In the beginning GOD created
EVERYTHING
BUT there is one THING that HE did not create.
It is a three letter word that sounds so
harsh and so ugly
that no one wants to acknowledge it is part of their vocabulary~
SIN.
Yup. SIN.
I used to think that I never SINNED,
because I didn't murder anyone or rob a bank.
I was basically good, because
I didn't do anything "that" bad to be called SIN.
But then I heard a woman's testimony
of how she was healed from bulimia,
the same battle that I was fighting.
When she saw the behavior as SIN,
it was at that moment she gave it up to GOD and invited JESUS into her heart
and was healed.
So I went home and opened the bible that I have never opened before,
and looked up verses on SIN.
This made me feel worse,
throwing me into the arms of bulimia more,
as I felt the shame and guilt that I was SINNING
Joni Jones is a SINNER.
Yikes!
Too hard to comprehend as I strived to do what was right.
I didn't want to be called a SINNER
and I had to erase that label, so I searched the bible once again.
But what I found was mind boggling yet freeing,
as I wasn't the only SINNER,
and doesn't misery love company~
"For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of GOD" (Romans 3:23).
I was relieved, yet still perplexed as I couldn't comprehend that
I was a SINNER,
because being a perfectionist this was a major glitch.
So I searched the bible more
to get me off the hook.
And then I found it.
I inherited SIN. It runs through my veins.
And guess what?
You inherited SIN.
We did nothing to receive it,
except to be born.
And thanks to Adam, he passed it onto ALL~
"When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned" (Romans 5:12).
Phew! I wasn't responsible that I was a SINNER,
but then again was I?
Do I get free license to live as a SINNER
since it wasn't my fault?
But then there was that "death" thing.
SIN brought death.
Do I really want to follow a GOD who created me with SIN
and then is going to let me die?
There had to be more to this story.
"For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many.
But even greater is GOD'S wonderful grace and HIS gift of righteousness,
for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and
death through this one man,
JESUS CHRIST" (Romans 5:17).
PEACE washed over me as I found HIM.
Through my searching of the meaning of SIN
I found JESUS.
And I found a loving GOD
who doesn't leave us in our dying fallen state.
"Just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness
to bring eternal life through JESUS CHRIST our LORD" (Romans 5:21).
Oh GOD is GOOD. So very GOOD.
For HE doesn't leave us as SINNERS
as HE gives us the choice~
"If you openly declare that JESUS IS LORD and believe in your heart
that GOD raised HIM from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).
We serve a GOOD GOD
as HE didn't stop in the garden
for
"we know that in ALL things GOD works
FOR THE GOOD of those who love HIM" (Romans 8:28).
HE took Adam's bad choice and
WORKED FOR THE GOOD
for you & me & everyone else
because
GOD does not want anyone to perish, despite how far you may fall from HIS tree.
All for our GOOD~
"THE POWER OF THE CROSS"
(listen to the song below)
For GOD will use for GOOD all things for those who love HIM.