by Jim Hughes
Is. 59:1-2 Listen! The LORD is not too weak to save you, and he is not becoming deaf. He can hear you when you call. But here is a problem---your sins have cut you off from God. Because of your sin, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.
The Lord is not too weak to save. His ability to save is stronger than the worst of sinners. There is no one who is beyond God’s saving grace if they humble themselves before Him, confess their sins, and turn to Him for forgiveness. He hears and answers every sincere prayer of repentance.
Sometimes we let sin get in-between us and God. The more we let sin into our heart, the more distant God becomes to us. It is not that God has wandered away from us; we have wandered away from Him. God has not changed. He is as He always was and always shall be. He hears and answers us when we call on Him, when we approach Him with holy hearts. Sin breaks off the lines of communication. It prevents God from hearing us when we call on Him.
If it seems like the Lord is no longer near to your heart, it is probably because of a sin problem you have. If your prayers keep bouncing off the ceiling, you need to first examine your heart before God. If you don’t know what your sin might be, ask the Lord to show you. He will not hide it from you. He wants you to know your sin so you can confess it and be forgiven.
Honesty of heart is essential when dealing with sin. We must admit it before God when we sin. There is no way to avoid this step. Confession involves taking responsibility for our sinful choices. Sin is done willfully and we must declare it so before God. Sin cuts us off from God and unless it is dealt with, God will turn away from us. He cannot overlook sin; it must be dealt with. He is holy and without holiness of heart, no one will see God.
If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9
About the Author:
Spending his formative years in Ft. Wayne, IN, Jim followed the love of his life to southeast Iowa where they married and have spent the majority of their lives. Jim has pastored several churches throughout his life and has worked many years in local factories to help support his family. The father of two married adult children and one son still at home, Jim is a first-time author.
C Through Marriage came into being through many years of pastoral and life experiences. The book first took on a life of its own over 20 years ago when I sought to address the much publicized moral failures of prominent leaders in the church. In the chapter on Chasity, I include the guideliness that I developed then to protect one's self from such failures.
I am a firm believer in order to make sense out of life you have to use much common sense. We need to get back to the basics of what has worked for many, many generations. If is isn't broke, why try to fix it? I strive to return to the basics of what really works in all my writings.
