Dear Ones,
Hope you awakened to a faith-filled day! Your question this week is simply, “Do you think you are growing in your faith or do you feel stuck?”
Devotions from Judy’s heart
   If we were asked whether or not we are growing in our faith what would our answer be?  Would we say we are actively pursuing the Lord and His will, or would we have to admit that we are rather complacent and no longer moving forward
   We have been given the Holy Spirit to help us in our faith journey and He is our counselor and guide, but we must listen to Him as He speaks into our lives. Often, he brings conviction to our hearts and we need to respond and not just hang on to our guilt but rather agree with Him and repent. On the other hand, the enemy wants us to go around discouraged and ashamed and stay stuck in our guilt instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to free us and make us new. 
   We listened to the most beautiful and powerful testimony of a close friend as he spoke at the Lighthouse last Sunday. We heard he was going to speak and we were greatly blessed as we went to hear him. When he went up front, he had his Bible and notes, a bottle of water, and a box of Kleenex, and I think we all needed the Kleenex before he was through. What impressed me, is that he didn’t sugarcoat his life and say that he was a new man overnight and has followed the Lord ever since; but he told of the many ways he had failed and couldn’t fix himself but had to surrender to the Lord each time and ask forgiveness and His mercy. There were times when he strayed and the Holy Spirit would call him back in different ways, and He experienced God’s grace over and over.  
   We read in scripture how men and women of God fell, just like us, and did many things they were not proud of but asked forgiveness. King David cried out for mercy after he committed adultery with Bathsheba and in Psalm 51 asks forgiveness as he knew he had really sinned against God. He wanted to be cleansed and restored and given a renewed spirit. Let us not keep graveling over things we have done in the past but go right to God and ask forgiveness and be made right before Him. Then we can continue to grow in our love for the Lord and not get stuck or go backwards.
  Challenge for today: Ask the Lord to make you  sensitive to the Holy Spirit when He brings conviction and create in you a clean heart.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy