As the weather starts to warm up, my heart hurts for the women (young and old) whose scant clothing is so clearly a cry for the acceptance that can only be found in Christ. Then, my heart turns to my husband, and all the other Christian men, whose desire is to walk in purity and holiness amidst a culture that bombards them daily with all kinds of sexual images.

Kathy Gallagher, co-founder of Pure Life Ministries, said it best in her book “When His Secret Sin Breaks Your Heart”, “In a sense, it shouldn’t amaze any wife to discover that her husband struggles with sexual sin to some degree. In fact, it’s a wonder that every man in America isn’t a sex addict.” This is not an excuse but rather a reality check. Sexual sin is rampant (that includes inside the Church) and the only thing with the power to break its strong back is the blood of Jesus Christ.

After sin has seduced a man to do its bidding he is covered with a guilt so thick and heavy. A kind of spiritual paralysis sets in. I don’t believe that there is anything that saps a man’s strength like the guilt of sexual sin. But here’s the kicker. 2000 years ago, a man who lived a perfect life was nailed to a wooden cross in Palestine. At that time an uneven exchange took place – our guilt for his innocence. When Jesus hung on that tree he “cancelled the written code that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” Colossians 2:14-15

King David discovered the secret to winning the battle with the lust of the flesh. He turned the tables on the “Father of Lies” and shamed the “Adversary” by “coming clean”. He confessed his sin. The power that guilt had over him because of “secret sin” was destroyed when he told the truth.

My prayer for my husband is this: Lord, guard his eyes. Protect his heart. Shield his mind. Oh God, keep Calvary in his full view. Holy Spirit, bring to his remembrance that if he does sin, he has one who speaks to the Father in his defense – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.

“When I kept silent my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. 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.” Psalms 32:3-5

No one likes to have mean things said about them – especially when they are not true. The flip side to help keep it all in perspective is that we’ve all been loose with our tongue and have said hurtful things about one another.

Not long ago while at work I read an email I shouldn’t have. The email said something derogatory about me. Since I was not supposed to read it in the first place defending myself was out of the question. For some reason, this thing hit me a little harder than usual. Not only had I never met the person before, but I had just spent considerable time on the phone going ‘above and beyond’ trying to help them. It affected me so much that I had to leave the office and find a quiet place to regroup.

I put my head down and just told God, “It hurts”. I cried for a little then, seeking some comfort, opened up my Bible to Proverbs 26:2. “Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.” He never ceases to amaze me! Why a Holy God who dwells in unapproachable light would condescend to comfort a wretched woman like me, I’ll never know. But He did. And I know He will do it again.

That was all I needed to hear. I picked up my purse, walked back to my office, and went back to work. Who can lay a charge against God’s elect? Has someone said something bad about you? Don’t worry. Put your faith in Christ and the sovereignty of an Almighty God who has power and authority over all creation.

“However, the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loves you.” (Deuteronomy 23:5)

On Saturday, May 2, 2009 an obscure horse named Mine that Bird rocked the horseracing world with a huge upset at the Kentucky Derby. While I am by no means condoning gambling, I think we all have to acknowledge, when a horse running dead last suddenly rallies to first place, that something miraculous has happened. Mine that Bird, a horse that started the race as a 50-1 long shot astonished everyone in what the WSJ claimed to be, “one of the greatest upsets in 135 years of America’s most famous horse race.”

As I read the reports and watched the victory on video, I couldn’t help but think that God is the “God of the Long Shot”. A long shot is something that is unlikely and has little chance of happening or working out. I don’t know about you but sometimes I feel like I’m a long shot! At the very least, I’ve got a few long shot situations that I’m banking on God for! I believe the scriptures point to the fact that God is pleased to do His deepest work in those places of utter weakness.

Romans Chapter 5 says that not only do we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God but, “We also rejoice in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character and character hope. And hope does not disappoint us…” (Romans 5:3-4)

Maybe the odds are stacked against you and the outcome doesn’t look favorable. Keep running. Even if you are in last place – persevere in Jesus name because victory is promised!

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)