The Splinter of Sin

I’m always stunned by how much pain is inflicted from something so microscopic. This splinter must have embedded in the arch of my foot days ago, but I only became aware of it yesterday morning when I had unknowingly bumped against it sending a throbbing pain throughout. I got our designated “splinter” tweezers down from the shelf and removed it, knowing from experience that the pain would subside as soon as it was removed. So right there on the floor without a second’s delay, I removed it. And for the rest of the night, the sting of healing from the wound reminded me of the foreign object that once was there.

Isn’t that just like the sin that so easily slides in and embeds in our hearts? We think it’s small enough that no real damage will be done; that it couldn’t possibly cause infection or pain or permanent damage; that there would be no real lasting effects of keeping sin hidden under the layers of skin. (1 Corinthians 10:12, Hebrews 12:1)

But oh, when something rubs against it—exposing the infection that has gone unattended—oh the pain. Sin always destroys, causes pain, and if left untreated, death. And while it’s annoying when something comes along and fans the flame of discomfort by grazing the splinter, the “something” that reveals our sin is truly the grace of God. A person. An embarrassing moment. A verse. A song. A confrontation. A guilty conscience. A child’s rebuke. A caught red handed. A sermon. All of it is God’s grace. All of it. (2 Corinthians 7:20)

And there are lasting scars with sin. I forever wear the scars of some of those bothersome splinters—like the one on my hand I got from a wooden bunk bed at Heather’s 10th birthday party. Oh, I remember the pain, the blood, and now the scar. But though my spiritual splinters won’t now cause me death because Jesus died in my place, the scars of my past decisions are a constant reminder of the propensity and ease with which these sins will try to pierce my flesh again. So while I don’t need to fear walking barefoot—the callouses from walking daily in God’s word provide a source of security—there are areas of my life I must constantly inspect for any splinters, any sin that might have unknowingly lodged in my soul. (Psalm 32:3-5, 1 John 1:9)

Though seemingly tiny, the damage is great. And though exposure is uncomfortable for a moment, the grace of God’s tweezer in Christ Jesus is even greater than what sin left lodged could accomplish. The sting of an ignored splinter brings death, but the pain of removal brings life.  (Romans 5:20, James 4:6, 1 John 3:20, John 3:16).

So if there is a sin you’re ashamed of, a sin that has been exposed, a sin that is growing and the infection is starting to impact other ares of your life—run to Jesus, even if it’s a hobble or a limp. There you will find the balm your soul needs from the Savior who forever bears the scars of your sin on his hands. (John 20:27)

Jesus, Our Empathetic High Priest

The other day, I walked into my son’s room to see him holding his bloody hand in his blanket.  I panicked because I had absolutely no idea what had happened.  He plainly told me that he cut his hand on a broken piece of glass, but then (probably because I was freaking) he immediately started crying. But I mean the cut was significant, I thought we might have to go to the ER.  (Anyway, why there was even broken glass is a completely different story)

As I tried to help, Ezra fought me tooth and nail.  He didn’t want me to look at it, or touch it, or help him at all.  He didn’t even want a band-aid.  But I knew that cleaning it, wiping away the blood, applying pressure for a good long while, and putting a band-aid on it would really be the best thing for him, even though initially it would hurt.

He continued to fight me, and eventually I had to use a very stern voice and finagle my way around his squirming body.  Toddlers are strong y'all.  I asked him if he knew that mommy loved him.  I asked him if he trusted mommy.  Finally he relinquished control and let me help him. He looked at me, sighed, and  said “ahh, much better mommy”.

If me and you are Ezra, this is a picture of our relationship with God a lot of times. 

After a few minutes of having a paper towel and 3 bandaids (which were probably wrapped too tight) I asked him if he was okay & he said that he was.  He also said, “I am sorry I got cut.”  It wasn’t his fault that he got cut; it was just an accident.  But I was still there to help him with his cut, his injury, his boo-boo.

About 20 minutes after getting bandaged and back to playing with his trains, he looked at me and said “Jesus got cut too.”  Ezra wasn’t asking a question, it was just a statement that, in fact, Jesus had gotten cut before.  So right there, I thought of how Jesus probably did get cuts, and scraps, and boo-boos as a child, and his mom probably bandaged him a few times (except Jesus was super compliant and perfect and all, but still, in his humanity he felt all the physical pain of a boo-boo).

So I told Ezra that Jesus is our empathetic high priest. I know, I know, he has no idea what the words “empathetic” and “high priest” even mean, but it was a wonderful reminder to me that Jesus understands every thing we go through. From boo-boos to loneliness, and broken relationships and loss, Jesus understands.

Jesus, who was God in the flesh, became a human and lived a perfectly obedient life that we were meant to, but couldn’t because of our sin.  Any hardship or struggle we find ourself in in this broken world, Jesus can empathize because he suffered in the ultimate way—bearing the wrath of God on the cross, on our behalf because of our sin, our disobedience against a holy God.  

Jesus even understands the successes and victories, because he conquered death.  

When I told Ezra that Jesus understands the pain that he feels in his finger, I really meant it, Jesus does understand the pain that Ezra is experiencing right now because what could be more painful than absorbing all the wrath of God for all of mankind from past, to present and future.

So this is good news as we enter into this holiday season, or maybe for you tonight.  Because whatever hardship, frustration, pain you are facing, Jesus understands.  And I totally get that things might be smooth sailing and nothing is wrong, but something might happen soon, and you need to know that even then, Jesus understands.

Hebrews 4:14-16 says: 

“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

So Jesus, our high priest who has suffered on our behalf, can understand all our hurts and weaknesses and pains and struggles and temptations.  We can be confident when we call upon our God we will receive exactly what we need in these trying times.  

I don’t know what is going on in your life.  Things might be all around great, but they might not.  Chances are there are things through out the week that just don’t seem to work out the way you thought they would. 

So if you are in the midst of any type of physical pain, Isaiah 53 says that Jesus’s physical body was actually pierced for our transgressions and completely crushed for our iniquities. 

If you’re hurting from the loss of someone your love, remember in John 11 how that Jesus grieved and wept because his friend Lazarus had died.  

In 2 Corinthians 8,  Paul reminds us that though Jesus was rich, he became poor for your sake.  He became poor so you might be rich in him. So this is incredibly good news if you are feeling the weight of finances and struggling to see how ends will meet.

As I go through this list of real life situations, I am sure you can think of times in Jesus’ life that he would have experienced them: loneliness, abandoned by friends, betrayal, humiliation, physically violated, cheated, physical stress, excluded from things.

As Jesus experienced the greatest broken relationship in the world — being separated from the Father on the cross “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me” we can rest in the truth that because Jesus endured the separation and brokenness from the Father, we now can have a restored and whole relationship with God himself.

Jesus understands.  

Jesus is our great, empathetic high priest.  

Whatever strain in your life there may be—even a little boo-boo like Ezra—Jesus calls us to draw near to his throne, cast our cares on him because he cares for us, and he will give us his real grace in our time of need.  That is demonstrated by the cross.  Thank you for the cross.

Let All That You Are Praise Him: Psalm 104

I ran across Psalm 104 as I was practicing praying the psalms as proposed by Donald Whitney in his book Praying the Bible.  After reading Jen Wilkin's book None Like Him and The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer, I have a richer theology and a better understanding of the Lord's attributes which cause me to stand in awe and utter fascination of who Jesus is.  But to say I fully understand tings like omniscience and sovereignty and transcendence would be absoutely foolish, because there is still so much to the Lord that is a sheer mystery; however, these characteristics of God cause me to just say, "Wow!" before the Lord.

I hope reading this Psalm causes you to worship the Lord and stand with your mouth open wide in sheer amazement.

Let everything, all that you are, praise Him.

Psalm 104New Living Translation (NLT)

Let all that I am praise the Lord.

O Lord my God, how great you are!
    You are robed with honor and majesty.
2     You are dressed in a robe of light.
You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens;
3     you lay out the rafters of your home in the rain clouds.
You make the clouds your chariot;
    you ride upon the wings of the wind.
4 The winds are your messengers;
    flames of fire are your servants.[a]

5 You placed the world on its foundation
    so it would never be moved.
6 You clothed the earth with floods of water,
    water that covered even the mountains.
7 At your command, the water fled;
    at the sound of your thunder, it hurried away.
8 Mountains rose and valleys sank
    to the levels you decreed.
9 Then you set a firm boundary for the seas,
    so they would never again cover the earth.

10 You make springs pour water into the ravines,
    so streams gush down from the mountains.
11 They provide water for all the animals,
    and the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 The birds nest beside the streams
    and sing among the branches of the trees.
13 You send rain on the mountains from your heavenly home,
    and you fill the earth with the fruit of your labor.
14 You cause grass to grow for the livestock
    and plants for people to use.
You allow them to produce food from the earth—
15     wine to make them glad,
olive oil to soothe their skin,
    and bread to give them strength.
16 The trees of the Lord are well cared for—
    the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17 There the birds make their nests,
    and the storks make their homes in the cypresses.
18 High in the mountains live the wild goats,
    and the rocks form a refuge for the hyraxes.[b]

19 You made the moon to mark the seasons,
    and the sun knows when to set.
20 You send the darkness, and it becomes night,
    when all the forest animals prowl about.
21 Then the young lions roar for their prey,
    stalking the food provided by God.
22 At dawn they slink back
    into their dens to rest.
23 Then people go off to their work,
    where they labor until evening.

24 O Lord, what a variety of things you have made!
    In wisdom you have made them all.
    The earth is full of your creatures.
25 Here is the ocean, vast and wide,
    teeming with life of every kind,
    both large and small.
26 See the ships sailing along,
    and Leviathan,[c] which you made to play in the sea.

27 They all depend on you
    to give them food as they need it.
28 When you supply it, they gather it.
    You open your hand to feed them,
    and they are richly satisfied.
29 But if you turn away from them, they panic.
    When you take away their breath,
    they die and turn again to dust.
30 When you give them your breath,[d] life is created,
    and you renew the face of the earth.

31 May the glory of the Lord continue forever!

    The Lord takes pleasure in all he has made!

32 The earth trembles at his glance;

    the mountains smoke at his touch.

33 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live.
    I will praise my God to my last breath!
34 May all my thoughts be pleasing to him,
    for I rejoice in the Lord.
35 Let all sinners vanish from the face of the earth;
    let the wicked disappear forever.

Let all that I am praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord!

What verses cause you to gaze in wonderment at the Lord?

What I Mean When I Say I am "Pro-Life"

When I say I am "pro-life," I literally mean I value life, ALL life, made in the image of God.  A life He fashioned for a purpose.  He desires ALL persons to turn to him. All, not just the persons that look similar to your reflection.

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
- 1 Peter 3:9

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
- Acts 4:12

I am pro-human; pro-unborn; pro-unsure pregnant mom; pro-poor; pro-wealthy; pro-refugee; pro-woman; pro-man; pro-LGBT; pro-enemy; pro-leaders; pro-police; pro-black; pro-white; pro-muslim; pro-christian. pro-LIFE. I am pro-PERSON.  I am "pro-life" because life is valuable in the eyes of our Maker.  We have value because of who created us.  Just like Starry Night is valuable because van Gogh painted it.  We are valuable because of who made us; and who made us is the great I AM.  From before the foundation of the world, he knew us and had us in mind.  As Jesus died on the cross, he had us in mind.  We are valuable because God says we are.  So from conception to resurrection, we are valuable and valued, all of us.  He created us in His likeness with dignity and purpose.

But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.
- Isaiah 64:8

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty!
- Psalm 8:3-8

Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness...God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
- Genesis 1:26-27

Whether we agree with decisions made by such persons or even support the lifestyles choices of those persons is contrary to whether or not we re able to extend love in a Christ-like way.  Others' sins are not to hinder our ability to demonstrate Christ's love; for if this was the case, we would still be separated from the great love of Christ.  He sought us in our sin, loved us, pulled us out of that sin, and walks with us in the path of righteousness.   Agreeing or disagreeing with someone's life choices is separate from our ability to care and value their lives.  It is unrelated to our responsibility and ability to share the redeeming love and salvation message of Christ.  Disagreeing with someone's choices should not cause us to see them as less than human or unworthy of Christ's love.  Whether they run this country, are growing inside the womb, have broken relationships, are fleeing from an oppressive government, or practice a different religion; if we shut out those who differ from us, how can we possibly demonstrate biblical Love to our neighbors.

my friend Sepideh and her parents: all are Iranian refugees

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.
- Mark 12:30-31

'For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me. “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
- Matthew 25:35-46

But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.  So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.  He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.  And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’  Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.
- Luke 10:29-37 

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
- Philippians 4:19

So when I say I am "pro-life," that is what I mean.





(updated from my original Facebook post)

We are not Self-Sufficient

Why do we treat dependence as such a negative thing, and celebrate every aspect of independence?  I am reading the book "None Like Him" by Jen Wilkin, and she talks about the unique self-sufficiency of God among other unparalleled attributes of our God.

When I think of self-sufficiency in my own life, I automatically think of that as a good thing, a celebrated thing by society, and something on which I can instantly pride myself.  However, God is truly the only self-sufficient One.  We are finite, created beings, and severely limited by our needs.  Our needs drive us to action, sometimes that's a good thing and many times that can be a bad thing.

For me, I get a kick on being able to do it all.  I selfishly love that people might think, "Wow, she's got it going on."  But the truth is, I don't; and I'm not sure I have really ever fooled anyone except myself.  Certainly I have never fooled God.  I often times pride myself on being able to do most things without asking for help, but it leaves me drained and overwhelmed.  That festers into an unpleasant demeanor and a bitter spirit.  I definitely do not have it going on.

"God created us needy, that in our need we might turn to the Source of all that is needful, acknowledge our need, and worship." #NoneLikeHim

— Renee Young (@noodlenay42) January 18, 2017

I simply can't do everything by myself, and neither were you.  We weren't created to be.

"We are not needy because of sin, we are needy by divine design."
None Like Him, page 63

And finally, I am okay with that reality.  Are you?

We were created to be dependent on the One who created us and on other believers.  Only God, the uncreated One; the One who has always been, is incapable of being dependent on anything he creates.

It would be like me saying because I painted a picture, I need it to complete me or help me survive in some fashion.  It would be like me saying that the picture is free to do what it pleases: it can hang itself on the wall, it can choose the frame it wants to be put in to, it can copy itself, it can choose its own value.  That's insane, or is it?  Of course that picture would need me to do those things for it.

Same is true for God. We need Him, but he certainly needs us not.  He created us for his good pleasure, but not to sustain him or fill some need.  He is already self-sustaining, self-sufficient.  It is who he has always been, and will always be.

God created us.  We are God's picture.

Maybe a hard and challenging pill to swallow for a finite, created being like us to try and understand the creation of the infinite, uncreated Father.  But let that cause you to fall into a deeper worship of God, the one who created you for his pleasure, who delights in you.

"The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him.
Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for 'In him we live and move and have our being;' as even some of your own poets have said,  'For we are indeed his offspring'."
Acts 17:24-28

we humans must confess "i am because he is." only God can say "i am who I AM." @jenniferwilkin #nonelikehim

— Renee Young (@noodlenay42) January 17, 2017

Jen provides a self-evaluation if you think you may be attempting a self-sufficient life without dependence on Christ or fellow believers:

• Prayerlessness
• Forgetfulness
• Anger in trial
• Lack of conviction of personal sin
• Avoidance of Christian community
• Concealment
• Lack of accountability
• Lack of humility
• Exhaustion

So basically if I check myself with this list, I've been living in self-sufficient sin.  Time to repent and seek the Lord.  This is causing me to worship my self-sufficient, self-sustaining, all-knowing Creator even more.

To combat some of these areas, I have created a 28-day prayer guide that I will be walking through in February.  If you are interested in downloading it, you will be able to do that on Saturday right here on the blog.

Where are you at in the battle of self-sufficiency?

pic.twitter.com/sm9zWDDxJ8

— Jen Wilkin (@jenniferwilkin) May 11, 2016

Note: I am in no way affiliated with any links, authors, companies.  I do not get paid for any clicks, likes, or shares.  

Day 10 Be Different

Today's scripture from the New Bloom devotional:

1 John 1-3

I am 27 years old and I literally just realized that the phrase "law abiding citizen" and "please abide by the rules" use the same word "abide" uttered throughout scripture, specifically 1 John.  Talk about a lightbulb moment.  To abide by the rules means to follow the guidelines set before you.  It means to stay within the confines of set boundaries. Likewise, abiding in Christ means to follow Christ's example, to remain in his teachings and commandments.

If you are like me, two words that may have jumped out at you more than any other words were "sin" and "abide."  These two words couldn't be more opposite.

In chapter 3 you see the phrases "practice of sinning" and "keep on sinning" repeated a number of times.  If you remember from Day 3 Freedom, we touched on this point.  I don't mean to simplify a sin struggle or distort the reality of habitual sin because I have been there and I know how binding it can be; however, scripture is clear that the love of sin does not rule in a believer's heart.  A heart surrendered to Christ cannot occupy both Christ and the love of darkness.  This is particularly challenging to me, and I don't want to seem like I have it "all together" in this life, so please don't read the following words as if I am on a pedestal.  It's just my wish to grow closer to Christ.

If you are walking in a state of habitual sin, it is impossible to walk in the light.  These are not my words, they're God's.  As a struggling 21-year-old college student living in habitual darkness and trying to walk in the light, it was evident that I was leading a double-life completely inconsistent with scripture.  I was living in rebellion, numb to the consequences of my sin, and far from the presence of Christ.  I knew who could rescue me from sin, yet I didn't truly want to be rescued.  I loved the darkness.  There is a distinct differences between being okay with your sin and hating it.  You can read more of that process here.

I am walking, living proof that darkness and light cannot coexist in one's heart; but I am also living proof that Jesus Christ is a merciful Savior who is ready and willing to forgive a penitent heart.

"Little children, let no one deceive you.  Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous."
-1 John 3:7

We will continue to sin in this world, but we need to ask ourselves if sin is the defining characteristic in our life.  Is our life outlined by habitually rebelling against what Christ commands?

If you don't know, ask yourself these questions:

• Is there something in my life that I know is sinful, but I don't want to give it up?
• Is there something that I keep going back to in order to be satisfied?
• Is there something that brings initial gratification, but leaves me completely broken?
• Is there something I know is wrong to do, but I do it anyway because I know Christ will forgive me later?

If so, you may be like 21-year-old me.  Trying to live a double-life, a fake-life.  It's time to be different, be made new in Christ. Christ is ready and willing to forgive your past, and give you a bright tomorrow.  Will you turn away from a lifestyle of habitual sin and turn toward to a life of righteousness in Christ?


Love,

Here is Sovereign Grace's "All I Have Is Christ."  This is a great song to listen to with today's devotional.  Check out more suggested songs in the back of your devotional.



What stuck out to you in the 3 chapters we read in 1 John?

What was your favorite verse from these passages?


More from New Bloom devotional:

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5

Day 6+7 | Day 8 | Day 9

Day 6 Serve + Day 7 Prayer and Journaling

Serving is the definition of humility; however, if we are not careful we can get in the habit of serving for the wrong reasons or to solely make ourselves feel better.  Christ, God in flesh and eternal king, came to serve others.  This is completely opposite of what you would expect of a king (and what we see in culture).  He is a holy God, if anything we should be the ones serving him; yet, he came not to be serve, but to humble himself and serve others.  As Christ-followers, we are called to reflect his glory.  One surefire way of doing this is to serve others with a heart made righteous by Christ.

Humbling ourselves doesn't come naturally, or even comfortably.  Maybe it does to you, but having teeth pulled feels easier some days.

Today's passages:

Philippians 2:1-11
Ephesians 5:15-21
Galatians 5:16-26
Romans 12:9-21
Matthew 20:26-28

If I am honest with myself and honest before the King of kings, I would have to say my lifestyle tend to disagree more than agree with the following:

• I go out of my way to serve others
• I want to know Jesus more
• I submit to authority/others easily
• I believe others are worth my time
• I have the mind of Jesus
• Spiritually, I use my time wisely
• I demonstrate great self-control

And my heart tends more to agree with the following:

• I have a prideful spirit
• I get jealous easily

Now I don't know what number you gave yourself in the self-evaluation, but humbling ourselves starts with a right picture of who were without Christ and who we have been made to be in Christ.

Ephesians 2 tells us that without Christ we were dead and considered children of Wrath.  To quote Landon Dowden from a BSU sermon at Mississippi State, "When you're dead, you can't get deader than dead. "  Without Christ, we are dead.  A dead person can't do anything, but be dead.  There is no life within.  We were children of wrath, completely isolated from the great redeeming love of Christ.  As children, our father was not Christ, it was Satan.

But because of God's great mercy and incredible love, he rescued us out of darkness and became our Father.  We are now children of the Light.  If you are in Christ, you have no reason to boast because there is absolutely nothing that you did to deserve Christ's love.  You didn't jump high enough or have a good enough voice. You didn't give enough money or say enough kind words.  You didn't serve enough or make good enough grade on every test.  You can't do anything enough.  If you have submitted to the Lordship of Christ, it is because Christ so graciously opened your eyes to his majesty.  You did nothing to win his grace.  He bestowed that grace on you freely.  And because of his great redeeming work in your life, we are to demonstrate Christ's love to others by serving them.

I don't want to disagree with the points above.  I don't want to agree with the points above.  I have done an awful job at serving others and reflecting the salvation that Christ provides.

Tomorrow is Day 7 of the New Bloom devotional.  It is designed for you to have a quality prayer and journaling time.  If any specific thing resonanted with you and the season you may be in right now, I encourage you to go back to that scripture and write it down.  Commit it to memory. Mediate on it. Use it as a guide to pray.  Whatever you use Day 7 to do, the Lord is patiently waiting for you to call on him.  He has so much to say to you.


Love,

Will you join me in committing to serving others with a right heart?

How did you evaluate yourself?

How did these scriptures challenge you today?


Here is Sovereign Grace's "Behold Our God."  Find more great songs on your suggested song list in the New Bloom devotional.



For a recap of New Bloom week 1:

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5