Quote from Forum Archives on October 25, 2004, 7:03 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Word for Today, Mon, 25 Oct 2004: Larry caught in the Act of Cheating!
Dear friends,

Today's devotional message comes from Larry Davies' Sowing Seeds
of Faith series. Larry frequently uses unusual, often humorous
illustrations, and sometimes even self deprecating humor to make
a point that we will hopefully grab hold of and apply in our own
lives.

That point today is about confession, forgiveness, and renewal.
An integral component of God's love is the fact that He loves us
so much that He has given us choice, which opened the way for us
to make the certain wrong choices (which we've all done). But
God never stops there. God also provided a way out from our poor
choices. He offers us forgiveness, and He also offers us
repentance, a way for things to be made right.

How did God accomplish this, you may ask? Well, though Psalm 32
was written by men (as inspired by God) long before Jesus Christ
walked the face of the earth as a man, it is Jesus who secures
both forgiveness and repentance. Jesus Christ fulfills every
legal obligation of God's Law, and the blood of Jesus Christ,
shed on the Cross of Calvary, also secures our forgiveness and
our freedom from the bondage of sin. God foreknew all of this
when He inspired the Psalmist to write Psalm 32. He also knew
all of this long before Larry Davies ever considered throwing
that potato - or confessing what he'd done!

I urge any of you who are not strong in a personal relationship
with Jesus Christ to find Him today.

Yours in Christ,
Brian

____________________________________________________________
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-------------------------

"Confessions of a Potato-Race Cheater" --- Larry Davies

I only came to the church Halloween party as a gesture of support
for our youth and the people who were working there, but that
wasn't enough: they also made me play in those silly games.

First, I was blindfolded and told to smell, feel and taste
various gross objects such as putrid socks, sour pickle juice and
a peculiar pudding. Ecch! The youth enjoyed the thrill of having
a minister at their mercy. In return, I got a sour taste in my
mouth and a tiny piece of candy... It wasn't worth it.

The next game, however, got me in serious trouble. Another youth
leader and I were asked to get on our hands and knees and see who
could push a potato from one end of the room to the other the
fastest. Oh, did I mention that the only part of our body, which
could actually touch the potato, was the nose? Can you picture in
your mind how this race must look? Oh, the shame of it all.

The youth leader, Russell described the rest of the sequence of
events in Sunday school several days later where I was forced to
publicly face the consequences of my sinful actions. He solemnly
declared: "I was putting my nose to the spud-stone, so to speak
working my nostrils off trying to win the race. Blood was
spurting on the floor, but I didn't mind because it was all for
our youth. The next thing I knew a potato went flying past me
straight to the finish line. No mortal nose could send a spud
flying with such velocity. It was obvious to me what happened.
Larry cheated and threw the potato."

Three witnesses in the Sunday school class agreed that I indeed
maliciously and without any sense of shame picked up the potato
with my hand and threw it over the finish line.

"Holy French Fries, you've got me dead to rights," I cried out.
"I confess! I confess! The frustration and shame of Russell
beating me by a nose was too much to bear. I plead guilty to the
shameful crime of illegal potato throwing. Please forgive me!"

After the laughter died down our Sunday school class began to
talk about the real sins we commit from potato-race fibs to the
horrendous terrorist acts of September 11. We all make mistakes,
stray away from God, so how do we atone for our sins? Psalm 32
gives some encouraging answers:

"Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven...When I
kept silent, my bones wasted away through groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me..." (1,3,4)

1. Don't keep silent about your sins. It's not what you did as
much as what you do next.

"Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my
iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord'
-- and you forgave the guilt of my sin." (5)

2. Confess, knowing God will forgive. This is the cornerstone
of our faith.

"Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be
found." (6)

3. Seeking God begins the process of overcoming sins vicious
hold on you.

"...But the Lord's unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in
Him." (10)

4. Trust in God to love and protect you through difficult
times.

I still throw potatoes occasionally along with other sins, but it
is comforting to know that if I am willing to face my mistakes,
confess and seek God's help there will be a promise of love and
encouragement to see me through. You can bet the spud ranch on
that one!

Even on Halloween during these dangerous, uncertain times, it's
possible to find something of God, if you are willing to look for
it. But let me give you a warning. Beware the youth and their
games...

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=====
--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/

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