A Year In My Life Through Pictures Day 25

What would a blog series about a year in my life be without Diet Coke? It is my beverage of choice and has been since I was 14 years old, 28 years ago. Ask anyone that knows me and they will tell you that Diet Coke and Jeff go hand in hand.

Yeah, I know it causes memory loss and a wheelbarrow full of other things, but so does everything else these days (as far as I can remember LOL). I have stopped drinking it before too, only to start back after seeing that my memory did not return anyway. But, I may be on the road to my own 2 step plan to kick the habit - Step 1) Stop drinking them. Step 2) Don't drink one again. Fairly simple program.

Some things are easier said than done though. Just like sin, as believers we do not want to sin, we try not to sin, but we always seem to mess up and sin. Then we feel guilty, try harder and the cycle starts again as soon as we sin again. Why are we like this? I think it is because we forget easy that God is always with us, we seem to forget that the same God that spoke everything into existence can also see everything that we do, even our thoughts are known.

We rationalize our sins, make excuses, reason out that we had to or that we were tricked into it. But in each case a sin is committed we have a way out that we ignore. We would do well to keep 1 Corinthians 10:13 in mind when we are tempted to sin "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it" So, all we have to do is turn to God and ask for that way of escape to be made known, then seize it and stop rationalizing the reasons why you should sin.

As a Christian we are washed in the blood. That means all of our sins - past, present and future have been forgiven. God has removed the spot on our garments never to be brought to our charge. If they were it would mean the cross was of no affect. Jesus paid it ALL! But, many take that too many steps beyond the true meaning and see it as a ticket to sin. If that is ones mentality then something is deathly wrong. A true child of God will never, never feel that they have free reign to trample the cross of Calvary. They will flee sins and seek holiness, more Christlikeness, fall at the foot of the cross as a needy child.

Praise God for the sacrifice He gave for us.