Whose Name Is on Your Cards?

Joshua Harris Book Titled I Kissed Dating Goodbye Pg 107 -108

The Bible teaches that one day we'll each stand before God to be judged. "So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God" (Romans 14:12). All the "cards" from our life will be dumped out before Him for review.

The hope I have for that day isn't that I've written enough good cards to make up for the bad. My hope for that day is in the fact that I've put my faith in God's perfect Son. He has already paid the penalty for my sin. Even though I deserved to be punished, even though I'm guilty, the name of Jesus will be on those cards.

For sinners like you and me, there's no better news. We can be forgiven. Every man and woman who believes on Jesus can be cleansed no matter how dark the stain of sin.

"So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light" (Romans 13:12). Admittedly, some will have more to lay aside than others more memories, more pain, more regrets. But the past needn't determine our future. We have choices right now about how we'll live. Will we set out hearts on God and walk in His paths?

"Let us behave decently," the passage in Romans continues," "...not in sexual immorality and debauchery... Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do no think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature" (v13:14)

Not one of us can stand completely pure before God. We are all sinners. But no matter hoe filthy the rags of our defilement may be, in a moment of repentance and faith the heart turned towards God loses its impurity. God clothes us in Christ's righteousness. He no longer sees our sin. He transfers Jesus' purity to us. So see yourself as God sees you clothed in radiant white, pure, justified.

Maybe you have a particular memory that continues to hound you, a memory that makes you feel unworthy of God's love and forgiveness.

Turn away from it. Don't replay that moment or any others like it. If you've rejected all those behaviours, God has promised to remember them no more (Hebrews 8:12). Move on. A lifetime of purity awaits you.