A Do-Over

     Well after I got over being a Fire Station pinup girl (Haha...not really over it!) it has been an interesting week.  Of course I'm not really a Fire Station pinup girl.  But I'm still smiling over seeing our anniversary announcement from the newspaper posted on the fridge at the station. When some firefighters I hadn't met before came in the bank where I work this week, I was busy on the phone.  Couldn't help but wonder if they recognized me from the picture.  When I mentioned it to my husband he responded that they probably didn't realize who I was because the picture was in black and white and I was in color!
      Today I'm still amazed at how God chose to show me that picture on the fridge.  Crazy stuff lead up to it.  The devil was working overtime.  But what the devil meant for evil, God used for good!  So amazing how that works out!  All in God's perfect timing.
     Also got a do-over this week.  A Holy do-over.  Isn't it interesting how we can stress and worry over something from the past?  I had done that.  Had been told how horribly I handled something.  Had been reminded of it over and over for several years.  But this week, in the middle of the night (boy we have a lot of stuff that happens in the middle of the night!) something happened.  This time, instead of 'dealing' with it myself, I woke my husband and told him what was up.  I told him I needed him to take care of it.  And he did.  Did he do it like I would have done it?  Not at all!  There was no yelling.  There were no kids storming out mad in the middle of the night.  Took me soooo long to get this right.  And so thankful God allowed me to have a do-over!   After all, I'm not the man of the house.  My husband is.  And I'm thankful!  I don't want that job.
     Our God is the God of second chances....do-overs.  Mercy.  Have you ever sinned?  I know.  Silly question.  We've all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)  Then we seem to get the idea that living in that sin is all we deserve.  Guess what.  That's not God.  The devil wants us to think we don't deserve any better.  But God has a different idea.  A better idea.  He wants to give us a do-over.  And how do we get that do-over?
     Before discussing that, let's talk about what the devil tells us.  He convinces us to sin.  He tells us that it's not so bad.  That we aren't hurting anybody.  That we deserve what we interpret as happiness.  He's really good at convincing us that we are right when we are really so terribly wrong.   We can so easily get got caught in the trap of the enemy.  A good way to test and see if it's the devil.....is what you are being told contrary to the Word of God?  If so, it's the enemy.  Don't listen to him!  Run to the Lord as fast as you can!  God will NEVER tell you to do anything or bless anything that is contrary to His Word. 
     When the Holy Spirit whispers to our hearts that we have sinned and need forgiveness, the enemy usually yells back, NOOOOO!!!!!!  Satan is good at making us think we don't deserve any better than the sin we are wollering in.  Before we are saved, he tells us we aren't bad enough to need a Savior.  After we are saved he's good at telling us that we aren't good enough to deserve a Savior.  Oh my, don't listen to him please!
     But God.  BUT GOD!!!!!!!  God gave His best, Jesus, so that we can have the best, JESUS!  My heart breaks for those who are listening to the lies of the devil.  Those who think they are really living.  Those deceived by the enemy.  Those working for death.  (Romans 6:23) For the wages of sin is death.  Wow.  They are working for death.  But....BUT!!!!!!!  the FREE gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord!!!!!!!!  What a gift.  So it's your choice.  Death?  Or would you like a Holy do-over?  Just ask.  The Father is waiting for you.