“I would flee far away and stay in the desert; Selah. I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm.” Psalm 55:7-8

I am sitting in my shelter, which is a mobile home in the deserts of southern California, in the middle of a sand storm.  We listened to the wind howl all night and wondered what possessions were flying around outside like missiles in the wild wind.  While we felt quite safe, it was still intimidating, as all storms of life are.  We do not like losing control of our lives or our environments.

In the morning, the sun was shining, but it exposed a thick haze of sand still blowing around, and the beautiful mountains, once visible from our front windows, were obscured from view. Our connection to the outside world, the satellite dish, had blown over in the night, giving us a greater feeling of isolation.  I touched the countertops to begin breakfast preparation.  How could this be?  A thin layer of sand had invaded our home even though the windows and doors were shut tight.  Upon close examination, everything had a thin layer of fine sand on it, and I knew that I had my work cut out for me, cleaning,  deep cleaning after the storm abated.

My mind quickly shifted to my life and thought about the sin in our lives and the way it gets in no matter how tight the barriers we think we have placed against it.  We can do all the “right things“, read the Bible, pray constantly, go to church, tithe, evangelize, do good to all, and still the “fine sand-sin” slips in through the human vulnerability cracks in our armor.  It is our very humanity that required Jesus to die so that we can be reconciled with God.  God could not enter our homes to sit on sofas covered, eat on dishes covered with sand, or walk on floors filled with grit.  I shudder at the feel and thought of it. Jesus is our big vacuum cleaner.  He has taken all our grit away.  He has cleaned house, he has borne our sins so that God can see me as his Princess, his daughter, and visit my clean house and have fellowship with me. Leviticus 26:12

“I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people.”

Father God, thank you for Jesus who has cleaned out all the corners of my life so I can be acceptable to your Holiness and you can fellowship with me.  Father, thank you for the Holy Spirit who continues to teach me in my spiritual journey, day by day. Thank you for your promises, and the Bible, where we can read of them, and be reminded of just who you are to us.  We love you Almighty God, and worship you to the end of days. We pray in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

by Sue Tholken
used by permission

FURTHER READING

The Shelter of God

His Wings Shelter You

Dwells in the Shelter

The post Place of Shelter appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“But Christ gave Himself to God for our sins as one sacrifice for all time, and then sat down at the place of highest honor at God’s right hand, waiting for His enemies to be laid under His feet. For by that one offering He made forever perfect in the sight of God all those whom He is making Holy” Hebrews 10:12-14

All the sins you and I have ever committed or ever shall commit – past, present and future – are forgiven the moment we receive Christ, according to God’s Word. Think of it and rejoice!

Then you may rightly ask,  “If all of my sins – past, present and future – are forgiven, why do I need to confess my sins?”

According to God’s Word, confession is an act of obedience and an expression or demonstration of faith that makes real in our experience what is already true concerning us from God’s point of view.

Through the sacrifice of Christ, He sees us as righteous and perfect. The rest of our lives on earth are spent maturing and becoming in our experience what we already are in God’s sight.

This maturing process is accelerated through the faithful study of God’s Word, prayer, witnessing for Christ, and spiritual breathing – exhaling through confessing our sins and inhaling by appropriating the fullness of God’s Holy Spirit by faith.

If you retake the throne, the control center, of your life through sin (a deliberate act of disobedience) breathe spiritually.

First, exhale by confession. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” 1 John 1:9 (KJV).

Next, inhale by appropriating the fullness of God’s Spirit by faith. Trust Him now to control and empower you by faith according to His command to “be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).

Bible Reading: Hebrews 10:19-25

Today’s Action Point: Today I will study God’s Word, pray and invite the Holy Spirit to lead me to someone whose heart He has prepared to receive Christ. Also, I will practice spiritual breathing whenever any attitude, action, motive or desire that is contrary to God’s will short-circuits God’s power in my life. I will confess it and by faith inhale by appropriating the fullness and power of God’s Holy Spirit.

By Dr. Bill Bright
used by permission

FURTHER READING

Steps to Salvation

Where to start Reading the Bible

How to Have a Quiet time with God

Follow Us On:  Facebook  • ‘X’ Twitter  •  Instagram  • Pinterest

The post Perfect in His Sight appeared first on Thoughts About God.