IDOK DEVOTION for Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Grace means that God, in forgiving you, gives you the strength to endure the consequences. Grace frees us so that we can obey our Lord. It does not mean sin’s consequences are automatically removed. If I sin and in the process of sinning break my arm, when I find forgiveness from sin, I still have to deal with a broken bone.
As I read the words: ‘Grace means that God, in forgiving you, gives you the strength to endure the consequences’, I stopped before even going on to the next sentence to read it again just to hear those words again. By the very act of forgiving us Father is telling us to GO ON; to continue on with living a life that honors Him and yes the consequences of the sin may not be easy to deal with BUT God is there giving us the STRENGTH to do it!
This reminds me of a Scriptural Account, the account of the Woman who was snatched out of her house in the very act of adultery, the text says, and brought to Jesus by the Scribes and Pharisees. I don’t know if they cared so much about actually stoning the woman. What they really wanted was to ‘test’ Jesus. As it happened they were the ones who were tested – by the way they failed! But back to our point this morning. The penalty due the woman was death (by stoning). The Scribes and Pharisees knew that quite well. So did Jesus. But the stoning she did not get. What she got was forgiveness. She was forgiven of the PENALTY of adultery and in verses 11 and 12 she said and Jesus said:
12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
With this link you can read all of John chapter 8. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%208%20;&version=50;I see here that Jesus gave her the strength to get up off that ground and GO ON. The PENALTY for her sin was paid but she would still have to face ‘the world’ and I believe she did! I believe she drew upon the STRENGTH of the Lord Jesus Christ and she did GO ON. One of these days when we all get to Heaven, maybe she will tell us about it!
So whatever has gone on in your life this week; if you messed up and you have some consequences, get up off the ground, the PENALTY is paid, receive His Forgiveness AND the strength only He can give you AND GO ON!
Thank You Father Lord that You have paid our penalty and You have given us forgiveness and strength to GO ON. Please help us receive this from You. We don’t know all the needs, and we don’t even know the faces of each but You do and that is enough for us to KNOW that You are working in their lives. We pray Holy Spirit that You will give each of them strength to go on and to receive from You all that You desire to give them in whatever lot and circumstance they are today. We pray Thy Will be done. We ask You to protect our People in mind and body and spirit and Holy Spirit help them and encourage them to Love even in a world of hate. And we pray for America that You will enable Her to repent and be revived for Jesus’ sake.
HIS MINISTRY TO YOU
The White Stone 
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