Immune

It doesn't matter what you've done, how many times you've missed the mark, who you've let down, who you've hurt or even how you feel about yourself.

God's PROMISE over your life is still in tact. I was recently watching a preview for the show House of Cards and I heard this quote, "That's the nature of promises . . . they remain immune to change in circumstances."

Do you know what the Bible is? It's a collection of books, revelations and examples of God's faithfulness, His love, His mercy and His grace absolutely! It's a compilation of stories of people who went on to do great things for the Kingdom despite making TERRIBLE choices along the way (can you relate? I know I can), but you know what the Bible is filled with? PROMISES!

One verse comes to mind over all of them in regard to God's covenant with us. . . Isaiah 55:11.
"So is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

God's Word will never return void, will never be empty, and His promises are the same. They are YES in the past, YES in the present, YES in the future and YES forever ever more! I know what you may be thinking. Romans 8:28 how God says He will work ALL things together for my good and Jeremiah 29:11 about how He has plans to prosper me and to give me a future both sound great in terms of God's plan for my life, but I've screwed up far too many times. It's too late for me, you think, or at the very least because of how many times you've sinned, missed the mark, you feel God won't possibly bless your life like He would've had you not walked the prodigal road or worse yet you may be so beaten down by guilt and condemnation you may not even feel worthy of God's love!  You don't know what I've done. You don't know where I've allowed the Devil to take me. You don't know how much hurt I've caused-- to God, to myself and to others.

You may have been arrested. . . multiple times. You may have been a sex addict (like me). You may have had addictions to alcohol, drugs, money, power etc. Guess what? It's NOT too late! Even if you're still battling your addiction as you read this-- God is not done with you!! Philippians 1:6 says, "Being confident of this, that he who begun a good work will carry it on to completion to the day of Christ Jesus." Translation: we are ALL works in progress! And those promises found in Romans, Jeremiah and all throughout the Bible are not UNDONE-- they remain just as strong as the day He first declared them over our lives! Isn't that amazing news?!?

I hope you're smiling right now as you read this because I am! That's how much God loves you!! HIS PROMISES ARE IMMUNE to any, and ALL, change in circumstances . . . any time we chose counterfeit over real Love (Jesus), any time we accepted good instead of the Best, any time we chose satisfying our desires of the flesh over being obedient to the Father. Guess what? He knew you were going to do it each and every time before the foundations of the Earth were even laid and He STILL sent His son instead of scrapping his fallen creation (us). That is LOVE!

You could go every single day for the rest of your life fully obeying God and He wouldn't love you any more than He already does! Conversely, you could go every day for the rest of your life sinning non-stop and He wouldn't love you any less! That's how much He loves you brothers and sisters. That is truly mind-boggling and on a scale of 1-10 . . . it breaks the needle in terms of being amazing!!

Let Yourself Off the Hook

I want you to do me a favor. Now that you know God's perfect plan for your life remains in tact. I want you to let yourself off the hook. Because He has! Don't believe me? Look at Isaiah 43:25.
"I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake and remembers your sins no more!"

Need more proof? Check out Romans 8:1.
"There is on condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

In other words, that guilt, that shame, that hurt, that embarrassment is NOT from the Lord. It comes from the author of confusion, hurt and chaos Satan.

Skeptics, or those cynical of my own sincerity, may say I am just writing this to make myself feel better for my sin-stained past and for the times I fall short daily. To them I say-- you could never make me feel worse about the hurt I caused God, myself and my loved ones than I do. In other words, I've beat myself up, and sought repentance, FAR more than you ever could ever beat me up even if you threw stones at me every day for the rest of my life!

The thing about being on the road that leads to destruction is-- you never know how far you've gone down it until you turn around to go home!! Such was the case of my life.

And do you know what glorious truth I found when I made it back home in Jesus' arms? That His promises hadn't changed!

Luke 15:20-22

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

21. The son said to him, "Father I have sinned against Heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son." 22. "But the father said to his servants,'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."