In Christ - I am always in God's thoughts

I am always in God's thoughts...

Psalms 139:17,18 How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!  Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with You. 

Isaiah 49:15-16 "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!  See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands; your walls are ever before Me."  

Jeremiah 29:4-13 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon; “Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit.  Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters - that you may be increased there, and not diminished.  And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will have peace.  For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are in your midst deceive you, nor listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed.  For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them, says the LORD.  For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

October 27, 2011
Never Lost
Gwen Smith
Today’s Truth

See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands... (Isaiah 49:16a)

Friend to Friend

A few years ago our family got a bouncy little puppy named Roman. One of the first things we did when Roman became a Smith was head to the pet store for doggie supplies. In addition to purchasing chew toys, a collar, and food, we ordered Roman a nameplate to go on his collar in case he ever gets lost. The cashier sold us two tokens for the tag, and sent us to the other side of the store to the engraving machine.          

The kids and I approached the engraving machine with giddy hearts. After we slid the two metal tokens into the coin slot, we looked at our ID options and settled on the blue bone for Roman’s collar. Then the engraving machine prompted us to enter Roman’s puppy information. Once we were satisfied that all the information was accurate, I gave the command for the computer to begin the engraving.           

The machine engraved just one letter at a time. With each stroke of the machine’s needle, Roman’s name began to appear, along with our address and phone number. When the engraving was finished, we immediately put the tag onto Roman’s collar. The blue bone boasts that Roman belongs to the Smith family.           

For us, in this world, we have to put our names on things so we don’t lose them. We put our names on our luggage, on our pet collars, on our backpacks, and in our Bibles. I even have a “page” button on my cordless phone so it can beep when I lose the phone in my house. I’ve also been known to lose my keys, my driver’s license, my cell phone and my purse. (Scary!)
Thankfully, God doesn’t have the same problem with losing things. He doesn’t need to put His name on anything. What’s His is His forever.           

If you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ, take comfort in the fact that you can never be lost and that you are never out of God’s sight. There might be times when you feel invisible - times when you feel lost – times when you stubbornly choose your ways over His – or times when you feel alone, but the Bible tells us that your name is engraved on the palms of God’s hands, and that nothing can separate you from God’s love or snatch you from His hand. Nothing.

“I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.” Romans 8:38-39,
MSG

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” John 10:27-29, ESV

“All whom My Father gives (entrusts) to Me will come to Me; and the one who comes to Me I will most certainly not cast out [I will never, no never, reject one of them who comes to Me].” John 6:37, AMP

God knows your name. He knows where you live. He’s got your number. You’re never lost. Praise Him!

Let’s Pray

Heavenly Father, Thank you for engraving my name on the palms of your hands. Please help me to remember the way home when I get lost, distracted or confused. “Because Your love is better than life, and my lips will glorify you!” (Psalm 63:3, NIV)
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Have you ever lost a pet?  I thought I had one night recently – and even though he had a collar and tag, I wasn’t sure he’d let anyone get close enough to him to catch him and bring him to safety – even me.  He’s a bit of a “fraidy cat” – you will probably never see him if you come to my house to visit – and I have yet to be able to hold and snuggle him since my move into my new house last month – that’s how skittish he is.  And it’s really silly – I’m not going to hurt him – I want to lavish him with love and attention – I want him to know he’s my beautiful boy and give him kisses on his little pick nose – but he’ll have none of it.  I have to admit that there have been times in my life that I’ve been that way with God – a bit skittish in His presence – not sure what His mood was – afraid to let Him get too close for fear of what He might do.  Looking back I realize just how silly that was!  God is always thinking about me – always looking out for my best – always wanting to show me how much He loves me!  I don’t ever have to be afraid of Him – if I’ve come to Him on His terms then I’m His child – and my name is engraved on the palm of His hands – forever!  If you’re like my Stashe, relax and let God love on you today!  Sharon

In Christ - I am washed clean from my sins

I am washed clean from my sins...

Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."

Ezekiel 36:25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 

Joni and Friends Daily Devotion – February 16, 2009

“Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin (KJV).  Psalm 51:2

“

Because I cannot reach for a Bible and flip open the pages with my hands, I make it a point to memorize scripture. It's the only way I can have the Word of God at my fingertips! For me, memorizing portions of the Bible is very practical.  I use the King James Version of the Bible when I commit God's Word to memory. The words are uncommon - a little like poetry - and my mind seems to retain it easier.

“When I was memorizing Psalm 51, I stopped short at the second verse.  It says, "Wash me throughly from mine iniquity."  At first I thought it was a printing error, but after a little research, I learned it was the Elizabethan-English-way of saying "through and through." You could paraphrase it, "Wash me through and through from my iniquity."  It's not many times I prefer English from the 16th century, but this time I did. I don't want God to merely scrub me good on the outside - it's not a matter of cleansing me from my sin - but washing me clean, clear through.

“The word "throughly" doesn't exist anymore. When I wrote it on my computer, my automatic spell check kept trying to change it to thoroughly. But I'm with Shakespeare, Queen Elizabeth, and King James on this one.  I don't want God to do a surface job on my character; I want him to get rid of every vestige of deep-down hidden sins.

 * * * * * * * *

“First Thessalonians 5:23-24 says (in modern English), "May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." From what hidden or secret sins can you ask God to wash you through and through today?

“Lord, I confess______________________. Thank you for forgiving me and completely cleansing me from all unrighteousness. Safeguard my heart and mind and keep me pure.”

This reminds me of a recent situation I was faced with – whether or not to have old carpets cleaned, or have them removed and new carpet installed. The stains were deep and dark – and I had more than one person tell me that if the carpets were cleaned that the deep, ground in stain would resurface – in a few months the carpet would look just as bad as it did before I had them cleaned.  As expensive as it was, I opted to have the old carpets removed, and replaced the padding and carpet.  Now I don’t have to worry about an old stain coming up and ruining my new carpet!  How many times in my own life have I been willing to do the “cheap” fix on the filth in my heart – I’d submit to the surface cleaning – but what I really needed was a NEW spirit and a new self – and when I finally understood that and came to God on His terms, that’s exactly what I got – a clean slate – a brand new heart and soul!  There are times when I think back to the stains of sin in my life – not with guilt and regret - but with gratitude that He’s made me “white as snow!”  If you know there’s something you need to take to the Father, I encourage you to do so quickly – let Him wash you through and through!  Sharon

In Christ - I am a child of God

I am a child of God...

Psalms 68:5 A Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling. 

John 1:12,13 Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God--children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. 

Romans 8:14-15 Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.  For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, <"Abba,> Father."  

I John 3:1  How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

April 21, 2010 

Embraced by the Father

Susanne Scheppmann 

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him." 1 John 3:1 (NIV)

Devotion:

Her smile lit up the room when her daddy entered. Her rosebud lips spread into a wide beam of a smile. Her silky black hair leapt about her face as she bounced excitedly on the balls of her feet. She looked like Snow White after a large cup of espresso. The man started the music and began to walk toward her. He stopped and opened wide his muscular arms—the familiar invitation to dance. She raced to him and perched herself atop his feet. They began two-stepping to their special song, "My Personal Penguin." The princess was dancing with her Prince Charming—her daddy.

Bittersweet joy washed over me like a warm spring rain as I witnessed this scene between my son and granddaughter. Happiness for my granddaughter flowed into my heart, but there was also a tinge of sadness. I regretted never having experienced the same type of father-daughter relationship with my earthly dad.

My own father resembled the character of Rhett Butler from Gone with the Wind. He was suave, handsome, and self-assured, but a rogue. I traveled through my childhood and adolescence wishing for a Rhett Butler type of man to whisk me off my feet. I desired a rogue to embrace me with a wild and untamed love. Because of my "father image," I actually desired imperfect love from people. A flawed love would hurt, but it still appealed to my broken heart. I believed falsely that love could only be achieved through volatile sparks of emotion, fueled by the uncertainty of the love.

Of course, it was all a misguided representation of a girl's broken heart. But now, I have learned to know a perfect love—the love of my heavenly Father. Only He has been able to fill my heart with a perfect love. The night I accepted His love, He began to reveal to me the character of a faultless Father. As the Father embraced me, my idea of errant love slid into oblivion. I learned the true meaning of love as I gained knowledge of God. He taught me His characteristics and personality through the diversity of His names, but my favorite will always be Father—Abba—my Daddy.

Do you know Abba—the heavenly Father? He is waiting for you with His arms wide open.  Come and be embraced by the Father.

I know I’ve been blessed to have a daddy who showers me with love – even to this day I know that he’ll do anything to make sure I’m happy, healthy and safe.  There’s never been a time in my life when I doubted his love for me.  Was he perfect?  No.  But neither am I!  AND – he’s pretty darned close!  SO – it’s been easy for me to believe that God loves me, too.  I know that’s not the case for many women – they didn’t have the kind of dad I had, so they’ve gone looking for love in all the wrong places – which usually doesn’t end well.  The awesome news about our Heavenly Father is that no matter how far we’ve gone from His side, we can always come back.  Do you feel isolated – cut off from the Father’s love?  Run to Him – jump into His arms – let Him whisper in your ear.  I’ll bet you hear how much He loves you – always has – and always will.  Learn to trust that love – let it guide you – direct you – protect you – provide for you.  Your Heavenly Father has good plans for you!  Sharon

In Christ - I am strong in the Lord

I am strong in the Lord...

Psalms 18:1,2  I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 

Psalms 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation--whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life--of whom shall I be afraid? 

Ephesians 6:10  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 

Isaiah 40:29-31 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;  but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. 

Joni and Friends Daily Devotional
November 17, 2010

"They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." 

-Isaiah 40:31

Birds overcome the lower law of gravity by the higher law of flight. And what is true for birds is true for the soul. Souls that soar on wings like eagles overcome the lower law of sin and death. Hannah Whitall Smith writes, "The 'law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus' must necessarily be a higher and more dominant law than the law of sin and death; therefore, the soul that has mounted into this upper region of the life in Christ cannot fail to conquer and triumph." *^[1]

Why is it then that so many Christians fail to conquer? Perhaps it's because we fail to mount up and soar with wings and choose instead to live on the same low level as our trials. Little wonder we blunder when the battleground we choose is on an earthly plane. Christians are powerless there; that is, unless they shift to a higher battleground and choose weapons of warfare that are spiritual.

What we need is perspective. We need to see what birds see. When, like eagles, we soar on wings, trials look extraordinarily different. When viewed from their own level, trials look like impassable walls, but when viewed from above, the wall appears as a thin line, something easily overcome.

You have wings. You don't need stronger, better ones. You don't need more wings, or larger ones. You possess all that you need to gain a heavenly perspective on your trials and thereby overcome. A passive or inactive trust in the Lord won't do. To use your wings is to actively trust in God.

Lord, I don't want to trust You in theory or in word only. I want my trust in You to be as active and as strenuous as "mounting up with wings." As I do, thank You for the higher, heavenly perspective You give me over my trials.

---

^[1]* Smith, Hannah Whitall, The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life, Fleming H. Revell Company, Old Tappan, New Jersey, 1976, p.169.

When you’ve done all you can do – and then some – and still don’t feel victorious – remember that God never asked you to do anything for Him in YOUR strength!  Learning to rely on HIS strength in trials and in times of weakness means giving up believing that we can do anything without Him.  We are strong “IN THE LORD” – not strong in ourselves – but in HIM.  That’s a message I need to be reminded of often – I push myself for too long and get worn out – but when I rest in Jesus and allow Him to control my calendar, I have all the strength I need to do what He’s called me to do!  Sharon

In Christ - I am able to sleep without fear

I am able to sleep without fear...

Psalms 3:5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me. 

Psalms 4:8 I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. 

From Daily Guideposts, 2009, June 18 –

“I flicked on my flashlight and looked at the clock; it was only midnight.  I plumped my pillow.  My mind was spinning out of control with ‘what ifs.’ Earlier that day my mare had given birth to Wind Dancer, a gangly-legged, floppy-eared red mule – my dream mule.  The owners of the guest ranch where I worked had let me electric-fence a separate pasture away from their huge herd.  It was the safest – and only – option available.  But I knew the dangers of newborn colts and electric fences.

“I rolled on my back, my eyes open wide. What if Wind Dancer gets tangled up in the wire with the current shocking her?  What if a deer runs through the fence and knocks it down and Wind Dancer escapes?  Maybe I should check on them.  As I sat up in bed, my German shepherd groaned loudly, as if to say, ‘Ahem, I’m trying to sleep.’

“’Exactly, Tess, I’m trying to sleep too.’  Or was I?  I had created a drama of ‘what ifs,’ and nothing had happened – everything was fine. 

“There was one thing I hadn’t done.  Lord, I’m worried about this electric fence, but there isn’t anything else I can do. Please guard and protect them.  Immediately God’s peace flooded my spirit, and within minutes I fell asleep.

“The next day I watched Wind Dancer zipping around the pasture.  As soon as she approached the electric fence, her mom blocked her way.  I pulled up my green plastic lawn chair and watched.  Every time that red mule neared the fence, the mare herded her away.

“I guess I’ll never know if God gave the mare wisdom or if it was conditioning or instinct or His angels, but I did learn that when I gave my dramatized ‘what ifs’ to God, I could finally sleep.”

Rebecca Ondov

What are you stressing about today?  Is something keeping you awake at night?  I have a long list at the moment – moving into a new home – finding carpet that I can afford – packing up everything and getting the town house ready to rent – will I be able to make both payments? – our Banquet is tomorrow night and we’re madly dashing about trying to get ready – the list goes on and on.  I know I have to put my head on the pillow tonight and trust God to work it all out – in His way and in His time.  And ready or not the Banquet will happen – I will get moved – and life will settle back down.  One day at a time – sometimes one moment at a time – trusting God to walk with me through all of life’s challenges!

__________________________

Sharon Pearce, Director

Silent Voices International

In Christ - I am blessed

I am blessed...

Deuteronomy 28:2-14 All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God:  The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock--the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.  Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.  The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven. The LORD will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The LORD your God will bless you in the land He is giving you. The LORD will establish you as His holy people, as He promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the LORD your God and walk in His ways.  Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will fear you. The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity--in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground--in the land He swore to your forefathers to give you. The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of His bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.  The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.  Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.

Psalms 1:1-3 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. 

Psalms 65:4 Blessed are those You choose and bring near to live in Your courts! We are filled with the good things of Your house, of Your holy temple. 

Ephesians 1:3  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 

 KPRZ – Encouragement for Today/May 12, 2011/Lysa TerKeurst

"Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." Philippians 2:4 (NIV)

Devotion:

I am a magnet for strange.

Seriously.

Recently I was outside with my three dogs soaking up the sunshine. After being in snowy Pennsylvania the weekend before, I needed the warmth of the Carolinas to soak deeply into my bones. Southern girls don't do snow in the spring.

Anyhow, back to the sunshine and dogs. We got a new puppy named "Willow" for Christmas. Well, our other dogs Champ and Chelsea aren't sure what to think of precious, little three-pound, Willow.

She annoys them. In every way.

I thought it would be a good investment for the dog relations in our home if I spent time with them outside to help them all feel the love. So, I sat on the ground and loved on each dog.
They enveloped me in a flurry of wet kisses, fur, and stinky dog breath. I was having a ball. And they were all getting along. Bliss.

Until...Willow came and sat on my lap. Claiming the prized location of closeness with me, I don't think she realized the signal she was sending. Champ suddenly backed up and growled. His tail stopped wagging. And he was not happy.

"Oh Champ," I reassured him, "Willow is a baby. Be nice."

More growling.

"No sir! Champ, be nice. Come here. I can love on you while Willow sits in my lap," I reassured him once again, while rubbing behind his ears.

He seemed to be happy again, and licked my cheek.

More bliss.

But then, out of the blue, he walked beside me, looked straight at Willow, lifted his leg, and drenched me in tee-tee!

What in the world!? I couldn't believe what was happening.

After recovering from my shock and changing my clothes, I Googled it.

Some say Champ was marking his territory. "That's MY mama!"

His strong expression of "MINE" was a stark reminder to me of just how disgusting a heart bent on self can be. Champ couldn't enjoy all he was experiencing in the moment, because he was so laser focused on the one way he felt slighted.

SELFishness! ME! MINE! MINE! MINE!

Several years ago, God challenged me to recognize and refute selfishness by seeing — really seeing all that I've been given. And never looking at a blessing I was given as something just for me. I always make myself think two things...

1. Thank You God for entrusting this blessing to me. I know it is a gift from You.

2. How can I use this as an opportunity to bless someone else? The blessing will be more rewarding if it's not all about me.

Do these things come naturally? Not at first. Not in a 'me first,' Mine! Mine! Tee-tee on others kind of world.

But we aren't called to live according to the norm, doing what comes naturally.

We are called to rise above. Be set apart. Be different. Be pure in every way. "Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure" (1 John 3:3).

What blessing do you have that might need to be shared today? What blessing do I have that might need to be shared today?

Right in the midst of what we're doing today, how can we graciously and purely represent Christ as we RE-present Him everywhere we go?

Good stuff to ponder as I washed my smelly outfit that day.

Dear Lord, thank You for every good and perfect gift You have given me. Help me to put others before me and to have a heart to see them as You do. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

If you have pets, you know how they can teach us SO much about our own behavior and attitudes!  My cats are always teaching me something – it cracks me up when they do something and I can totally see how it applies to my life!  I’ve never had one “tee-tee” on me – but I’ve had them “tee-tee” other places to let me know how unhappy they are.  Learning to share doesn’t come easily to animals – nor to us humans.  When we have something that we really enjoy, it’s hard to graciously give it to someone else. That’s not the case in every culture – I’ve been in homes in Romania, Russia, Zambia and India where you really have to be careful about how much you admire something, because they’ll just GIVE it to you.  It’s humbling – I can’t think of the last time I’ve done that!  God has blessed us with SO much – and we need to see everything He’s given us as a gift to be shared.  Our blessings aren’t  just for us – they’re for all those people we rub up against every day.  Take a look around you and see who God might want to bless through you today – and then do it!  Sharon

In Christ - I am forgiven!

I am forgiven...

II Samuel 12:13  Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die."

Hebrews 9:11-15 But Christ came as our High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.  Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption .  For if the blood of bulls and goats and ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more, then, will the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!   And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

Colossians 1:14 In Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 

I John 2:12 I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of His name. 

I John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 

Caution: Mind at Work

Luann Prater

"'Then neither do I condemn you,' Jesus declared. 'Go now and leave your life of sin.'" John 8:11 (NIV)

"’Hey!  I want a do-over!’ she screamed. The sun was clearly blinding her as she struck the volleyball with her fist to serve.  She didn't see the serve fly straight into the hands of the opposing team. It was interesting to watch the reaction of her teammates. Some agreed to offer her grace, others muttered, ‘Tough stuff! Too bad!’ Middle school volleyball resembles a story that Jesus lived.

“In the middle of an ordinary teaching day Jesus shared a revealing truth about our Savior.  The Pharisees interrupted His lesson by dragging in front of the crowd a woman who had been caught in adultery.

“This woman had obvious, visible sin in her life.  She was caught red-handed.  It was easy for the lawgivers to snatch this life and display it before the crowd.  They had their motives for bursting onto the scene, but Jesus flipped their intentions upside down.

“When these puffed up leaders asked Jesus if this woman should be stoned, ‘Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger’ (vs. 6b, NIV).

“Did you catch His reaction to the confrontation? Silence. His mind was at work, but His mouth was not.  We learn from scripture that Jesus asked His Father in heaven about every decision before moving forward. Why would this situation be any different?

“We've probably all heard that pausing to count to ten before getting angry can diffuse an argument, but I want to park here a minute to see what Jesus did.

 “Jesus' agenda had just been altered by a bunch of self-righteous leaders. He was preparing to teach truth, and now He had the opportunity to live it. Instead of a quick response He hit the pause button while the Pharisees continued the barrage. Jesus was in no rush to respond.

 “As He bent down, I imagine Him offering up prayers. He saw that broken woman, He heard that accusing crowd, and yet His focus was on truth. The verse tells us He didn't just stand up, He straightened up. Jesus knew about body language before it was hip to study it. The power of this visual communication meant that He was about to say something that would pierce their hearts.

 “Many scholars have guessed Jesus was writing on the ground all of the sins of each of the accusers there.  His words, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her" (vs. 7, NIV), must have been the first glimpse of light this woman had seen in a long time.  Finally, someone saw value in her beyond the bedroom.

 “Can you imagine the flood of emotions filling her at that moment? She witnessed hope in the middle of her circumstance. Jesus then straightened up to speak to her.  He declared that He did not condemn her but she must leave her life of sin. She was given a do-over!

 “Have you ever wished for a do-over in life? I have. I've been that woman who had no hope. I'm a witness: Jesus is the master of second chances. Throughout the Bible He not only raised the physically dead, He resurrected the spiritually and emotionally dead as well. 

“Romans 3:10 tells us, ‘There is no one righteous, not even one’ (NIV). Jesus wants you to see that you are not alone. If you look around and think that everyone else has it all together, this story is for you.  No one is righteous, not even one!  Everyone has their sins, some are just more visible than others.  But Jesus knows your heart.  He knows your struggles.  He sees what plagues your life.

 “Where are you in this story?  Are you the adulterous woman looking for hope?  Are you the leader looking to condemn?  Are you part of the crowd standing silently in the background?  There was only One in this story without sin and He offered grace.

 “Jesus gave us the perfect example of how to live the truth.  Quietly seek the Father's guidance. Think before we speak. Then straighten up and live redeemed.

 “He has come to give you a second chance; a do-over. Will you listen to His voice?”

I hope you’ll listen – and that you’ll accept His gift of grace if you’re the adulterous woman looking for hope.  I hope you’ll repent if you’re the leader looking to condemn.  And I really hope you’ll choose to stand up and speak out if you’re part of the crowd standing silently in the background. Jesus’ message was for all of them – and all of us.  Can we remain overwhelmed by our sin if we really listen to His words of forgiveness and compassion?  Sure – it might be difficult to believe – but Jesus is the Son of God – GOD – speaking these words – and His word can be trusted – always.  Can we remain blinded to our own sin when confronted with the truth of Jesus – that everyone is a sinner – that we all need the same forgiveness He was offering this woman?  Can we stand silently by while others judge – and would even kill – someone caught “in the very act” of sin?  Jesus’s words should change us – restore us – transform us – empower us – to live for Him – speak for Him – and to rest in His amazing grace!  Sharon