The Ten Commandments are always interesting to review - we kind of take them for granted I think. The first four are about our relationship with God and holding him in such high esteem that we don't worship anything else, take his name lightly, or forsake setting aside time each week to dedicate ourselves to spending with Him. The other six are all about our relationship with others and how to keep those relationships healthy and godly and valuing others above ourselves. God was trying to show us his expectations for relating to him and those around us. I know I fail all the time and it cuts me to the heart. I would say more often than not, I fail in my thought life and then it flows through to my behavior. I need God's grace and forgiveness moment by moment and I apprecaite that this prayer walk reminds me to seek it constantly. And the second part of that is offering grace and forgiveness moment by moment to others. It's a high calling, but He doesn't ask us to do something we are incapable of. We just have to have repentant hearts and keep seeking His face. We are so human, but He is so gracious and loving.
Donny, your prayer walk today and your sharing the image of sin as "missing the mark" really hit home. Sin is also anything that is displeasing to God. It's not about being perfect, (as we aren't - we're fallible), but about aiming for the life God wants for me. You know, honestly, I "miss the target or the mark" quite often.
I feel a mix of sadness and frustration when I think about sin. Sadness because it creates distance and a separation between myself and God when I do, and frustration as it is a constant battle, although I'm not that hard on myself any more.
James 5:16 reminds me that I don't have to carry the burden of unforgiven sin alone. Confession and repentance brings healing and forgiveness and living in freedom. God's grace is bigger and greater than any mistake I've made or will make.
In John 14, Jesus speaks about God's love and our obedience. It's not about following the rules, but about deepening my relationship with Him. When I truly love Jesus, I want to follow Him and His teachings. Repentance like Matthew 4:17 states is key. It's not just about feeling sorry, but actually turning away from sin and toward God. It's a daily choice even when I miss the mark.
Honestly, dealing with sin feels overwhelming. But then I remember Jesus' words in John 14:27 - "Peace I leave with you: my peace I give." It's a peace the world cannot possibly ever offer, but it's an inner peace knowing and trusting I'm forgiven, set free, and most of all loved, even in my mess.
Re-reading the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:1-17 helps me refocus and realign my heart and actions with God’s will. It serves as a guide reminding me of God’s standards and prompting me to confess and repent.
So what will I do? I'll keep confessing, keep repenting, and keep striving to not sin. I'll also trust in God's grace and peace to carry me through. These are a few reflections I had regarding today's prayer walk and in reading the scriptures you provided. Thank you Donny for another wonderful prayer walk. Thank you for continuing to be God's vessel and encouraging us in our own walk of faith. 🙏
Watching the video, the intrepidity of Paul and his messages came to my mind, especially Ephesians 6:19-20 - Have I told you that I think you are similar to Paul?!...
I also want to say that I love "getting to know" the parks, but what interests me are the biblical messages and reflections that the walks propose.
As for sin, for me, it is everything that transgresses the character of God. As a child, I learned from my mother that we sin as much by NOT DOING what pleases God as by DOING what displeases Him. Unfortunately, I continue to fail at both....
Very cool, you mentioned the 10 commandments, they too, help us recognize our imperfections and clearly show the immutable character of God, therefore, the 10 commandments are eternal, timeless and universally applicable.
Thank you for the walk, I pray that the Holy Spirit continues to "nudge" you and give you boldness.
I’m soaking up this walk and digesting my answers. When I sin I tend to be like Adam and Eve, I’m quiet and hide a bit. I then try to reconcile with God and talk to Him about it. The things that bug me the most is pride, cliquish and hysterical ways. We experienced this the other day when we were with people we didn’t know. I felt unwelcomed and only a few wanted to know us. One bragged about his acknowledgments but didn’t care to hear from new visitors. All those things I mentioned I got all at one sitting. I had to forgive them because they couldn’t see their own mistakes.
If we are to love and forgive one another we have to look for those shortcomings of others and love them in spite of them and try to forgive and set an example of what is right. Thank you. I did make a promise years ago and hopefully I have been able to rectify it.
The Ten Commandments are always interesting to review - we kind of take them for granted I think. The first four are about our relationship with God and holding him in such high esteem that we don't worship anything else, take his name lightly, or forsake setting aside time each week to dedicate ourselves to spending with Him. The other six are all about our relationship with others and how to keep those relationships healthy and godly and valuing others above ourselves. God was trying to show us his expectations for relating to him and those around us. I know I fail all the time and it cuts me to the heart. I would say more often than not, I fail in my thought life and then it flows through to my behavior. I need God's grace and forgiveness moment by moment and I apprecaite that this prayer walk reminds me to seek it constantly. And the second part of that is offering grace and forgiveness moment by moment to others. It's a high calling, but He doesn't ask us to do something we are incapable of. We just have to have repentant hearts and keep seeking His face. We are so human, but He is so gracious and loving.
Donny, your prayer walk today and your sharing the image of sin as "missing the mark" really hit home. Sin is also anything that is displeasing to God. It's not about being perfect, (as we aren't - we're fallible), but about aiming for the life God wants for me. You know, honestly, I "miss the target or the mark" quite often.
I feel a mix of sadness and frustration when I think about sin. Sadness because it creates distance and a separation between myself and God when I do, and frustration as it is a constant battle, although I'm not that hard on myself any more.
James 5:16 reminds me that I don't have to carry the burden of unforgiven sin alone. Confession and repentance brings healing and forgiveness and living in freedom. God's grace is bigger and greater than any mistake I've made or will make.
In John 14, Jesus speaks about God's love and our obedience. It's not about following the rules, but about deepening my relationship with Him. When I truly love Jesus, I want to follow Him and His teachings. Repentance like Matthew 4:17 states is key. It's not just about feeling sorry, but actually turning away from sin and toward God. It's a daily choice even when I miss the mark.
Honestly, dealing with sin feels overwhelming. But then I remember Jesus' words in John 14:27 - "Peace I leave with you: my peace I give." It's a peace the world cannot possibly ever offer, but it's an inner peace knowing and trusting I'm forgiven, set free, and most of all loved, even in my mess.
Re-reading the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:1-17 helps me refocus and realign my heart and actions with God’s will. It serves as a guide reminding me of God’s standards and prompting me to confess and repent.
So what will I do? I'll keep confessing, keep repenting, and keep striving to not sin. I'll also trust in God's grace and peace to carry me through. These are a few reflections I had regarding today's prayer walk and in reading the scriptures you provided. Thank you Donny for another wonderful prayer walk. Thank you for continuing to be God's vessel and encouraging us in our own walk of faith. 🙏
WOW, what a powerful message!
Watching the video, the intrepidity of Paul and his messages came to my mind, especially Ephesians 6:19-20 - Have I told you that I think you are similar to Paul?!...
I also want to say that I love "getting to know" the parks, but what interests me are the biblical messages and reflections that the walks propose.
As for sin, for me, it is everything that transgresses the character of God. As a child, I learned from my mother that we sin as much by NOT DOING what pleases God as by DOING what displeases Him. Unfortunately, I continue to fail at both....
Very cool, you mentioned the 10 commandments, they too, help us recognize our imperfections and clearly show the immutable character of God, therefore, the 10 commandments are eternal, timeless and universally applicable.
Thank you for the walk, I pray that the Holy Spirit continues to "nudge" you and give you boldness.
I’m soaking up this walk and digesting my answers. When I sin I tend to be like Adam and Eve, I’m quiet and hide a bit. I then try to reconcile with God and talk to Him about it. The things that bug me the most is pride, cliquish and hysterical ways. We experienced this the other day when we were with people we didn’t know. I felt unwelcomed and only a few wanted to know us. One bragged about his acknowledgments but didn’t care to hear from new visitors. All those things I mentioned I got all at one sitting. I had to forgive them because they couldn’t see their own mistakes.
If we are to love and forgive one another we have to look for those shortcomings of others and love them in spite of them and try to forgive and set an example of what is right. Thank you. I did make a promise years ago and hopefully I have been able to rectify it.