Acceptance … We value acceptance.

For us, acceptance means beginning right where you are and growing one step at a time.  At Stuttgart Harvest Church, because of acceptance, we throw lifelines, not rocks.

Matthew 9:36

When he (Jesus) saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Acceptance

The Bible says that in the beginning of time, Adam and God “walked” together.  They were that close.  There was a clear line of communication and love.

What happened to that relationship?

Sin.

Sin put a barrier or wall between us and God.  And like every wall or barrier as it became thicker and wider it became impossible to communicate and share with God.  God desires our individual relationship with him.  Because sin isn’t and cannot be a part of God, sin caused us to sever our bond.

What is sin?

Sin was and is our attempt to control our world, our attempt to make the rules and be the boss.

Basically, sin is everything that doesn’t reflect the nature of God.  Everything that He says is against Him.  Sin is against God and who He is and who He wants us to become.

How can we have a relationship with God?

Actually… you can’t.

It is beyond our ability to mend our relationship.  The Bible says that our goodness is like kerty rags compared to God’s.  We broke the relationship, but we can’t fix it.

Imagine that you bought a one of a kind piece of art at a museum.  You loved that painting.  Maybe it hung on your mantle in the living room.  It meant a lot to you.  Imagine you spill your wine on that painting and the bottom left of the painting smears.  Maybe you’re upset and try to touch it up.  You might even get a professional to fix it.  Is it the same?  No one but the original artist make it whole… once again a masterpiece by the creator.  It will be forever tainted unless you get the creator to fix it.

The Bible says,

“If you only knew the gift God has for you and who I am, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”  – Jesus in John 4:10

“All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.  We have left god’s paths to follow our own.  Yet the Lord laid on Him the sins of us all.” – Isaiah 53:6

God authored our relationship to him and only He can mend it.  He desperately wants to fix our relationship.  All we have to be is willing and available to choose to let him take control of the art that he created.

What is the best way to show God that you are willing and available for a relationship?

Spending time learning about Him and what He has done for you.  And the best way to do that is to spend time reading the Bible.  God’s owner’s manual to His creation.  God’s letter of love and concern for his creation. Journey right through these sections at your own pace.

For Today:

Acceptance

Sin.

Sin has separated us from a loving God.

Read Romans 3:23

We have all sinned.  We have all done things that are displeasing to God.  There is no one who is innocent.  Romans 3:10-18 paints a detailed picture of what sin looks like in our lives.

Romans 3:10-18 (NLT)

As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous— not even one.  No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God.   All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.”   “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with lies.” “Snake venom drips from their lips.”   “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”   “They rush to commit murder.  Destruction and misery always follow them.  They don’t know where to find peace.”   “They have no fear of God at all.”

These truths are hard to take.  That are not cheerful, not pleasant and surely not fun.  The scriptures aren’t trying to make us hate ourselves, but they are trying to help us understand the depth of hurt, pain and disappointment that we have delivered on God.

Read John 10:10

Sin’s mission is to destroy us.

God doesn’t want that to happen.  He has a plan and direction for us.  He has a plan of joy and abundant life and a direction to Him and his unconditional love.  But that plan can’t be fulfilled and that direction can’t be followed when sin is in control of our lives.

We all have sinned and separated ourselves from God.  And God wants us back!

Today, think about why God would want us back so much after all we have done?