And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. John 8: 3-11

This story has been a source of controversy, and debates as to whether the event really took place-those who put together the King James version of the Bible has included it, I believe for good reason; and I believe it really took place. I'm not surprised there would be so much debate over it; it reveals the cunning wickedness of peoples intentions and cuts through the hypocrisy of peoples hearts.

This mob of self-righteous Pharisee's and Sadducee's along with the rest of the town's busybodies' dragged the woman to Jesus, who sat teaching the people. They openly accused her and brought up the law of Moses, that she should be stoned-and tempting him, asked Him what should be done to her. Their outrage didn't come from a sincere heart of purity, but from a cold calculating attempt to trick Jesus, and cause him to stumble in His judgement of the situation. They knew that Roman law would override the Law of Moses, and she would be spared, but perhaps be banished by her husband, if married. Jesus was very familiar with the decadence and heathen degradations of daily life in his day. He also knew and discerned the hearts of these serpents, that they were accusing her of what many of them were guilty of themselves.
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The motive for them was to trick him into casting a sentence on her, that could not be upheld. Jesus knew this, and his response was perfectly fitting.

I'm guessing, but, I can see how this would get the reaction that happened-and I believe Jesus would do it. When he told them "he that is without sin among you cast the first stone", they all dropped their rocks and walked away. God knows how to stop the mouths of his enemies, and yours. He knows the strategies, and manipulations of our enemies, and how to deal with them. The best weapon we have against our enemies, is prayer, and giving them to Jesus-He can handle them.

When they had all left, he took the woman, stood up and said "Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?" "No man, Lord"-then Jesus tells her  "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."
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That is the answer to everyone who sincerely comes to Jesus, with a repentant heart, seeking His forgiveness, and mercy.

There's nothing we can do about our past. We can't go backward and change anything. We may be able to go to someone who we've wronged, and apologize, and repay a debt, and make restitution to a degree. But, our past sins can only be atoned for by the precious blood of Christ, and by coming to Him with an honest heart, confessing our sins and receiving His forgiveness. He has paid our sin debt, we need to humble ourselves and be willing to come to the cross and ask for his forgiveness, like this woman. In His eyes, we are all the same, sinners in need of a Savior.

His warning to go and sin no more is something many do not want to hear, but it's there for good reason. The devil never stops trying to destroy us. Living out our walk with the Lord is a life-long process, and staying in line with Jesus and His word is necessary to overcome. When we fail, and fall into sin again, be quick to repent, and turn away from it, Jesus will not reject you just because you stumble. Get back up, turn away from the sin again, and get back in His word, this is how we gain victory over sin in our lives. 

When people, or the devil comes to you and condemns you of your past, use these verses and others that go with them to put him in his place, under your feet:

Joh 5:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 
Gal 3:13  Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
 1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 
1Jn 1:10  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Isa 54:17  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. 

You could spend weeks studying and cross-referencing these verses, to build your faith, and relationship with Christ, I recommend taking the time, it's worth it. The only way to learn to know who God is, and what is in His mind, is to spend time with Him.

Whatever your life has been like, regardless of what sin you may have allowed to overtake you, Jesus knows about it, and has the power to help you change. His blood washes away our sins, when we confess them, and forsake them. When God forgives us, He never condemns us for it again, His word tells us He forgets them, and we can too:

Psa 25:7  Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD.
Psa 103:12  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 
Isa 43:25  I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. 
Heb 8:12  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
Heb 10:16  This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 
Heb 10:17  And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. 

The devil does not want people to know these truths', nor what God's word tells us about righteous living. He is out to kill, steal and destroy.  It takes diligence and discernment, to stay close to the Lord in these perilous times. But, God also says, those who seek Me with all their heart, will find Me.

Jesus stands waiting and is more than willing to take you, forgive you, and make you into the person he created you to be. He's waiting for you, to make the choice, to reject the world and turn to Him. He loves you, he gave His life for you. 

May you come to know, and receive that love, and make Jesus-the Lord and King of you life.
Lorna Couillard

​If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:  Isa 58:13

Among some circles of Christians there is a controversy about keeping the Sabbath, and many of them use the main verses of Old Testament scripture on the subject to make their point. But, they will intentionally omit those in the New Testament, that speak clearly that they are in error, if studied in context. This short teaching will be all I will go into, to speak about this, because for me, it settles the entire issue.

Christians are not required to keep the Sabbath today. The New Testament makes it clear that Christians are not under obligation to observe a Sabbath day (Col_2:16-17; Gal_4:9-11), Jesus fulfills the purpose and plan of the Sabbath for us and within us (Heb_4:9-11).

Christians aren't bound to observe days and months and seasons and years. The rest we enter into as Christians is something that is to be experienced every day, not just one day a week - it is the rest of knowing we don’t have to work to save ourselves, but that our salvation was accomplished in Jesus (Heb_4:9-10).

The Sabbath commanded here and observed by Israel was a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ (Col_2:16-17). We have a rest in Jesus that is ours to live in every day. Therefore, since the shadow of the Sabbath is fulfilled in Jesus, we are free to keep any day - or no day - as a Sabbath after the custom of ancient Israel. However, though we are free from the legal obligation of the Sabbath, we dare not ignore the importance of a day of rest - God has built us so that we need one.

We keep the Sabbath when we set aside every day to honor Him, and by not going our own way, and justifying ourselves.

In Col 2:16-22 Paul speaks of the freedom Jesus gives, of keeping the laws of sabbath days:
Col 2:16  Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 
Col 2:17  Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. 
Col 2:18  Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 
Col 2:19  And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. 
Col 2:20  Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 
Col 2:21  (Touch not; taste not; handle not; 
Col 2:22  Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

In Galatians Paul goes on to say of them:
Gal 4:10  Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 
Gal 4:11  I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

Again, in Romans Paul makes it clear; the freedoms we are to live in:
Rom 14:5  One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 
Rom 14:6  He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. 

These verses make it clear we are to let no one judge us in food, drink, or regarding festivals new moons, or sabbaths, which, as Paul states are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is Christ.

When this subject comes up and you are challenged by those who still believe keeping the Old Testament Sabbath is binding today, take them to these scriptures, and simply stand your ground in the freedom Christ has given us. Apart from this, if they continue to want to make it a point of contention, we are told to not argue and debate on these things, just let it go, and refuse to argue.

Rom 12:18  If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 

Sometimes it is impossible, sometimes people are out for a fight, but, we aren't to avenge ourselves. Speak what the Bible says about it, and then let people choose to receive or reject what the scriptures says. The day will come when God will avenge what needs to be avenged. We are to speak the truth in love, and patience as much as possible, and then leave people to make their own decisions.

We are living in a day when people have a very low tolerance level, if you won't agree with them, many times it can escalate into even physical violence. As Christians we are to overcome evil with good. If the disagreement can't be resolved by dialogue, leave them to themselves, and pray for them. Then leave them to God.

This sums up the matter on how to treat the adversaries we face in our lives. 

1Pe 3:9  Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 
1Pe 3:10  For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: 
1Pe 3:11  Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

May the God of peace-bring peace concerning this subject, to many.
Lorna Couillard

Those who fly through the air in airships tell us that one of the first rules they learn is to turn their ship toward the wind, and fly against it. The wind lifts the ship up to higher heights. Where did they learn that? They learned it from the birds. If a bird is flying for pleasure, it goes with the wind. But if the bird meets danger, it turns right around and faces the wind, in order that it may rise higher; and it flies away towards the very sun.
Sufferings are God’s winds, His contrary winds, sometimes His strong winds. They are God’s hurricanes, but, they take human life and lift it to higher levels and toward God’s heavens.
You have seen in the summer time a day when the atmosphere was so oppressive that you could hardly breathe? But a cloud appeared on the western horizon and that cloud grew larger and threw out rich blessing for the world. The storm rose, lightning flashed and thunder pealed. The storm covered the world, and the atmosphere was cleansed; new life was in the air, and the world was changed.
Human life is worked out according to exactly the same principle. When the storm breaks the atmosphere is changed, clarified, filled with new life; and a part of heaven is brought down to earth. -- Selected
Obstacles ought to set us singing. The wind finds voice, not when rushing across the open sea, but when hindered by the outstretched arms of the pine trees, or broken by the fine strings of an Aeolian harp. Then it has songs of power and beauty. Set your freed soul sweeping across the obstacles of life, through grim forests of pain, against even the tiny hindrances and frets that love uses, and it, too, will find its singing voice. (Streams in the Desert)

​"Be like a bird that, halting in its flight,
Rests on a bough too slight.
And feeling it give way beneath him sings,
Knowing he hath wings."