“He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities” (Psalm 103:10).

Thank God!

If God were to treat me as my sins deserve I would be toast! I would have no hope.

You see, I am not just merely a sinner. I am a repeat sinner!

One of the things that frustrates me most about my walk is how I continue to sin on such a stinking regular basis. There is not a single day where I make it through the entire day without sinning.

Sometimes I wonder how God puts up with me. God’s patience and kindness toward this sinner astonishes me.

As a person matures as a Christian, they become more sensitive to sin because they become ever more aware of sin and how much sin disappoints and hurts God. Sin impacts maturing Christians more deeply because of our awareness of how much our sins hurt God.

The most frustrating thing about sin is that I will continue to sin until the moment I die. I will continue to battle this flesh and its desires.

But, don’t be discouraged by that. It is a good thing that we struggle with sin. It would be far worse if we weren’t. The struggle itself is proof that the Holy Spirit of God is at work within us.

Remember God’s promise. Remember the truth of this verse.

God does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. God loves you. God is rooting for you. God is with you and appreciates you striving to be more like him.

Keep at it. Keep struggling. Keep battling.

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20).

There’s a story among church circles that in the 1890’s there was a small Baptist church in Mayfield County, Kentucky.

The church had two deacons who were constantly arguing and bickering over some issue or another. One of them put up a small wooden peg on the back wall so the pastor could hang up his hat. When the other deacon discovered the peg, he was outraged.

“How dare you put a peg in the church wall without first consulting me!”

The people in the church took sides and the congregation eventually split.

Today, the residents of Mayfield County still refer to the two churches as Peg Baptist Church and the Anti-Peg Baptist Church.

While this may be a silly and sad story, it speaks to the tragedy of what happens when churches forget the reason and the purpose for why she exists – Jesus Christ.

It is way too easy to get distracted by secondary and tirtiary issues like politics, gun control, masks, vaccines, and a host of other issues for which Christians who love Jesus can have differing opinions.

Should the church split and get occupied in secondary and tirtiary issues while ignoring the call to proclaim Jesus as Lord and Savior to a world who does not know him, what a crying shame that would be.

It’s all about Jesus. The Little Church and Lakewoodgrace exists to Make Disciples of Jesus Christ and Grow Faithful Disciples of Jesus Christ who share Christ’s love with all people.

It’s all about Jesus.

That’s the main thing.

Little Church and Lakewoodgrace, keep the main thing the main thing.

“The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt” (Exodus 12:13).

Today’s verse comes from the story of God rescuing the Israelites from Egypt. God commanded Israel to prepare the Passover by slaughtering a lamb and putting its blood on the doorframes of the houses of Israel. Then the LORD would pass over the homes marked by the blood of the lamb but kill the first born of those whose homes were not covered by the blood of the lamb.

Notice, the only requirement for salvation from death was the blood of the lamb. God did not check to see if those inside the house were worthy of salvation. The only thing that mattered was the presence of the blood of the sacrificial lamb. Those who were saved that night included murderers, liars, cheaters, adulterers, idolaters, sinners of all kinds and flavors!

The reason why God did not check the worthiness of those inside the house is because no one is worthy.

Salvation is not about the worthiness of the sinner.

Salvation is all about the presence of the blood of the sacrificial lamb.

When it comes to judgment, God will not be checking for our worthiness. If that were the criterion none of us would be saved. The only thing that will matter at the time of judgment is whether we are covered by the blood of the Lamb.

Friends, God loves you. If Jesus is your Lord and Savior, there is nothing in this world that will separate you from God’s love.

If you have not yet received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, what are you waiting for?!?! Receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Confess that you are a sinner in need of a Savior and commit to following him.

If you’ve said that prayer, please let me know. The Little Church and Lakewoodgrace would love to walk with you in the journey of faith.

God loves you. Have a great day!