Stuck? LOOK UP!

I have Lincoln roses in my back yard and they are so perfect and beautiful! Just thought I'd share.  I love the dark scarlet red and the fragrance is not overpowering.  Roses are not my favorite flower, but now growing them, they are climbing my flower chart.  They are pretty awesome despite the thorns. :)

So in my small group at church, we have been discussing Jeremiah.  The prophets in the old testament are interesting.  At first glance they seem crazy, when they preach, God seems strange and harsh.  However, if you look closer, you see how God is trying to save His people from their own destruction and how sin is eating them alive. He uses every means possible even symbolic crazy things to try and wake them up. He wants the people see His salvation if they will repent and turn from sin.

The comment was thrown out that we need to see our sin and realize we are total filthy rags, and only then are we able to really see God's salvation.  That started a whole line of talk, if we are worthless then what's the point etc.  Super depressing if we stop there at our sin. We LOOK worthless and no good.

I think as Christians and especially as women, we can  get caught up in seeing our sin, how filthy we are, and the state of our own selfish heart.  We forget God's salvation.  Are we sinful, yes. Do we still make mistakes, yes. Are we worthless, NO!

If we were worthless, Jesus would not have come down and died for us!  Being a medical person, I compare it to having a fatal illness.  Is the patient worthless because they are ill? Of course not!  And any medical staff would do everything to save that person. God made us, we can't be worthless. And He has and Will do ANYTHING  to save us!

I was reading Romans this morning.  Paul has such a way with words. He talks in Romans about how everyone has sinned and no one is perfect.  He shows how the law (the commandments) help us see our sin.  Like a mirror, shows us our filth and how sin is eating us to DEATH.  But how this can turn us to repent and accept Jesus to save us and give us LIFE!

Again even as Christians we can get hung up staring in the mirror looking at our sin, beating ourselves up, maybe even self condemning in front of others.   If we get stuck looking in the mirror, then we just continue to feed the beast of self.  We become ineffective wallowing in the mud feeling worthless.  Some of us even like being there, because we look like we are humble and meek and we may even get soft strokes from others for our decrepit state. But over time we are rendered useless animals in sheep's clothing.

Jesus says  "LOOK UP!"  "Look to me on the cross!"

Paul's words in Romans are so comforting!

• Romans 8:1-4  "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." NIV

If we look up, ask forgiveness, and accept Jesus keeping our eyes focused on Him, there is no condemnation. The law is merely the mirror so we can see we need help and the arrow pointing to God. Jesus and the Cross is the bridge to CURE our fatal disease of sin.

One person said in the group that keeping our eyes on Jesus keeps us from getting stuck in ourselves and filthy state. I love that! And Hebrews, backs this up!

• Hebrews 12:1-2  "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." NIV

So yes we are filthy, nothing good comes out of us apart from God in our disease, but we are NOT worthless.  And Jesus blood saves us. Fixing our eyes on Him, gives us the freedom to let His blood wash over us daily, and help us run the race, effective in our faith, a serving witness to others!

So I looked at that flower this morning and what a beautiful parallel! That rose rises out of filth of the dirt, still covered in thorns, but every day it focuses on the sun, scarlet and perfect at every stage from bud to full bloom, a witness to it's creator.  We too can be the same as Christians! Washed in Jesus blood, we can rise from the filth of sin, and with our eyes focused on THE SON (Jesus), we can be a beautiful witness to our Creator, at every stage!

What things do you keep staring in the mirror at? Quit beating yourself up.  LOOK UP!  Focus on Jesus He will turn you into a beautiful witness for Him, radiant, free, and perfect at every stage!