Confessions Of A Worker Bee

If you are a worker bee like me, you probably find great satisfaction in accomplishing tasks. Some part of my mind finds worth and value in my productivity, and my days are filled with goals to be accomplished. Some are mundane like laundry or chores. Others have more impact like mentoring or counseling. Whatever my task, I feel most valuable and significant when I’m doing something.

Confession: sometimes, that idea translates to my faith. There are times that I feel more valuable to God because I’m doing something for Him like serving at church, or coaching someone in ministry, or leading a bible study. When I’m busy doing good things that honor God, I’m tempted to believe that He loves me more than when I’m not, as if my activity earns or prevents His acceptance of me.

Thankfully, the apostle Paul wrote a letter to a group of people who grappled with the same issue, and he clearly refuted the idea that Christians can work hard enough or be good enough to earn God’s approval.

“Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by keeping the law? Of course not, for the Holy Spirit came upon you only after you believed the message you heard about Christ.  Have you lost your senses? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?” Galatians 3: 2-3 NLT

In this Thanksgiving week, I’m reminded of how thankful I should be in light of what God has done for me. The 10 Commandments….the Laws of Leviticus….the commands in Scripture to be pure, holy, and blameless….well, I could never, ever live a life of perfect obedience! I mess up. Daily. Paul taught that Christ came to free us from the prison of guilt and shame from the sins we commit. Our failure to perfectly obey the Law reveals how desperately we needed a Savior who could provide another way for us! Just as importantly, Paul taught that no human effort earns God’s favor….only belief in His son does.

So, the next time I lose my senses and confuse my activity and God’s favor, I’ll remember Galatians chapter 3. My human effort cannot make me worthy in God’s eyes. Even my best efforts fall short of His standards. Yet, I’ve been made worthy because of the sacrifice of Jesus. Worthy. Loved. Accepted. Forgiven. Valuable.

I can’t comprehend His love….His pursuit of mankind…His desire to be my friend….but I’m oh, so thankful. Nothing I do (or fail to do) can change His love for me! 

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Bless Your Heart

I live in the South where the phrase “bless your heart” can be a warm sentiment or an insult. More often, it’s a pity-filled insult. Whether it’s the lady wearing the worst outfit ever or the man with the over-the-top personality, we notice. Oh yes, we size people up and judge their attitudes and behaviors.

Guilty as charged. In the last hour, I’ve had opinionated thoughts about a local lawyer’s questionable TV ads and someone’s choice of social media posts. Don’t even get me started on people’s driving habits. In that arena, I always have an opinion.

But Paul challenged us in Romans chapter 2 to take a closer look at our swiftness to judge….and a closer look at what we are judging. Check it out:

“….When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you do these very same things.” Romans 2:1 NLT

While we might be guilty of shaking our heads at questionable outfits, we are probably also guilty of judging others for their actions.

• “She hasn’t been to church in years.”
• “He had an affair.”
• “Did you hear? He embezzled money from his job!”
• “She is such a gossip. You can’t trust her!”
• “Wow. He is so sarcastic. All. The. Time.”
• “She got caught in a lie. It’s not the first time either….”

The truth is it is much easier to tell someone else how to behave than to behave properly ourselves. It’s easier to quote the bible than it is to actually live out its principles. And it’s certainly more fun to point out someone else’s offenses than to deal with our own.

Yet, Paul didn’t mince words. He clearly stated that God will judge ALL of us for our secret lives.

“The day will surely come when God, by Jesus Christ, will judge everyone’s secret life.” Romans 2:16 NLT

YIKES. That put things into perspective. God desires us to be soft-hearted people who aren’t judgemental but are compassionate, patient with others, and kind with our thoughts and words.

And He expects us to turn our pointing fingers back on ourselves. Looking at the list of “judgments” above, we could choose to notice those actions in others but use those moments as a springboard to take an inward look:

• I might be going to church weekly, but how is my personal love relationship with God?
• He might have had an affair, but what am I doing to be the best spouse I can be?
• He embezzled money, but do I take shortcuts with my money? Do I ever take what doesn’t belong to me? Do I steal in small ways?
• She gossips, but do I protect others with my words?
• He is insulting with his sarcasm, but do I proactively encourage others?
• She lies, but am I always honest?

The bottom line, friends, is God is concerned not only with our integrity, but also with our compassion for others. Instead of judging, let’s love. And let’s evaluate our own personal integrity level so that we won’t bear the title of hypocrite.

Here’s our challenge for today: Each time we notice something negative about another person, let’s take an inward look to evaluate if any hypocrisy can be found in our hearts/actions.

This one simple exercise just might be a game changer in our lives!

Sherlock, John, and Paul….and life lessons along the way

I love TV. What can I say? I’m a child of the 80’s when we watched all the greats: Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, Cheers, The Wonder Years, and MacGyver. On summer days, I would wake up in time to watch reruns of The Love Boat while eating Captain Crunch. On school nights, my homework was completed in time for Moonlighting with Bruce Willis. Oh, yes. I’m a TV girl.

Still to this day my TV is on most of the time. But network programming is so yesterday for me. Now, Netflix owns me. No commercials. Binge-watching. Thousands of options. I confess I often spend more time surfing those options than I do actually viewing movies, yet My List on Netflix is full.

My latest binge-worthy find? Sherlock. It airs on PBS on Masterpiece Mystery, but seasons 1-3 are available on Netflix, and I’m hooked. Last night, I watched an episode in which two characters were at complete odds. One had betrayed another, and weeks of confrontations and accusations had ensued.

Then, came the moment. John forgave his wife. He said her past was her’s to deal with, but her future was his privilege to embrace. Tears streamed down her face as she accepted his forgiveness. John embraced his wife in comfort even as he confessed that he was still very angry. Nevertheless, he longed to restore the relationship. Score! That was a great scene.

Now, I don’t want to stretch too far, but we could all learn a thing or two from John Watson. Better yet, let’s learn from the Apostle Paul….he probably has more authority since he was a real person and all.

In his second letter to the church in Corinth, Paul dealt with a church discipline issue. Previously, the church had united in confronting a man over a particular sin. I’m sure it was difficult and painful. What confrontation isn’t? In 2 Corinthians, however, Paul shared profound wisdom. Check it out:

“Now it is time to forgive him and comfort him. Otherwise he may become so discouraged that he won’t be able to recover. Now show him that you still love him.” 2 Cor 2: 7-8 (NLT)

Wow. That is a practical instruction for each of us today! Paul is referring to the church discipline issue, but the instruction resonates with me! There is a time to confront and a time to comfort. In parenting….in marriage….in friendships….in working relationships…..we need to know when to confront and when to offer the comfort of forgiveness.  

Paul said there was a time to confront and there was time to comfort….otherwise the offender might become too discouraged to recover from his mistake. 

The same is true for people in our lives.

• We cannot hold grudges against our spouses.
• We cannot deal too harshly with our children.
• We cannot ostracize other people.

Friends, let’s hold high standards but be full of grace, comfort, and love. Let’s not use discipline or confrontation in an unforgiving way. Remember, the goal of discipline or confrontation is to restore the relationship, not to destroy the person. When people in our lives repent, let’s shelve our anger and graciously forgive. After all, that’s what God does for us every day. 

What does that look like for you today?

 

The Perspective Shift That Changes Everything

The apostle, Paul, never ceases to amaze me. 2 Corinthians 1: 3-11 details the trials and suffering Paul endured as he preached God’s messages in Asia. He and his friends were “overwhelmed” and “crushed” and thought they “were going to die.” Those are real emotions and experiences, not just some quaint story in a book. Paul’s focus, however, was the comfort God gave during those trials. He viewed his suffering as something to be expected in life, and he viewed God’s comfort as the beautiful gift….the supernatural strength…..to help him endure. Shifting perspective from despair to joy is nothing short of amazing.

Ok, friends. Let’s get real. Do we view life and difficulties in the same way as Paul? Do we count it as a joy to suffer in order to experience God’s comfort? Do we then count it as a joy to pass the same kind of comfort to others who are struggling? Our struggles, though very real, pale in comparison to Paul. Most of us aren’t in jail or being physically harmed for our beliefs. Nevertheless, I don’t want to minimize our trials.

• Conflicts in our relationships can bring emotional turmoil.
• Financial stress can bring fear and anxiety.
• Depression can bring isolation and unhappiness.
• Parenting can bring exhaustion and frustration.
• Medical issues can bring fear and irritation.

When we face a trial, our focus is often the trial, itself. We tend to pay attention to our pain and become discouraged. Paul was the same way, I’m sure. He wouldn’t have been human to respond any other way. But, Paul overcame his human emotions and put his eyes on God in the midst of frustration, fear, and unhappiness. He looked for the ways God was ministering to him, and he chose to be the man God wanted him to be, to soak up God’s comfort, and to pass that strength and motivation to others.

How can we do the same thing? How can we rise above the trials we face and look for God’s comfort?

• We can praise God for the love and friendship of our spouse rather than complaining about their shortcomings.
• We can pause to thank God for the paychecks that cover our bills and provide for entertainment for our families rather than complaining that we don’t have enough.
• We can meditate on the goodness of God – His unending love, His forgiveness, His strength, His righteousness – rather than the perils of our problems.
• We can look for the ways He refreshes us daily – through a bible verse, in an unexpected financial gain, in the words of a friend, in a burst of energy that allows us to get more done that we thought we could, in a quiet whisper that He loves you – instead of being blind to His activity.

So here’s my challenge for today: Don’t allow trials to be your focus or bring you down. Focus, instead, on the ways God is carrying you through the trials!

Some of you might have a hard time seeing God at work in your lives, however. If you don’t feel like He is carrying  through your trials, that could suggest you are separated from God. Feeling far from God, not hearing His voice….these are indications that you might have a relationship issue with your Father. The truth is sin causes separation in every form. Can I encourage you to pause right now and talk to God? Confess any sin and draw close to Him again.

Our trials will be difficult, but God’s comfort is enough to see us through. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you!

 

I’ve Had This Conversation Hundreds Of Times

In 20 years of ministry I’ve had the conversation hundreds of times. Maybe more.

You know the one. The one in which someone says they are too busy to read the bible. Or they don’t understand it. Or they admit they hit the snooze button on the alarm clock and run out of time.

We are all guilty of it, right? Who among us hasn’t employed those excuses? Even the most righteous struggle in this area from time to time. Trust me. Life in our culture is too busy – too distracting – and, we’d rather get on with our day than to be still with God.

Yet, God is always faithful to speak through His Word when we crack open the Bible and dive in. Sometimes He teaches us something about His character. Other times His words put courage in our hearts. He guides us, directs us, inspires us, and corrects us through those words. He moves us, empowers us, and reminds us of Who He is….and who we are.

Which reminds me of another conversation I’ve had hundreds of times. Maybe more.

The one in which someone expresses their shock over how beneficial a few quiet moments with God can be.

“Wow. That verse was exactly what I needed today.”

“I feel so much better about my day because I started it with God.”

“God used those verses to comfort me in my lowest moments.”

“I needed an answer, and God spoke clearly this morning.”

It’s true. All of us, including myself, are often amazed at how practical and relevant Scripture is, and we are surprised when God chooses to weave His Word and our experiences together to be loud in our lives.

You’d think those kinds of experiences with God would keep us coming back for more. You’d think that getting a taste of wisdom or comfort or inspiration would develop a craving to spend more time with God.

But, then again, we are easily distracted.

We are busy.

And so we settle for whatever news or agenda or soundbite that is thrown in front of us. We allow our spirit to be informed by the covers of magazines or the headlines. We allow culture to dictate what we think about right and wrong…about good and evil.

Rather than feasting on Truth, we devour trash.

Friends, we don’t have to settle for that. We can feast! We can be inspired to make wise decisions. We can learn Who God is and how He relates to His people. We can learn how to overcome temptation. We can learn how to love our enemy. We can receive comfort in unexplainable ways. Peace can flood our minds. Self-worth can sky-rocket. Spiritual growth can explode.

Each morning.

In a few quiet moments.

With God.

Today, toss the trash and enjoy a feast. Do it tomorrow, too. You’ll never regret spending time with the One who loves you. What will you choose today?

“A wise person is hungry for knowledge while the fool feeds on trash.” Proverbs 15:14

I Fell Off The Wagon

What was your New Year’s Resolution? If guilt is making you choke just a little as you recall your commitment, you are in good company. Maybe you, like me, have fallen off the “new year, new me” bandwagon.

For 2015, my family made a year-long resolution to focus on spiritual virtues. One each month.

In January, we focused on encouragement. In February, love. March was all about displaying joy and a good attitude. We have tracked our progress on oversized post-it pads hanging in our den by writing down the ways we’ve demonstrated these virtues. As a parent and wife, I had moments of sheer pride as I witnessed my family soaring.

Then, April came. dun, dun, duuuunnnn.

Our intention was to focus on kindness. Easy, right? Suuuurrreeee.

We simply didn’t do it. We didn’t take advantage of teachable moments. We weren’t proactive. And, there were several moments days when all of us were plain mean.

So what do we do when we fall off the wagon? Get back on! So what if we messed up, missed out, or took a few backward steps? If we fall down, we get back up!

This month, our family is focusing on RESPONSIBILITY. (The irony wasn’t lost on me.)

Being responsible isn’t just a notion instilled in us by our parents to clean our rooms or arrive on time for work. It is a character virtue commanded by God for His children to be accountable for our lives and actions. It is a moral obligation to behave in ways that honor God.

The bible explains that each of us are personally responsible for our lives. Check it out:

The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.” Ezekiel 18:20

God even explains that we will be rewarded for our responsibility (or lack thereof):

“Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds. Woe to the wicked! Disaster is upon them! They will be paid back for what their hands have done.” Isaiah 3: 10-11

Did you notice that God wasn’t describing rewards and consequences in Heaven or Hell. He was talking about life right here on earth! Don’t miss this: responsibility reaps rewards; irresponsibility reaps consequences. 

Now, that’s not new info, is it? It’s actually a relatively elementary thought. Yet, often the most elementary thoughts are the most profound.

Consider these things:

• We are personally responsible for our actions.
• We are personally responsible to work and provide for ourselves and families.
• We are personally responsible to obey God’s commands.
• We are personally responsible for our response to the Gospel.
• We are personally responsible for telling others about God’s great love.
• We are personally responsible for our character.
• We are personally responsible for our spiritual growth.

Yet, we often avoid responsibility by shifting blame to others. It’s someone else’s fault. We excuse laziness. We ignore God’s commands. We fear talking about our faith with others. We rationalize poor character. We blame the church for not being “deep” enough. 

If responsibility reaps rewards, these excuses for irresponsibility are leading us down a path of demise! Let’s choose instead to be accountable for each moment of each day.

Why not join my family in taking personal responsibility for life this month? Choose an area and start walking a path that leads to rewards!

Perpetual Planning Paralysis

I’m not one to make rash decisions. No spontaneous big purchases. No impetuous schedule changes. I’m what one would call a “planner.”

When hosting parties in my home, I orchestrate the details of guest lists, seating arrangements, and clean up well in advance of the soirée. When I supervise church events, oversized post-it pad papers full of instructions plaster the walls of my planning sessions. And if my husband offers a last minute change to any of my schemes, well let’s just say marital discord looms.

Being a planner has its upside. Considering all the details of an event or decision helps to avoid pitfalls like surprise expenses or overlooked guests. The world needs people like me. But all that planning has its downside, as well.

Let me give you an example. I’ve been planning a bedroom makeover for my 6th grade daughter. Her room is a hodgepodge of hand-me-down’s, and it’s time to give her a more grown up space. For the last several months (months, I said), I have pinned paint colors on Pinterest, made wish lists at Target, and searched decor ideas in magazines. Months. I have plotted and planned for months without taking any real action. No new furniture has been purchased. No wall has been painted. No old things have been thrown out. Apparently, I have become stymied in perpetual planning paralysis.

Well, no more. Determined to break out of my slump, I posted pictures of my daughter’s current bedroom suite to an online sales forum, and it sold in 20 minutes! That’s right, I’m the genius who sold all of my daughter’s furniture without anything to replace it. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting such a quick response, and now I feel slightly disconcerted knowing I must make quick decisions to complete the room redo. Painting the room and choosing furniture will most likely rock my world for the next few weeks, but it needs to happen. Too much planning and not enough action were getting me nowhere fast. Taking the drastic action of selling everything was just the kick-in-the-pants I needed to get moving in the right direction!

Maybe you aren’t a planner, like me. Maybe you are more of a free spirit that takes action when the mood strikes. Either way, all of us must take action in life.

In decisions.

In relationships.

In discipleship.

In leadership.

Planning paralysis and moody moments can rob us of becoming the people God created us to be and being effective in the hand of God.

Are you a perpetual planner? Do you, like me, simply need to take action? Or do moody moments prevent you from doing the things you ought? Do you need to:

• have that difficult conversation you’ve been dreading?
• cut up your credit cards and create a monthly budget?
• engage in a mentoring relationship?
• exercise?
• disciple your family?
• date your spouse?
• use your God-given gifts in the church?
• step out in faith?
• obey what God has commanded of you?

Clearing out an entire room of furniture was the drastic action I had to take to start moving in the right direction. What drastic action is needed in your life? Don’t get paralyzed by perpetual planning and don’t wait until the mood strikes. Take action to become the person God created you to be! Take action to influence the world around you! 

I want to spur you on! Tell me: are you are a Perpetual Planner or Free Spirit? What change do you want to make?

Hey Everybody! Look At Me!

Recently I joined my husband to teach during one of our weekend church services. We were in a message series on marriage and were sharing God’s commands as well as our personal experiences. As people listened, I knew they were also sizing us up….watching how we interacted….looking for discrepancies….critiquing my hair. To see the pastor and his wife talking candidly about a personal subject conjures some level of judgement whether good or bad.

Life as a pastor’s wife means we’re on display for all to see – which is a good thing. The Apostle Paul, himself, invited people to watch his life and follow his actions. Yet, sometimes that notion can be overwhelming or can catch us off-guard. Like when our youngest child is acting like the devil is his best friend or when we are in a full-blown argument with our husband as we walk into the church lobby. When we know we’re on display, many of us are tempted to live our lives to meet the expectations of others.

Maybe we plaster a smile on our face or say yes to every request or present ourselves as the perfect family. Whatever it is, we are tempted to live up to the hype of the “perfect pastor’s wife” by looking good, sounding good, and feeling good. ALL. THE. TIME.

Yet, just as Paul invited people to watch his life and follow his actions, he also reminded them that his goal wasn’t to meet their expectations. He didn’t always meet their expectations, as a matter of fact. Scripture depicts more than one occasion in which Paul was at odds with people. He, however, was adamant that his goal was to please God rather than measuring his success by what everyone else thought.

While we are tempted to live up to the hype of perfection, we don’t have to live that way.  It’s just a temptation….one that we can overcome. Just because we live in a fishbowl doesn’t mean we are without flaws. We simply have a responsibility to lead and shepherd others. While being aware that eyes are upon us, let’s be transparent. Real. Let’s not hide our mistakes. Let’s allow people inside our world to see what happens after the mistake….the confession….the healing. Let’s not model low standards or poor character, but let’s not model perfection either. Let’s simply allow people to see God at work in our lives.

That’s attractive.

That’s good leadership.

That’s the Christian life.

Remember you don’t have to be perfect. Just be on the journey with Jesus. In Him, alone, will we find freedom.

Galatians 1:10 “Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.”

Could you use more encouragement as a pastor’s wife? Help along the way? Join us at Velocity 2015, February 24-25, 2015 for a Pastors’ Wives Track designed specifically for YOU! Click here for all the details. Grab your hubby and register TODAY!

Dealing With Doubts

It’s a part of life. As a matter of fact, if anyone tells you that they haven’t struggled with doubts/questions about God, they haven’t faced a trial in their life. ALL of us will face doubts….multiple times over our lives.

I certainly have. I wrote about it in a post called Confessions of a Pastor’s Wife: Doubting God’s Love. Maybe reading it would encourage you. From what I read in Scripture –  and from my experience – I can say that doubt usually comes in the middle of a struggle, a trial, or a big decision. During those times, it is extremely easy to doubt God’s existence or His love because our circumstances SCREAM that we are alone. Yet, our circumstances aren’t the truth of the situation….they are simply the details of a particular season of our lives.  The truth of the situation is:

• God is real
• God loves humanity
• God is orchestrating a grand world-wide plan to draw people back to Himself
• and God is interested in YOU!

How do I know that?  How can I type that with confidence without even knowing the details of your situation? Scripture tells me so, and God has proven His Scripture to be true time and time again.  Hundreds of fulfilled prophecies are listed in the bible about foretold events that came to pass and about the Messiah. If ever my mind is tempted to think that God isn’t real, these fulfilled prophecies banish those thoughts!

In the midst of trials and difficult circumstances, don’t allow Satan to win another battle by tricking you into thinking that you are alone, that God is not real, or that He does not love you.  Jesus, Himself, told us we would face many unpleasant battles in this life. We would be foolish to think that He was wrong.  We WILL face hurtful circumstances that we don’t understand, but it doesn’t mean God doesn’t love us. Let’s not allow our faith to be destroyed by our misunderstanding.  Instead, claim the truth: when difficulties come, let’s stand and fight….learn more about God…..get to know Him and His ways as we walk through the fire…..experience His love IN the trial.

If you are dealing with doubt today, dive into your bible!  Get busy reading about how God deals with people, what He expects of us, the compassion He has on us when we’re hurting, how merciful He is……read those stories and STUDY them.  You will learn MUCH about the validity and character of God.  If you want to know Someone, spend time getting to know Him.  I promise He will reveal Himself to you when you are seeking Him.

You don’t have to deal with doubt. You CAN stand firm in your faith – confident in the God who loves you and equips you. May you find strength in Him today.

Girlfriends Review: Confessions

Confessions.  We all have them, don’t we? We’ve all messed up, dropped the ball, thought or done wrong things, or just plain embarrassed ourselves.  None of us are perfect.  None of us lead perfect lives.

Take me for instance.  Like our first year in ministry.  My husband and I literally overslept the Easter Son-rise service.  I’m not kidding.

Or, what about the time I wore my swimsuit backward to the pool….all day…..when I was pregnant.  Have you got that picture painted in your mind? I had bra cups on my back.  Yes, the Lead Pastor’s wife at Mountain Lake completely embarrassed herself!

Yep, I could confess a lot of embarrassing moments.  But, I could confess some darker issues, too.  I could confess a deep need for people to like me.  Most people would assume I only care what God thinks of me, but that’s not true.  I care much too much if people approve of me….if they like me…..if they think that I’m good at what I do.  Stuff like that can cripple me when it comes to making tough leadership decisions….causing me to worry about what people will think or how they will react.  Or, it will leave me spinning when a friend chooses to leave my church.  In those moments, I don’t feel Godly.  I feel small and lonely.

There.  I said it.  I’m not perfect.  I’ve done embarrassing things.  I struggle with wrong thoughts and emotions.  And, I do things that don’t please my Heavenly Father.  I’m absolutely not perfect.  Yet there’s something within many of us that wants to hide our flaws….to convince the world around us that we have it all together….to hold out an image of perfection.

I’ll hide my flaws….my failures….my sins.  I’ll make excuses for them or convince myself that it’s not really that big of a deal.  Sure, I may have failed to put someone else first or maybe I’ve neglected my relationship with God, but I’ve been busy doing good things!  Doesn’t that count for something?  Or, sure I was venting about someone else, but I needed to get it off my chest!  That’s ok, right?  Would you agree with me that we often makes excuses for attitudes and behavior that are plainly wrong?

Other times, we fail to even recognize that we we’re not perfect!  I’ve certainly been guilty of it!  I have literally sat down to pray and began by asking forgiveness for my sins….but I couldn’t think of any!  I mean, I don’t commit murder, I don’t steal, I’m not having an affair….I basically have the Top Ten down, so I’m ok, right?  Oh the arrogance!  My temptation is to overlook character development and love for others and focus only on living an outwardly “good” life.  Do you relate at all?

At Girlfriends (our women’s ministry at MLC) last week, we talked about our tendency to excuse or overlook our sin. As a matter of fact, God has something powerful to say about this topic of confession.

Isaiah 59: 1-2 “Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.”

My God is able and capable. He can rescue me, and He listens to me. But, if I willingly choose to follow my own path and ignore Him, He will hide His face from me. In other words, He’ll leave me to my own devices….and consequences.

That’s a scary place to be.

Honest, humble confession is the solution.  Confession clears the obstacles between us and God, inviting Him to once again move with power in our lives.

That’s EXACTLY where I want to be.

Have you excused or overlooked sin in your life?  Don’t wait another moment.  Run to God and confess!  Open the pathway to Him again!  Then, and only then, will He shine His face on you and listen with pleasure to your words.

James 5:16 “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”