January 10th, 2023
Day 9 – January 10, 2023
Did you happen to read yesterday’s key passage from our fasting guide (page 30)?
Nehemiah 9:1-3 - Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dust on their heads. Then those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners; and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for one-fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the Lord their God.
It's hard to imagine that during their fast, the Israelites spent three full hours confessing their sins before God. That's 71 minutes longer than Sunday's entire worship service at Hope Chapel! But then I remember the SIMPLE TRUTH. (As I mentioned a week ago, I’ll be including some reflections from our brother Bobby Moffitt’s blog during our fasting journey. Here is one of his previous commentaries.)
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“The Simple Truth”
I am flawed. Every day I miss the mark. Every day I lose patience and say things the wrong way which means I should not have said them at all.
I keep messing up. Last week I forgot to pray for someone I assured I would remember their prayer request. I saw them at church and the stress of their situation was written across their face and I was reminded that I needed to pray. I was also reminded of my negligence.
I stand in the line at the grocery store and chit chat with the cashier or another person in line with me and forget to share the Lord in some way when God opens the door and gives me a moment to open my mouth and be a light in a dark world. When I get on my bike and pull out of the parking lot, I shake my head disappointed in myself because I let that moment slip out of my hands.
I have negative and critical thoughts about someone and then I am filled with guilt. I should know better. I do know better, and yet…there were those negative and critical thoughts exploding in my mind.
The list is endless.
There is bad news and there is good news.
Bad news: I have flaws and I mess up—consistently. I am not perfect. Not even close. Sometimes I am just a big mess.
Good news: I am flawed but saved by grace. Then the good news gets even better. There is Someone who is perfect. Jesus is the perfect One. He perfectly loves me every day. He loves me although I am flawed and when I miss the mark. I am desperate for this kind of love and He offers it to me freely every day.
I don’t like myself when I mess up but I am reminded God’s grace is there for me and I can do better with His help. I want to do better. God is patient with me and He continues to work in me to make me more like Him. This gives me hope. I am deeply thankful there is hope and grace for this flawed heart of mine.
Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6
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Grace to you,
Pastor Brian Rabon
Did you happen to read yesterday’s key passage from our fasting guide (page 30)?
Nehemiah 9:1-3 - Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dust on their heads. Then those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners; and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for one-fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the Lord their God.
It's hard to imagine that during their fast, the Israelites spent three full hours confessing their sins before God. That's 71 minutes longer than Sunday's entire worship service at Hope Chapel! But then I remember the SIMPLE TRUTH. (As I mentioned a week ago, I’ll be including some reflections from our brother Bobby Moffitt’s blog during our fasting journey. Here is one of his previous commentaries.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“The Simple Truth”
I am flawed. Every day I miss the mark. Every day I lose patience and say things the wrong way which means I should not have said them at all.
I keep messing up. Last week I forgot to pray for someone I assured I would remember their prayer request. I saw them at church and the stress of their situation was written across their face and I was reminded that I needed to pray. I was also reminded of my negligence.
I stand in the line at the grocery store and chit chat with the cashier or another person in line with me and forget to share the Lord in some way when God opens the door and gives me a moment to open my mouth and be a light in a dark world. When I get on my bike and pull out of the parking lot, I shake my head disappointed in myself because I let that moment slip out of my hands.
I have negative and critical thoughts about someone and then I am filled with guilt. I should know better. I do know better, and yet…there were those negative and critical thoughts exploding in my mind.
The list is endless.
There is bad news and there is good news.
Bad news: I have flaws and I mess up—consistently. I am not perfect. Not even close. Sometimes I am just a big mess.
Good news: I am flawed but saved by grace. Then the good news gets even better. There is Someone who is perfect. Jesus is the perfect One. He perfectly loves me every day. He loves me although I am flawed and when I miss the mark. I am desperate for this kind of love and He offers it to me freely every day.
I don’t like myself when I mess up but I am reminded God’s grace is there for me and I can do better with His help. I want to do better. God is patient with me and He continues to work in me to make me more like Him. This gives me hope. I am deeply thankful there is hope and grace for this flawed heart of mine.
Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6
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Grace to you,
Pastor Brian Rabon
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