We Are Not Perfect

  We Are Not Perfect

   Today I've been thinking about all the things I didn't finish writing yet.  Even though it's no longer the fall and we are headed into a New Year.  I decided to write about the wood pumpkins I made a couple years ago.  I  didn't sand them at the time and said I liked them that way for a reason.  It would give me an opportunity in the future  like this moment to let you know that God takes us just as we are but through difficulties, love  and His Word He sands down all the rough edges.  Now those pumpkins really had no choice but to be sanded down.  I did finally sand them down and completed them.  However God is still working on us each day as we yield to Him and to His purpose for our lives.  Sometimes that purpose is not quite clear but still the same we wait upon His purpose.  God loves us just as we are but is

working on us as we trust Him to make us what he wants us to be.  When a person gets saved it does not mean that that person is perfect, it means they are willing to let God make the changes.  God does not reject anyone who humbly comes to Him with a genuine heart of faith. 

   Recently I was asked to have a book reading club, I agreed to a bible reading.  I chose the book of Luke and talked about Mary because the Christmas season was upon us.  The topic was " Why did God choose Mary?"  It was during that lesson God spoke to me, while I was teaching.            

2 Chronicles  16:9

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.

The word perfect is the word that stands out to me here:

The truth of the matter is that none of us our perfect and we will never be perfect until we as children of God enter heaven's gate.

Mary, though most favored above other women, was not perfect but was seen as perfect because of her hearts willingness, purity and faith. Mary herself called Jesus her Saviour.   Joseph was also favored because of His fear and faith.

God also chose Noah because of His fear and faith of God.  He too was favored above all living during that time. He was the only believing man of faith, leading His family into righteous living.

Mary was not perfect, but was seen as perfect because of her faith in the coming Messiah.  She was raised to love God and fear Him.  She was taught about the Messiah.  She was faithful and believing before God chose her.

Colossians 1:28

Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: - Every man - (means mankind)

Our goal as Christians should be-  to keep our goals, our thoughts, our motives, and our actions where they need to be while seeking God's blessing and looking for God's guidance through life.    This is what we find to be true, when we become children of God.  If our first goal is to please God, we will do the right things because we love Him and believe Him.

We will be seen as perfect in our Heavenly Father's sight.  We must be willing to have those rough edges sanded, submitting ourselves to the Father God's will.

It is a fascinating thought to know that God is searching for people whose heart is perfect towards Him.

People who have made Him the most important part of their lives.  People whose greatest desire is to please the Lord and live a life of faith.  They were not perfect people but were seen as perfect because of Christ and His shed blood and their desire to  please God.

In Hebrews God recognizes men and women who did things because of through faith

and it was counted unto them as righteousness... It was in those actions God worked through them.

Colossians 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

God's still working on me and He is still working on you too. 

We just have to keep on going forward, keep our hearts right, resist the devil and

be willing to change.  If that's what God wants that's what matters.

Who does God see as perfect?, all those trusting Christ who love Him more than anything else.

Those who want to please Him more than anything else and keep themselves pure in an evil day.

Those under the soul saving blood of the Lamb.  

We must pray for each other, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

Let Us Pray

Father God, I pray that you will speak to those seeking your will today, those who are discourage, those who are hurting and those that are questioning, 

Lead them back to you, restore their faith show them the direction you would have them take.

I pray that each one will make a new commitment to you for this coming new year.

In Christ Name I Pray This - Amen

Jesus will take anyone willing to come to Him by faith, accepting you as one of His beloved.

Christ died for your sins and raised from the dead - making salvation available for all.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Susan Nikitenko
December 30th, 2017
Devotional

Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At "treasurebox18@yahoo.com" All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include Site Name And Link Back To This Blog. Thank-You.Images are not all Christian, but put here for the purposes of doing good works of faith, family and country.

Faith Leads Us

Faith Leads Us

Hebrews 11:6

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

When we are without Christ, God says, we are lost,  like a lost coin or a lost lamb.  When we say someone is lost it is definitely not a cut down, but it is a fact that without Christ that is what we all are. He loves us enough to call for us and seek us until we are found.  This is the very reason He sent the Christ child who grew up to pay the debt that we could not pay.

When we have heard the call of God upon our hearts.  When we understand that we are lost without Christ then is when  we are left with a choice.  A choice to be saved and pulled from certain death.  The death I'm talking about is an eternal death, which the Bible calls hell.  When someone says someone is lost "in a Biblical way".   It means they have not  found Christ or accepted Christ and they remain in their sins before God. 

Not too long ago I didn't use a coupon I was given for an arts and craft purchase.  I asked by email,  if I could be reimbursed, but no one responded,  I guess it was too late and I had to pay the cost.

 If we die in our sins and have not  applied the gift of God to our lives, after death it is too late.  That's why God tells us in His Word, "NOW  is the day of salvation."  Maybe somehow I could of found a way to use my coupon (by asking for a full refund and repurchasing.)   With Jesus it's

different ,  He only paid once for all.  If we are truly saved we are always saved.

 The question is are we truly saved?  That is why God tells us to make our calling and election sure.

He wants us to examine our own hearts and know without a shadow of doubt that we are saved.

This is how we "wear the shield of faith."  Our faith is vital for us  as a Christian, but if that piece is missing  something other can come and fill our hearts.  Doubt  causes drought in the heart of a Christian and keeps a lost one from being  saved.  The bible teaches us that an unbelieving heart is evil .  In it's condition of faithlessness,  our prayers are hindered as a faithless Christian and sometimes causes us to punt, when we should pray.  Are lost  souls worth fighting for?  Is our marriage worth fighting for?   Is our relationship with God worth fighting for?  Are our children worth fighting for? 

Then we must pray in faith and live by faith.  Without faith it is impossible to please God and it is by faith our prayers are answered and impossible becomes possible. 

Faith leads us to fear God.  Faith leads us to be honest and just.  Faith leads us to be merciful and kind.

Faith leads us to serve confidently through Christ.  Faith leads us to change what needs to be changed.

Faith leads us to forgive ourselves and forgive others and love them.  We serve a Saviour who changes hearts, minds, lives and the change is real.  Faith is the substance of things hope for both now and eternity to come.    We must live by faith because faith rises above fact.  The reason is with ( God all things are possible and we should wear these thoughts as wisdom around our very being.  Because without faith, we will utterly fail.  I pray we will not faultier  in our faith.

     

By Our Measure Of Faith

All would be lost if we doubted the cross. 

For he suffered and died and God never lies. 

He gave and forgave- He loved us by grace.

Our Lord blesses us by our measure of faith.

This world can deceive when we fail to believe;

The prayer of  faith restores joy to its place.

To love Him, serve Him, we must turn from our sins;

His peace rules our hearts when we're living by faith.

A Chorus - I Wrote This Today

By: Susan Y. Nikitenko

Are you living by faith today?  Have you lived a life doubting your salvation?  As Christians we can know 100% whether or not we will go to heaven when we die.  There's verses in the Bible that teach us we can know.  We can know because it's not because of anything we have done, It's because of what Christ did for us and it's through our gratefulness that we should love Him and serve Him.  There's only one way to heaven, it's through Christ alone and what He did upon the cross for us.  You could live a nearly perfect life and still not go to heaven.  It only takes one sin to send a person to an everlasting fire at death.  The sin of disbelief which is the rejection of Christ as the only Way of salvation.  The rejection of trusting Him as your personal Saviour.  If we trust in our own works we are trusting in our own righteousness.  God tells us that our righteousness is as filthy rags.  Our righteousness will never get us into heaven.  It is the righteousness of Christ and His shed blood as the spotless lamb of God without sin. The perfect sacrifice.  He took our place, He paid our debt.  He conquered death by arising from the dead.

It is by this great miracle that salvation can happen in the heart of every sinner who will accept Christ by faith.  We are saved by grace (mercy) through our faith.  If you have been doubting your salvation or doubting God's blessing, if your faith is being tested by the problems of life, or troubled by anxiety and strife.  Let our faith lead us to praise as we seek Him in prayer.

Father God,  Open the eyes of those seeking truth today. Lead them to understand and accept your Truth by faith.  Overcome the differences in communication that the blind may see and the deaf may hear what the will of the Lord God is.  Bind Satan and keep Him at bay.  Open the eyes of those that desire to know you.  Teach us each one to praise you through our problems.

Let us know your joy even in life's most troubling times.  Keep us from evil, keep our hearts guarded through the evils of this life.  Save the lost, give us the words, give us the strength, give us of your love, give us the go we need.  I ask these things boldly in the name of Christ Jesus, your precious Son, the joy of my soul and the joy of all those who put their trust in Him.

Susan Y. Nikitenko

1John 5:13

These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Isaiah 55:6 ¶ Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

2 Corinthians 6:2

 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Ephesians  2:8-9

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast.

1Timothy 2:8

I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

Hebrews 3:12

 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

Psalms 51:10

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

continue in faith

Isaiah 40:31

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

2Corinthians  5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

Susan Y Nikitenko ©

Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At "treasurebox18@yahoo.com" All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include Site Name And Link Back To This Blog. Thank-You.Images are not all Christian, but put here for the purposes of doing good works of faith, family and country.