My Sins, Whiter Than Snow Part 2

When Jesus came, everything changed. He put an end to the law and the need for animal sacrifices, not by destroying the law but fulfilling it once and for all. (Matthew 5:17) Judgment and the lingering feelings of condemnation, guilt and shame for sins vanished, if we chose to receive what Jesus has done on the cross.

The law required that the sacrificial lamb be perfect. Then, after the sins of a person were transferred, the animal would be put to death and the blood spread on the altar.

Jesus, being the Son of God, remained a sinless man. Before He was sacrificed on the cross, all of mankind’s sin past, present, and future were transferred to Jesus. Then He died. Unlike the animals of the Old Testament, though, Jesus had the power to rise again from the grave to claim victory over all of mankind’s sins and the death penalty as well once and for all. 

This means, we are free from God’s judgment and we do not have to carry around thoughts of condemnation, guilt, and shame anymore. We carry God’s grace because we have become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. No sin can ever steal our righteousness away. Now when I sin, I say I’m sorry, I remind myself of God’s promise of grace, I thank Him, and then I ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom to avoid that sinful situation in the future.

God showed me a vision pertaining to this recently. I could see myself standing there with lots of dark spots (sins) all over on me. I tired to get them off but I couldn’t. When I hear the gospel, I saw myself accepting Jesus into my life and every last one of those dark spots immediately fell to the floor. Instantaneously, Jesus gave me a glowing white robe and I saw myself putting it on. Jesus told me it was my robe (gift) of righteousness and it would never come off even when I sinned again. From now on, He would take the responsibility for my sins and reminded me that His grace is sufficient.

Then the scene changed. I sensed I wasn’t ‘feeling so righteous’ anymore because I was still sinning. Guilt and shame permeated my thoughts. I felt like the dark spots should reappear to represent my present sin. I could see myself picking up the pile of dark spots and trying to make them stick by rubbing them back on my robe of righteousness but they slid off and fell to the ground.

  

As I pondered this, I realized that most of my life I did not understand the full significance of all that Jesus had accomplished on the cross for me. I knew in my heart my sins were forgiven but my mind was plagued with thoughts of guilt, shame and never measuring up from the enemy. Unfortunately, my mind (soul-mind, will, and emotions) ruled over what my heart wanted to believe. Fear overwhelmed me at times and I would go through bouts of depression. I felt unrighteous and my relationship with God was affected. I felt I had to “do” more to cleanse the sins I was still committing. Carrying around the guilt and shame was part of my penitence. I was never fully cleansed. Thus, I was never free from condemnation. In my mind, it always kept me at a distance from God.

Then I discovered:

The law is about ‘what I can continually do’ to remain righteous

but accepting Christ is about

‘being in a state of righteousness continually’ forever.

When I am in Christ,

I do not have to do anything more to stay righteous.

He is my righteousness!

What I had failed to comprehend years ago was that the sins I committed from then on did not affect my righteousness or God’s opinion of me. I had always measured up not because of me (my self-righteous activity) but because of Christ (the Cross). I was ‘in Christ’ and he had continually taken care of whatever sins I had. That truth does not make me want to sin more but love more…love the Trinity more. Share Christ with more of those around me. The fear and depression? It gradually melted away the more I meditated on: My sins were really gone forever and God loves me no matter what. Carrying around the guilt and shame as penitence was neither necessary nor desire by God. Now, we are freed to be grace-conscience instead of sin-conscience. When we accept that sacrifice of Jesus into our lives, we become whiter than snow for eternity.

The knowledge that I am truly free from the law of sin and death has turned my sorrow into great joy!

Blessings to each of you in this season of our Savior! 

(Romans 8:1-2, Galatians 5:1, John 8:32, Philippians 3:9, 1Cor. 1: 30) 

The Second IV Bottle

The prayer request from our church PrayerNet:

·      One of our church elders, William, has been sent to the hospital. Pray for healing and we will get back to you, as more news is available.

·      William is in intensive care and in critical condition. The doctors do not know what the problem is. Please continue to pray for healing, comfort for the family, and wisdom for the doctors to figure out the cause. God is still in control.

·      WOW! After 4 days of facing life and death in the ICU, William is now at home doing great. The doctors were able to identify the problem and get him the proper treatment. The family wants to thank everyone for their prayers during this critical time. May God be praised for the victory!

William got out of the hospital on a Tuesday and the next Sunday, he came before the congregation. He wanted to testify how God had saved him from death, to publicly praise Jesus for his healing power, and to thank everyone for their prayers. It was amazing to see how someone just days before on the brink of death could now display such vigor and life. He is now a walking testimony of what God can do through His praying people.

While I was listening to William give his testimony, the Lord gave me a vision of an IV machine. I knew the bottle hanging on a hook above contained the fluids the doctors had ordered. But then, a second bottle appeared beside the first. I thought the bottles were the same until the second bottle turned around. I saw that the word PRAYERS went down the front. As I watched, I saw the fluid levels of the prayer bottle fluctuate but never diminish. Then the Lord spoke to my heart,

“It was the prayers of My people on William’s behalf that kept the second bottle sufficiently full of My healing power. It was the second bottle that made the difference in his recovery.”

Then the Lord reminded me of a verse in the Bible.

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man 

availeth much.

James 5:16

Why do effectual fervent prayers for others succeed?

Our continual earnest prayers will be successful in the outside world because of the spiritual work God is accomplishing on the inside of our hearts. He is stretching and broadening our abilities to believe no matter what the circumstances look like. As we speak forth our petitions and trust in His word, we will see His power remaining strong and accomplishing what the Word was sent out to do. In the end, our fervent prayers will keep the spiritual IV full of healing power until health is restored.

Are you praying for the health of someone you know? If so, consider the second IV bottle. Even if the fruits of those prayers have not manifested yet, know that God is still at work. Know your continual prayers of faith are powerful and God’s Word does not come back void.

So shall my word be that go forth out of my mouth: 

it shall not return unto me void, 

but it shall accomplish 

that which I please,

 and it shall prosper in the thing where I sent it.

 Isaiah 55:11

What’s A Snake?

Quite some time ago, I lived in a place called Lake Providence, LA. The town was built around this beautiful cypress crusted oxbow lake formed from the Mississippi River centuries earlier. We loved to go down to the lake and sit on the dock. You could catch catfish, brim, and bass and swimming anytime the weather permitted.

One day, while I was sitting out on the pier, I noticed a snake had caught a catfish and was proceeding to swallow the fish whole! When I walked over to observe, the catfish was halfway in. But as I stood there, I noticed the snake reversed his intent and began to release the catfish from his jaws. Soon the fish and the snake were gone.(Video of snake/fish)

Researched characteristics of snakes:

·      They can ‘unlock’ their jaw to accommodate any size meal they catch.

·      Their skin is expandable so the meal can go all the way in to be digested.

As I pondered on the spiritual implication, the Holy Spirit spoke up and said, “The snake is just a mouth and a tail.”

“Yes, but what do you mean by that statement?” I replied.

“The enemy has a big mouth. His mouth can only speak negatively about your past, the tail. He cannot proclaim or create truth so everything that comes out is a lie.” the Holy Spirit answered.

Yeah, I thought.He gains power by manipulating my thoughts and feelings to make me doubt whether I am measuring up to God’s standards. The enemy wants me to remain insecure about God’s love and the power of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. So if I agree with the enemy, he will proceed to unlock his jaws and swallow me whole. Slowly and methodical, worrisome thoughts fill my mind as his mouth covers my head halfway. If the enemy of our soul can maintain control of my thinking and keep me double minded about God's love and forgiveness then he will be able to swallow me whole killing my passion and my destiny.

So…how should I think about our past sins then? Are they all forgiven?

If we confess our sins, his faithful and just to forgive us our sins,

 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I John 1:9

When I went back to study the Greek translation on this passage and others, I found out Jesus not only took all my sins (past, present, future) away but having to feel the shame, guilt, and condemnation of them too. I never have to think about the past again in a negative light. I use it to show others His amazing grace. If I allow these negative thoughts to swallow me up, then it is not God who is glorified in my ‘self-proclaimed humbleness’ but it is Satan’s lies that I am exalting. I have had a hard time believing the total scope of God’s grace but I am now opening my heart to believe. The result is I am experiencing freedom and boldness on a whole new level.

Are you struggling with thought patterns designed to sidetrack your progress? We all do. However, the ones who can see those patterns for what they really are, throw those destructive thoughts out and replace them with the Truth of God’s word. It may not be easy but it is life changing. Blessings to all who are reexamining the Truth that will set them free.

Then you will know the truth and 

the truth WILL set you free. 

John 8:32