YES to GOD study: Chapter 9

It's that time of the week again for
I was so touched by your responses of the last post. Most of you got the message God put on my heart to write about the election. I have never pretended to write from any one's heart but my own or attempted to walk in anyone else's shoes as I trip myself up enough in my own size 9's. I try to view things with my own eyes based on my own experiences with God. I don't even try to pretend to know what my kids experience in their life for I can't imagine being of two different races and dealing with all that comes with that beauty. When I see my kids have worries, my husband and I try to direct them to Christ because their hope must be in God. Role models in the flesh are necessary as God uses many people to shape us, but when it comes down to it Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace MUST be our only focus of hope and we must keep our eyes fixed on Him.


A few weeks ago I shared with you about Justin and what a great influence he has had on my son Aaron, but if I teach Aaron to put all of his hope in Justin then I have failed my son. Justin is a man and sooner or later he will fall, like we all have and do. My responsibility as a woman seeking God is to teach my children to keep their focus on the Almighty One. Period. This is not an idea I have come up with, rather God did...


Hebrews 12:1-3(The Message Bible)

Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!

As we pray for President Bush whether you like the man or not we must also pray for President-elect Obama and his family, whether he was your choice or not.

May he lean on God to lead him.


Let's get started...

CHAPTER 9:

WE ARE COMPLETELY FLAWED AND YET FORGIVEN

Remember anything in blue is a quote from the book.

We women, as people and as followers of Christ, are completely flawed and yet forgiven completely.

We are flawed and forgiven all at the same time.


We are sinful, down to our very core, and we are sanctified, down to our very soul.


Starting on page 150, Lisa described what I would call a "morning from hell" that I would say if we were to be completely real with one another we have all had these. This morning maybe. But I loved what God showed Lisa through it...We are what I call perfectly imperfect. In other words, we were each born with a sin nature that often controls us and leads us to do things that go against what we really want to do.



One of the passages of Scripture that I can unfortunately relate to is the one that Lisa has in this chapter, Romans 7:15-18. Paul of all people could pen this with much passion. Our sin nature nudges us into doing things we crawl into bed at night and think...what just happened? If not careful we will find ourselves living a life that gives Beth Moore the material to write the study, "Why godly people do ungodly things".

If we do not allow ourselves to be controlled by the Holy Spirit, our sin nature takes over. And that's when things get really messy.


Lord knows I know this too well, but thank God my Redeemer lives and He tells me that I don't have to live a life controlled by my sin nature. He tells me that all things are possible with Him. He tells me that He will never give me more than I can handle. He tells me that He will use my past for His glory. So much different than the lies Satan tries to spoon feed me.



Being flawed is not the end of the story...we are not victims to our nature. The most beautiful part of this equation is how that flaw gives us the ability to be better. For if there were no flaw, there would be no reason for forgiveness. And then we wouldn't get to see the awesome power of God miraculously at work in our lives.

This reminds me of my sister's dog, Babe. When my sister moved out she left Babe behind at my parents' home. Mom and Dad's old house was on a corner of two very busy streets. Escaping from the confinement of the backyard was very costly to Babe as she was hit by a car. Michelle just happened to come over when the accident happened and scooped her up and took her to the vet. The advice given to Michelle was to put Babe down. Michelle sought a second opinion and today Babe trots around happily on 3 legs.



Babe was either going to be flawed or dead. If she was just flawed it meant she had more life to live. If Michelle would have agreed with the first animal doctor, Babe would be a memory.

Can't you just see this in our own lives? We mess up...we feel the shame and the enemy tells us that we are unusable and our life is over. He wants to just put us down and we believe the lies he feeds us instead of seeking God's opinion and listen to what He says about us...you are flawed child, but you are forgiven. Let me use your imperfections for my glory.


It is solely by the grace of God we can be forgiven.

While Satan would love for you to believe that you are too flawed and too unworthy of forgiveness, Jesus wants you to know that nothing could be farther from the truth.


...the flaws suddenly felt really important to the process.
Amen Lisagirl...amen!

When we begin to serve God and our past is used to glorify Him rather than shame us, that is when we get it. All of us who are flawed and forgiven if we ask for His forgiveness are so usable to Him.

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Next week...Chapter 10...The Truth Heals.

This will wrap up this book study and I can't wait to hear what God has done in your life between chapters 1 and 10.

Check back on Thursday to see what book we are doing for our next YES to GOD Tuesday study and when it will start.

You know I love you.
~Many Blessings~