Spring Cleaning

"Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary?  Who may live on your holy hill?

He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellow man, who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. 

He who does these things will never be shaken."

Psalm 15

As I was doing some spring cleaning yesterday I could not help but think that God wants to do some "spring cleaning" in our hearts and minds.  If this psalm is true (which the whole Bible is), then we as humans are a long way from being able to dwell in the sanctuary of the Lord, but Jesus.  After we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior we are redeemed (set apart for God) and cleansed (forgiven all of our sins).  This means that although we are not able to fulfill these requirements on our own, we can trust in the Holy Spirit to lead us and try to live a blameless life according to the principles that Jesus taught. 

When we fail, because we will fail, we ask for forgiveness, forgive our selves and get back up.  We cannot allow the voices in our heads to keep us down.  We keep our eyes set on Jesus.  He is our maker and the only one that will never let us down.

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heb. 12:1-2

As you go forward today, pray for God to cleanse you of all that pulls you away from Him and ask Him to draw you nearer to Him that you may hear Him clearer and shine His light brighter to those around you. 

Pray also that the men of WNY would hear His voice, turn from their sin (which we all have becasue we are fallen) and allow the God of gods and the King of kings, the One true Living God to touch them, giving restoration, forgiveness, and peace to their souls.  That they would follow Him and in turn lead those around them to Him as we seek a new touch and a new thing from God in our region. 

As pastors Al and Debbie Warner say..."We are better together!!!"

Praise be to Almighty Jesus