

Instead of giving us exactly what we deserve He gives us the reward that only Jesus deserves. When we put our faith in the work of cross ALONE:

He blesses us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1:3)
He makes us holy and blameless in His sight (Ephesians 1:4)
He adopts us into His family (Ephesians 1:5)
He redeems us through the blood of His Son and forgives us of our sins (Ephesians 1:7)
He lavishes us in His grace (Ephesians 1:7-8)
He will one day call us home to be fully one with Christ (Ephesians 1:10)
He also seals and protects us with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13)

God is holy. We are desperately wicked. Yet He loves us and lavishes good gifts on us anyway. I encourage you to look up the passages referenced in this post, especially the ones in Ephesians. As you read them ask God to soften your heart and make you more humble than ever before. Then, as you become more aware of how low you are and how high He is, respond to His grace and compassion with a grateful heart.

Only by grace,

Kelli

Grateful hearts start with humbled hearts. @kellilafram

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His tender mercies are over all His works. Psalm 145:9

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What Child is This?

December 13, 2016 by Kelli LaFram 2 Comments

What Child is this

Who laid to rest

On Mary’s lap is sleeping?

Whom Angels greet with anthems sweet,

While shepherds watch are keeping?

So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,

Come Peasant, King to own Him

The King of Kings salvation brings,

Let loving hearts enthrone Him.

This, this is Christ the King,

Whom shepherds guard and Angels sing

Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,

The Babe, the Son of Mary.

This Child is the Word

What Child is this? This is the Child who is also called the Word. This child, this Word was in the beginning, and this Word was with God, and this Word was God (John 1:1). This Child is the Word who took on flesh, who dwelt among us, and revealed His glory (John 1:14).

What Child is this? This Child is fully God. And though fully God, He humbly chose to leave His Father in heaven and became fully human for our sakes.

This Child was Shunned

What Child is this? A child shunned from before even His birth. Turned away at every inn, He came into this world in the most lowly of places — a stable. He was not given a crib or cradle. Instead He was given a manger — a feeding trough — to lay His head on His first night here on earth.

This Child Is Like No Other

What Child is this? A Child who grew into a Man who would be beaten and bruised for our transgressions. A Man who would take our chastisement so that we may have peace with the Father. A Man who would heal us with His stripes (Isaiah 53:5).

What Child is this? A child who is one of a kind. There is none like Him, nor will there ever be. He is our one and only way to the Father. He is truth and life. (John 14:6).

He is Jesus.

He is Emmanuel — He is God. With. Us.

This Child is Worthy of all Praise

What Child is this? A child worthy of every praise and all honor. A child announced by heavenly hosts who proclaimed:

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men.” (Luke 2:14)

He is a child welcomed by both the most lowly shepherds and worshiped by the wisest of men.

What Child is this? He is the child who brought us peace with God. He is the Child who lived a life of perfect obedience to God the Father and of perfect service to each of us.

He is the Child who brought salvation to all who will receive it.

What Child is this? He is Christ the King. Born to be the final sacrificial Lamb. Born to proclaim “it is finished!” (John 19:30)

He is our peace. Our joy. Our hope.

He is our everything.

So…

Raise, raise a song on high,

His mother sings her lullaby.

Joy, oh joy for Christ is born,

The Babe, the Son of Mary.

This, this is Christ the King,

Whom shepherds guard and Angels sing

Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,

The Babe, The Son of Mary.

God Said It…And It Was So

November 8, 2016 by Kelli LaFram 1 Comment

“And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day. And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.” Genesis‬ ‭1:6-12‬ ‭(NIV‬‬)

God said…and it was so

God said, “let there be a vault…” and into existance came our sky. The atmosphere that would shield us from meteors and from the rays of the sun God had yet to create appeared. This vault also would serve as a blanket to keep us warm in the night and in cooler winter months. It would be the greenhouse roof for the vegetation that He would soon speak into existence. It would contain layers of clouds to separate the waters above from the water below. God said it and it was so.

Next, He spoke and the waters came together and land, in the form of mountains, peaks, and valleys, was exposed. He gave the waters boundaries and the seas were created. And simply by the sound of His voice it was so. Not long after, He spoke into existence all type of vegetation — plants, trees, and grasses — that would yield or contain seed so that could continually produce. God said it, it was so, and it was good.

His Word Continues

God created simply by the power of His Word. And His word continues to speak today. As we look around us we can still see the vegetation spoke into existence long ago. We walk on the dry ground that God created when He commanded the oceans and rivers take shape. We breath in and feel the wind of the atmosphere that He created with us in mind. His Word speaks. Our surroundings are evidence that a Word once spoken by God continues to be spoken by God forever (A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God).

The Word Became Flesh

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1-5, 14 (ESV)

The same Word that was spoken in Genesis became flesh to create something else new. Jesus came into this fallen and dark world to make each of us a new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:15 says that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” Through faith in God’s grace, we are created to be righteous and holy (Ephesians 4:24). We have also been created in Christ Jesus for good works (Ephesians 2:10). This is the truth! It is God’s spoken word!

God said it…and it is so.

I realize there is great debate within the church today about whether or not a person can lose his or her salvation. Because of this debate you may be wondering, as I often have, am I really saved? Am I really a new creation? Dear friends, don’t wonder. Don’t question. Simply believe. If you have put your faith in the Jesus Christ for your salvation, then the answer is YES! You are a new creation! God said it and it is so.

If you can believe that He spoke into existence all that you see around you, the air that you breath, and the ground that you stand on, then please believe that He is powerful enough to make a new creation out of you.

Additional Study Steps:

Read Psalm 104:1-18. How does this passage compare to Genesis 1:6-13?
Read John 1:1-5. How does this passage compare to Psalm 104:1-18
Visit BlueLetterBible.org and do a keyword search for “creation”. Search using different Bible translations.
Read [amazon_link id=”1600661068″ target=”_blank” ]The Pursuit of God[/amazon_link] by AW Tozer, focus on chapter six if your time is limited.
Respond to God in prayer and worship. Honor Him for making you a new creation.

Our surroundings are evidence that a Word once spoken by God continues to be spoken by God forever.

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The same Word that was spoken in Genesis became flesh to create something else new.

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Friends,

Please remember that I am human and flawed and my thoughts on this passage and others may not always be right. Please hold what I write up against the Word of God and listen to the Holy Spirit as He speaks to you directly. That said, I’m wondering if you are struggling to believe with all confidence that you are a child of God. I wonder if you struggle to believe that you are pure just as Jesus is pure. If so, please leave a comment or send me an email. I’d love to share some amazing truth with you. Truth about what Jesus has done for you and who He says you are as a believer.

Only by grace,

Kelli

Theology Helps Us Identify False Teachers and False Doctrine

October 11, 2016 by Kelli LaFram 2 Comments

But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. 2 Peter 2:1-3

There are all sorts of false teachers in the world today. There have been around since the days of the early church. I’m going to resist the urge to call-out the more “famous” ones of our generation, because I am sure there are far more than I am aware of and far more than I could list. I will say this though, in hopes that it will help you identify them for yourself: they walk in the lusts of the flesh. They despise authority. They are presumptuous and self-willed. And even though they are not afraid to speak evil of evil beings (Satan and demons) and stand against them, they do so out of selfish pride and arrogance (2 Peter 2:10).

The saddest thing about these false teachers, however, is that they deny the Gospel (in full or in part, either by adding to it or taking away from it) and many people will fall victim to their lies. So how do we guard our hearts from these people who are bound for destruction? How do we tell the difference from words that sound pretty and words that are true? By being in God’s Word for ourselves. By learning for ourselves, through the power of the Holy Spirit, what the Gospel is in it’s purest form.

As children of God we have the Holy Spirit living inside us. And because of His presence we have the ability to understand God’s holy word. Many people wrongly believe that they can’t possibly study Scripture on their own, that they need a teacher or preacher to help them to understand it. Yes, we do need good, God-fearing, Bible-believing shepherds in our lives. We need church leaders who are willing to preach the Word to us to convince, rebuke, and exhort us with all longsuffering (2 Timothy 4:2). However, they are not the only point of access we have to God’s word.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:26

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. John 16:13

Being in God’s word for ourselves and relying on the Holy Spirit for enlightenment will allow us to discern what is right from what is wrong, truth from lies, and the genuine Gospel from the many, many false gospels that are being proclaimed today. We are told in 1 John 4:1 “do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God…” Why? Because many of the ideas and notions that we hear from others (and even ones we come up with on our own) don’t line up with what Scripture says about God, His Son, and the amazing grace He lavishes on those who come to Him by faith. And we do not want to be believing lies about our Loving Father, do we?

Friends, my prayer for each of us is this: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give to us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of our understanding would be enlightened, so that we may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and that we may know what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe (Ephesians 4:17-19, paraphrased).

If the idea of studying the Bible on you own is a new concept to you or is a little intimidating, may I suggest this resource by John MacArthur. It is a study of the Book of Ephesians, which contains the foundations of Christianity. I believe that studying Ephesians in-depth will help all believers to understand their union in Christ, the unity of the church in Christ, and our responsibility to be useful in Christ.

[amazon_image id=”0718035100″ link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Ephesians: Our Immeasurable Blessings in Christ (MacArthur Bible Studies)[/amazon_image]

Hope in Jesus is Hope that Purifies

September 13, 2016 by Kelli LaFram 4 Comments

And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just a He is pure. 1 John 3:3

I don’t know about you, but I don’t often feel very pure. I yell at my kids on a nearly daily basis. I want to strangle my husband when he spends more than I deem appropriate. And I kick the dog when he gets in my way. And this just the beginning of everything that makes me feel less than pure. I easily get annoyed with the guy in Sunday school who just seems to enjoy the sound of his own voice and I find myself frustrated when the worship team plays another song I don’t know. These selfish reactions are not the way a pure person would react. Are they?

When I choose to focus on all my imperfections I can get so discouraged, even lose hope that I will ever be like Christ.

But, if I remember to put my eyes back on Jesus, the living and active Word of God, my confidence is restored and I am no longer ashamed of who I am.

I am loved.

I am a child of God.

When I look at the above verse in context I can plainly see these truths.

And know, little children, abide in Him that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him. Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. (1 John 2:28-3:3, emphasis added)

I know with confidence that I am a child of God because I abide in Him. And I know that I abide in Him because I practice righteousness. Now, don’t get me wrong here. I am not claiming in anyway shape or form that I have reached sinless perfection. Certainly not! I am very much a sinner, as I have already made clear with my confessions of petty selfishness. However, I do practice righteousness.

Have you ever heard the phrase “practice makes perfect”? It implies that we need practice because we aren’t perfect yet. So I practice righteousness now (failing often), hoping for and believing in a day when I will be sin-free, when my sanctification will be complete, and I will be pure as Jesus is pure. And I practice willingly now, even though I find it can be very difficult, because as a child of God I am no longer okay with my sin.

The last verse in the passage says “and everyone who has this hope in Him…” In Him… Not a hope in ourselves or our circumstances… Not even a hope in heaven or our future glorified state… But hope in Him “purifies himself”. Hope in Jesus is the only hope that will purify any of us. This is the hope that allows us to confidently say “Yes, I am a mess, but when Jesus comes I won’t be ashamed. He already knows everything about me. I’ve brought everything into the light as He’s asked me to (1 John 1:5-9) and He still promises to claim me as His!”

And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just a He is pure. 1 John 3:3

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If I remember to put my eyes on Jesus, my confidence is restored and I am no longer ashamed of who I am.

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Friends,

Only by grace,

Kelli

Praying for a World That Knows Terrorism

August 16, 2016 by Kelli LaFram Leave a Comment

I remember standing on the tarmac of a small airport in Florida getting ready to board an airplane when airport security came out and escorted me and the other passengers back into the small terminal. It didn’t take long before I realized something was terribly wrong. The few television screens in the building each showed the same scenes — a 767 crashing into the first tower of the World Trade Center. And then another crashing into the second tower.

September 11, 2011. It was the first time I felt terrified simply because I was an American.

When I hear the word terrorism this day immediately comes to my mind, but it is not the only act of terrorism that has happened in my lifetime. When terrorists attacked my nation it was easy to pray despite the fact that I was not even walking with the Lord at the time. And now that I am a Christian I wish that I could say that prayer comes easily when I hear of other acts of terror happening around the world. Sadly, it doesn’t.

When I hear of mass shootings, suicide bombings, or vehicular attacks I don’t pray as I know I should — whole-heartedly and in connection with the Spirit of God. Maybe it is because I don’t know how to pray for people I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I feel so far removed from the place of terror. Maybe it’s because I don’t want to revisit the pain and terror I felt because of 9/11. Yes, perhaps all of those, but maybe it’s also because I want to selfishly stick my head in the sand, pretend I can’t do much anyway, and go on with my life.

Oh, how I hate to admit what a sinner I am!

But, if I really want to be obedient to my Lord and Savior, if I really want to love my neighbor as He commands, if I really believe in the power of prayer like I say I do, then I must repent and ask for His guidance and direction.

The Power Behind Prayer

If you are like me and find it difficult to pray when terrorism or other world suffering happens, then you need to know this. We have the privilege of praying in the Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:15, Ephesians 6:18, Jude 1:20). Now, don’t worry, I’m not about to give an opinion on speaking in tongues. Rather, I’m saying that the Holy Spirit is here with each of us to lead us and help us in our prayers.

So I encourage you, from one reluctant prayer warrior to perhaps another, to pause when the Holy Spirit taps on your heart and pray as He leads. He will show you how to pray for those who are affected by terrorism.

Standing Against Terror in Prayer

On September 11, 2001 I prayed for safety and relief from pain and suffering, but we can pray for so much more. When terror hits we can:

Pray with thanksgiving because God is in control even when circumstances seem horrifyingly chaotic.
Pray that the Church would bravely reach out to a hurting world and share the gospel, the only message of true hope.
Pray that the lost would see that “surely there is a future, and (our) hope will not be cut off.” (Proverbs 23:18)
Pray that forgiveness, not bitterness or envy, would take root in the hearts of terror victims and through this forgiveness true healing would take place.

Together let’s stand against terror by kneeling in pray. And there is no better time than the present.

Lord in heaven, I am thankful that you are in control and there is nothing happening that you are not aware of. For you are the Lord God and you are with us wherever we go. We need not be dismayed (Joshua 1:9), no matter the terrifying things that are happening to us and around us. Thank you for the spirit of love, power, and sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7) that you have given your Church, and I ask now that we would bravely reach out to a lost and hurting world with the only message of hope, your gospel. I pray that your message would be received and yet-to-be-believers would see that there is a future hope and it will not be cut off (Proverbs 23:18). I also ask that forgiveness would take root in the hearts of those who have been viciously wronged and feel justified in revenge. This I pray all in the name of your son Jesus Christ. Amen.

Friends, never forget that “surely there is a future and your hope will not be cut off” (Proverbs 23:18).

Only by grace,

Kelli

For surely there is a future and your hope will not be cut off. Proverbs 23:18

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Stand against terror by kneeling in pray.

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Jesus, Our Forever High Priest

July 19, 2016 by Kelli LaFram 1 Comment

So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him:

“You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.”

As He also says in another place:

“You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 5:5-6, KNJV)

The writer of the book of Hebrews was addressing a group of Christian Jews. These Christians, because they had grown up Jewish, would have been quite familiar with the Levitical priesthood. Meaning, they believed that the high priest must come from the line of Aaron (Exodus 28-29). They also knew that the high priest had the responsibility to offer “both gifts and sacrifices for sin” (Hebrews 5:3). To them, these were the religious practices needed to honor God.

Then enters Jesus.

Put yourself in the shoes of these Christian Jews for a minute. They were being told “it is finished” (John 19:30). That their works of righteousness were not good enough and no longer needed. That this Man named Jesus, who wasn’t even from Aaron’s family line, had offered thee ultimate sacrifice on their behalf. That every sin they had committed, were committing or would commit was atoned for. The old covenant they had grown up with, everything they thought they knew about pleasing God was done away with. And a new covenant was in it’s place.

This may have been a hard pill to swallow, right?

So what did the author of Hebrews do with this hard pill, this hard truth? He didn’t sugar-coat it, he Scripture-coated it. And the Scripture he used they most likely knew by heart.

“You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.” (Psalm 2:7)

The Levites were servants of God, but Jesus was His Son. And He was begotten, at the day of His resurrection, for this purpose — to be the High Priest. God had appointed many high priests in the past, but this time it was different. This time He appointed His Son and His Son was more than special. How? We see it in the next coating of Scripture.

“You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” (Psalm 110:4)

Jesus wasn’t a temporary high priest. He was (and is!) the forever High Priest because He was according to the order of Melchizedek. Jesus may not have been a Levite as the Jews thought all high priests needed to be, but that didn’t disqualify Him. Jesus, a Priest forever, was according to an order that had been around much longer than the Levitical order.

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually. (Hebrews 7:1-3, also see Genesis 14)

Why is this important?

You may be wondering why all this is important. You may be thinking yeah, I already know all this. So what? Well, the what is in the why. Why was the letter to the Hebrews even written? Why did these Christian need to be told about Christ as their High Priest?

Why? Because they were beginning to question what Jesus did for them. They were beginning to wonder if what He did really was enough. They wanted to know if they need to go back to the old way of doing things, the old works-based way to make up for their sins and attempt to please God. And I know many Christians today who begin to question and wonder and want to know the same thing — is more needed?

I doubt many of us would consider reinstating the sacrifices from the Old Testament, but we are still very similar to these Jewish Christians. There is a deep rooted belief in many of us that says we must do more if God is to be pleased with us. This belief simply isn’t true.

Instead of animal sacrifices we often think we need to do things like read our Bibles, pray, go to church, be kind, be patient, etc in order to make God happy. We stress ourselves out working and working for something we already have — God’s approval.

Don’t get me wrong, reading our Bibles, praying and attending church are all wonderful. They are necessary for fellowship with our Savior, but they are not what earns us salvation. They are not what justify us before God. It is only through faith in Jesus Christ that we are saved and pleasing to God the Father.

It is my prayer today that we understand this: that because we have Jesus, our forever High Priest we have a forever smile from our Father in heaven. No more is needed. Our sins are washed away. We have right standing before God. There is nothing left to do. It truly is finished.

Friends,

Only by grace,

Kelli

Action steps:

Jot down a few of things that you “do” for Christ. Consider your motives. Are you trying to earn favor or are these things done in response to His love?
Read more on the order of Melchizedek. Check out Hebrews 7, Genesis 14, and this mini Bible study.
Listen to and sing old hymns, such as What Can Wash Away My Sin, There Is Power In the Blood, and How Deep The Father’s Love For Us.

Why was the letter to the Hebrews even written? http://wp.me/p1Su7F-3Sp @donotdepart

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When You’re That Christian — the Divorced & Remarried One

June 14, 2016 by Kelli LaFram 2 Comments

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart… Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.” (Matthew‬ ‭5:27-28, 31-32‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

These verse can make me squirm. They can make me uncomfortable. They can make me feel guilt and shame. Why? Because I’m that Christian. The one who has been married, divorced, and… wait for it… remarried!

Now I don’t mean to make light of who I am and what I’ve done. I am a sinner. No doubt about it. My actions, my choices, my mistakes are deserving of death. I have not lived up to God’s holy standard. And I know it. So what do I do about it?

There was a point in my life when I thought I had to fix my sin. I thought I had to make myself and my circumstances right if I wanted to please God. But the truth is I can’t undo what I’ve done. I can’t fix or make things right. I don’t have that ability and if I tried I’d just make things worse.

I grew up in a religious culture that insisted that you could not enter the kingdom of God if you had been divorced and remarried. That if you were to even have a shot at those pearly gates you’d have to undo your second marriage and reconcile your first. Imagine how incredibly complicated this could be. Imagine it if you had children. Imagine the hurt and destruction a person could cause if they attempted to fix their sin in this situation.

The point I’m trying to make here is that you can’t fix your sin. What is done is done. There is no going back. There is no undoing. Whether it’s divorce and remarriage, whether it’s lustful looking, whether it’s an in-your-face sexual affairs, there is no fixing.

But that’s not the end of the story.

If you were to keep reading in Matthew you would not find Jesus giving instructions on how to fix your divorce and/or remarriage situation. You wouldn’t find Him telling you how to undo your unclean thought. He just calls adultery what it is, sin and then He moves on to the next topic. Why? Because we don’t have the ability to solve our sin problem. The solution only comes from Him. And a few chapter later in Matthew He will offer that solutions fully and completely — The Cross.

You see, I can come to these verse and get all squirming and uncomfortable. I can try to come up with a way to solve my sin problem. Or I could try to ignore these verse and my sin problem all together.

Or… (And this is the best or).

Or I could turn to Jesus. I can simply repent of my sin, confess my guilt and have faith in the cleansing power of His blood. I can have faith that I am a daughter of the King, who is no longer seen as an adulterous, but rather as righteous and holy because of the saving grace of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:22-24, 2 Corinthians 5:21).

His blood, when I come to the foot of the cross, is the only escape I have from the penalty of death, death which I deserve.

So, what do I do about my adultery? What do I do with my sin problem? I believe that Jesus has already taken care of it. That the penalty has been paid. That “it is finished” (John 19:30). And I am His.

Lord in heaven, thank You for sending Your Son to the cross and dying for my adultery. I ask that You teach me to appreciate Your sacrifice more. I also ask that anyone who may be reading this and who believes that they must fix their sin will begin to see the truth of Your gospel. That they will be freed from guilt and shame and begin to live in the peace and rest that comes from believing in Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

Friends, if you are still struggling with sin that you have repented of please know that you truly are forgiven. You are loved and accepted by your Heavenly Father because of what Jesus has done on your behalf. Enjoy this good news and ask the Lord to teach to live in the His rest.

Only by grace,

Kelli