"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:" (Hebrews 8:10 KJV)
"Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. So don't be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prize possession." (James 1:14-18 NLT)
Hope isn't just something we wish for or think might happen; it is knowing that there is a God that loves us and will finish the work He has begun in us! Even though we might mess up, which I know is not all that hard to do, He has a plan for us that overcomes every wrong and stupid thing we might do.
Sad to say, even though we make it to the other side, most definitely, there are consequences that are left behind, due to the wrong and stupid things that we might do. This is real, this death that James is pointing out; it might not be the death to us, (our soul that is,) because we have security in the blood of Christ. But there is always a death that is birthed by us letting sin grow out of control!
That death could just be the end of a ministry or the passion we have to share the goodness of God; most of that is due to our own struggle with forgiving ourselves. But where it really hurts, is those that are affected by the sin we let get out of control, because it doesn't just happen quickly, it is something that grows and grows.
There is somewhat of a wonderful story that Jesus spoke about; it involved two brothers. Most of us have been introduced to this story, "The Parable of the Prodigal Son," as he was the son that wanted to have his inheritance, just so he could leave home and do whatever he wanted to do. The other son, stayed home and continued to work for his father.
There is something amazing about this story, actually two things we should make to be branded into our hearts: First of all, that wayward son, even though he disappointed his father and left home, his address never changed; his home was always home! Secondly, and most importantly, his father never gave up on him, always looked out for his return, and even ran out to him, when he did come home...
"Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just." (PSALM 51:1-4 NLT)
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