Honestly, I know that as a "good Christian" I should be saying "Oh yes, I love to give, I would happily give anything God asks me to." Reality is, I think that we all are afraid to really seek what God has for us sometimes. Why? We are afraid what it will cost us. Will it be to great?
We like to live our comfy little lives. You know, do what is on our life goals list and check it all off as we go. Get married. CHECK! Get good job. CHECK! Have a family. CHECK! Is that bad? Not necessarily. Is it good? Hmmmm, not sure it is.
What if one or more of these things take more time than we thought. There is no "CHECK." Who's list is it? Do I need to reevaluate?
Satan knows where in our lives we are missing those check marks. Then he uses people and circumstance to take his evil little thumb and push on those sore spots and really make us squirm. We settle for the boyfriend that isn't really someone we want to be with. We compromise our values. Lie just a little. Decide that maybe a little nudity in a movie isn't that bad, I'm an adult, I can handle it. Saying a word that is less than desirable is ok when I am REALLY upset. All the while we are allowing Satan to crack the foundation of who we are in Christ.
If Jesus was standing beside us would we let that word slip out? Would we be embarrassed to watch that movie with him? Would we want him to see the man/woman that we chose to give a piece of our heart to?
So what do I do with all this? Do I need to rebuke the devil? Our job is not to send Satan back where he belongs but to claim the victory we have in Jesus! " I am a daughter of the king! If you have an issue with that you can go talk to Jesus about it." Bet Satan will flee at the very name! Isn't that wonderful!
As a daughter of the most high I am filled with Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Gentleness, Goodness, Faithfulness and Self Control. These will be the fruits of my spirit and I will not allow him take them away!
I often feel that I need to focus on defeating Satan at his game and in reality, Jesus already did that. I don't need to talk to Satan. I just need to repent of the sin and claim the characteristics that I now possess as a "new creation" in Christ Jesus. Let Jesus fight the battle. The battle is won. He never asks me to fight a battle on my own. Why? He knows I don't have the strength on my own to win. I need him. I forget that. How do I forget that?
As a daughter of the most high I am filled with Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Gentleness, Goodness, Faithfulness and Self Control. These will be the fruits of my spirit and I will not allow him take them away!
I often feel that I need to focus on defeating Satan at his game and in reality, Jesus already did that. I don't need to talk to Satan. I just need to repent of the sin and claim the characteristics that I now possess as a "new creation" in Christ Jesus. Let Jesus fight the battle. The battle is won. He never asks me to fight a battle on my own. Why? He knows I don't have the strength on my own to win. I need him. I forget that. How do I forget that?
Satan tricks me into thinking that I need to deal with all my "stuff" before I can come to God. The truth is, I can't deal with my "stuff" UNTIL I come to God. When I come and lay it all down, he restores me. Makes me better than I was before!
Jesus wants us to come just as we are and offer our lives. We are the sacrifice. Jesus devoted his whole life to telling everyone he saw about his father in heaven. He was willing to be called a liar. He was willing to be beaten. Nowhere in my bible does it say that he stood up for himself. He didn't call them unfair. He didn't try to challenge the scoffers in a court of law because he was being discriminated against.
Jesus went to the cross and for each and every man woman and child said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" He died so that I could live. He suffered so that I could be free. He gave all. Yet I still hang onto the "stuff" I seem to hold so dear.
What if we gave all? What if we all could see ourselves through the eyes of Jesus. To have just a glimpse of his plan for us.
Would I regret giving all? Or would I find myself blessed beyond measure. With faith that could move mountains. The touch of my hand, healing the sick and making the blind to see? Why do we sell ourselves short?
Jesus wouldn't have given his life for someone that wasn't worth it. He gave his life, so that we in return, would show the fathers love to others. He isn't asking us to sacrifice anything more than he already sacrificed for us.
Who could ask for a better daddy than that?! He sent a savior before we ever even knew we needed one!
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