Scripture for Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Mark 7:15,20-23

There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defiles him. And he (Jesus) said, what comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these things come from within and they defile a person.

“The gospel applied to our heart everyday, frees us to be brutally honest with ourselves and with God. The assurance of his total forgiveness of our sins through the blood of Christ means we don’t have to play defensive games anymore. We don’t have to rationalize and excuse our sins.. we can call sin exactly what it is, regardless of how ugly and shameful it may be because we know that Jesus bore that sin in His body on the cross. With the assurance of total forgiveness through Christ, we have no reason to hide from our sins anymore.” (Jerry Bridges, The Disciplines of Grace)

This Mark scripture was in my daily reading this morning and a great reminder to me that we can never sin and then say to ourselves, “Where did that come from?” .. we know that it comes from our heart!!!! The GOOD news is that we don’t have to hide and cower from God but as believers boldly go to the throne of grace in repentance knowing that we are forgiven and are helped to become more like Jesus! I am reminded again and again and again that God is FOR us not against us. Because of the blood of Jesus applied to our lives through God’s great mercy and grace we KNOW that God is revealing our sin to us and helping us put it to death. We don’t put it to death ourselves! We have his help! Such good news! Such GREAT news!
(I received this quote and many of the quotes I use from a blog site that posts a cross-centered, gospel centered quote every day!
http://firstimportance.org/

Have a blessed day!