Verse of the Day - 1 John 1:9

But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
~ 1 John 1:9 (NLT)

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They say a rose by any other name is still a rose. They also say that a leopard can't change his spots. What is, is --plain and simple.

Wickedness is not something we do so much as it's something we are. What we do is just a manifestation of what we are. We are a black rose that smells rotten. We can dress it up and tie a pretty ribbon on it, but a rose by any other name is still a rose. And we are still wicked at the core, no matter how much we try to mask it with nice clothes, proper etiquette, education or religious piety. What is, is.

One of the greatest miracles of God is that He, and He alone, has the power to change a black stinking rose into a pure white rabbit. He can change a leopard's spots from evil to good. Those who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior from sin are divinely transformed from wickedness to righteousness. When God forgives our sin, what is, was. It is no longer. And because of that transformation, we are able to stand before the throne of God, even though we didn't do anything on our own to aid the transformation. We simply fell at Jesus' feet and said, "Please do this, Lord. I am a wretch on my own -- only You can turn me from what I am into something I am not. Only you can change these leopard's spots."

Miracles are a radical departure from natural order. Think of the parting of the Red Sea. Or the healing of the man born blind. Or the instant calming of a violent storm. When Jesus cleanses a soul of wickedness, that is a divine departure from our natural state. It's a miracle, and if you've experienced God's grace in your heart, you know the miracle firsthand, and I pray you can ponder today your radical, divine departure from wickedness to righteousness. Your spots have been changed because of God's amazing grace. Wow...

I wish I could tell you that because of this transformation, we never sin again. Yeah, I wish. For your sake, and mine. The reality is that the war against our carnal flesh and our transformed spirit rages on, despite our cleansing. This does not change our position as children of God, who are able to stand before the throne of our Father because of Christ's righteousness. We are simply challenged to relinquish our rights within ourselves daily, so that Christ can mould and shape us into the likeness of Himself. So, please don't be discouraged when you fall down in the proverbial mud. Don't think you've blown it one too many times. God is bigger than that and does not forsake His children. But He does call us to holiness, and for that we strive, by the power of the Holy Spirit. And on the journey goes...

Love,
Joelene