Ladies Bible Study Friday, January 20th Put your past behind you

by | Jan 20, 2012

Matthew 26:75
And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

Have you ever been in a situation where you knew you failed God? You should have taken a stand but for whatever reason; someone was there that you wanted to impress or that thing you wanted to spend money on was calling your name and you just couldn’t say “no” so you used your tithe or maybe you knew you needed to control your mouth but you got caught up in the moment, maybe there is a guy that you just know you are not supposed to be sharing your heart with because you are married but you took your problems to him instead of God, whatever the case may be the guilt afterward consumed you and you felt distant from God. How could God forgive you and how long would it take to get your relationship with Him back?

Have you read this whole story about Peter? In Mark 16:7 we read where the Angel told Mary Magdalene and Mary the Mother of Jesus, “go tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” Jesus knew Peter’s heart and God saw the tears Peter cried over his denial of knowing Jesus. Jesus loved Peter and wanted Peter to know that he was forgiven and was still going to be used mightily by God. God didn’t want Peter’s mistakes to hold him back by Peter feeling defeated. It is more difficult to live right if we believe that God is always just sitting there waiting for us to do something wrong – does He discipline us? Yes, because He loves us and wants what is best for us, just like a parent who wants what is best for their children. If you love your children you discipline when needed and you don’t just allow them to behave any way they choose because it is for their own good to learn right behaviors, attitudes and choices for life and when we have to discipline we still love them all the way through it and it usually breaks a parents heart to have to. God’s love far exceeds anything you could have ever done, if He disciplines you it is because He loves you, but His love is always ever present and He is not far away. Here is a quote from C.H. Spurgeon that I borrowed from our pastor’s facebook post:

“When I thought God was hard, I found it easy to sin; but when I found God so kind, so good, so overflowing with compassion, I smote upon my breast to think that I could ever have rebelled against One who loved me so, and sought my good. It is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance.” C. H. Spurgeon

Whether it is you that needs God’s grace today or someone you know, choose to accept that God’s grace and forgiveness far exceeds anything you could have done. There is a difference between sinning and choosing a lifestyle of sin. When there’s no repentance in one’s heart then that person cannot expect grace and forgiveness but when you pour your heart out and you are sorry for sin in your life, God’s mercy abounds. Choose today to live in the freedom that repentance, salvation and a life of following Christ will bring. Choose to live for Him today, nothing from the past matters if it is under the blood of Jesus. Let His light shine through your life so others will want Him too!

Quote:
“Failure is the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” Henry Ford

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