2-19-14
Where
did that saying come from? I don’t know but just like mud it sticks with me. I
know I am not the only one who can’t see past my sins sometimes… far more times
that I care to admit, actually. I see so many hurting people who act out in
ways that tell me that they don’t know who they were meant to be because they
are too busy wallowing in the mud. They are broken and seem to always do the
opposite of what is good for them and those around them. They may even act like
they don’t care, but inside they care far deeper than we will ever see.
We
all make choices in life. Many times the way we learn to make choices is based
on our upbringing. Are we compulsive? Do we make them based on instant
gratification? Do we postpone making decisions for fear of making the wrong
one? Do we center it around a particular kind of need, like lust or drowning
our pain? Do we fight everyone and build walls? Do we do what others suggest
because we need to be liked? There is a whole long list of what triggers our
choices.
To
add to that, we make choices based on what others have told us about ourselves.
That we aren’t good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, that people are liars
and only want you for what they can get. There is a long list of messages that
we receive from those in power, those who are positions of authority over us.
We begin to act upon those lies as if it were our destiny. We may not even know
that we bought the lie, but we do because we tend to put stock in what others
say about us.
Each
wrong choice we make solidifies the lies that we were told. In other words, we
fulfill the prophecy by making the wrong choices that we were expected to make,
which, in turn, confirms the lies. Shame, guilt, insecurity, fear, anger,
resentment, jealousy, envy, hostility…pile onto us until we are swimming in
mud. It is as if we are digging our own grave, and in essence we are. It is sin
and death. The more we make wrong choices, the less we feel like trying to make
right ones. We resign ourselves to be ‘who we are.’
My
oldest daughter Brandy has always had a huge and loyal heart. She would do
anything for anyone…except herself. She was the only person who didn’t feel
that she was good. She would mouth the words quite convincingly, “I know I am
good!” But you could tell that she had no confidence in who God made her to be.
She compiled one wrong choice onto another until she felt there was no going
back. Drugs, alcohol, sex, neglecting her kids, credit card fraud, prison…
there wasn’t anything we could do for her, but pray. Before long, there wasn’t
much she could do to save herself. She was drowning in mud.
Mud
is not transparent, so we can’t see through it. it is heavy and weighs us down.
We just keep sinking in it. When we are covered in mud (sin and lies) we can’t
see who we really are on the inside. We are not seeing who God made us to be. It
is amazing, the transformation that we can make when we decide to free
ourselves from the bondage of mud. I can attest to this because I have been
freed myself. But one of the most fantastic miracles that I have seen come from
my daughter, Brandy.
Through
an incredible faith based program called Teen Challenge (It isn’t just for
teens! She was 33 when she went in.) Over the 18 month program, she saw the
love of God, and of others, the selflessness, and was able to remove the mud,
layer by layer until she saw what we always saw. What God made her to be before
life choices and lies buried her. She learned to make good choices, to like
herself, to break down her walls of defense and to love others. She now serves
God in the same program that saved her life.
And
I have news for you! It is never
over until GOD says it is over. You are never too old to learn a new tact. You
need to know that God loves you! You aren’t a surprise to Him. Nothing you have
done has made Him say, “Wow! I didn’t see that coming!” He knew before you were
formed in your mother’s womb, everything about your life.
[Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in the
womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated
you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”]
Yes,
God is speaking of Jeremiah, but he knew it of all of us.
[Psalm 139:1-5: “O Lord, you have searched me and
known me! 2You
know when I sit down and when I rise up; you
discern my thoughts from afar. 3You
search out my path and my lying down and
are acquainted with all my ways. 4Even
before a word is on my tongue, behold,
O Lord,
you know it altogether. 5You
hem me in, behind and before, and
lay your hand upon me.”]
I’m throwing you a rope, to pull you out of
the mud. Take it:
We were separated by our own humanness and sin, through the very first man, Adam. Because of his sin, we received a ‘death’ sentence. We became bound by law, laws that we could never hope to follow, so we were doomed to perish.
[James 4:17: “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”]
[Romans 5:18-21 18 “Therefore, as one trespass[f] led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness[g] leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”]
Don’t think you are so different from anyone else. There is nothing so amazing about your wrong choices. We all sin and fall short. We are human and we don’t walk on water. You are just as forgivable as anyone else.
[1 Corinthians 10:13” No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”]
1)
Know that sin
separates us from God. Admit that you are a sinner and be willing to turn from
it.
However, God made a way to save
us once and for all. Is THAT love or what?! Even knowing what we would do
wrong, long before we were formed, He loved us. He needed a sinless sacrifice
for all time to cover our sins. He gave His only son to die on the cross for
us. [John 3:16-21: 16 “For God so loved the world,[i] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”]
2)
God loves us. It isn’t dependent on what
others think. He wants all of us to be at peace and be saved.
Are you ready to free yourself
from the mud? Are you done believing the lies and burying yourself in one bad
choice after the other, in condemnation? Are you ready to be free, to live in
peace, to feel loved and HOPE for possibly the first time in your life? You know what to do. [Acts 2:38: “And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”]
3)
Trust in Jesus Christ. He is the only way to
salvation. Believe that he died on the cross for your sins and rose from the
grave.
4)
Ask for forgiveness of your sins. Sincerely
repent.
5)
Invite God
into your heart. Ask for the Holy Spirit to guide you.
I am going to throw in something else for
good measure. You know those people you are hanging around? How are you going
to be who you were meant to be when you are spending time with people who only
accept you the way you were? It is time to reconsider your life choices and
make new ones. You can’t save a drowning person if you, yourself, are learning
to swim.[1 Corinthians 5:11: ”But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.” 15:33: Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” ]
[1 Peter 5:8: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”]
Do you need help figuring out how to get to the other side of this? Can’t do it alone?
1) Get into a
bible based church. You will make friends, find bible study classes for free,
meet new friends to help you and learn more about what God’s purpose is for your
life
2) Get a bible
that you can understand and start reading it. Youversion is an electronic app that is fantastic! It has every
version and bible plans as well. You can highlight, make notes, save bookmarks,
and ask questions. If you like the paper version, I prefer the English Standard Version. It is in
today’s language.
3) Stay in
prayer about all things. Everything. Your job, your health, your choices, your
friendships, your family life, children, etc… Stay in prayer and talk to Him
frequently.
4) If you have
children, involve them in your life changes and choices and show them what god
is doing in your life. You may save them from the same fate you suffered.
5) Come back
and visit my site.
6) Or go to Groundwire.net it is a free
chat line for people struggling with anything.
7) Go to Gotquestions.org for any
questions you have
I am praying
for you!