Freedom!

I have new determination to fight sin in my life.  He died so I could live.  He was bound on a Cross by His enemies so I could be free.  I want to believe what He says is True and walk in it fully.  17 years into my journey...after years of a million answered prayers and seeing thousands of changed lives and being consumed in the glory of so many things He has done thru us I am fearful.  Fearful that I have somehow thought this has been in some small way because of my goodness or strength added to His righteousness.  I know with my mind that it is Christ plus NOTING but my logic somehow tells me a different story.  

I feel as though my heart is being awakened anew to the mercy and grace found ONLY in His Sacrifice...not even a tiny bit thru my good works or morality. This is causing a deeper worship of my King.  A new determination to fight sin.  Sin and slefish desires are no longer my master.  I have a greater desire to read His Word thru a different lense.  I feel more passion to reach out to the lost with the GREAT news of His Redeeming Power!  So much more compassion for the poor, needy, broken...awwwwww because I am just as poor, needy and broken.  

All the verses I am reading, memorizing, meditating on...they are all tying into Redemption.  As believers we have been redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to us.  It is for freedom that He set us free.  As we throw off every weight, sin and distraction that so eaily entangles us we can run the race marked out for us with pereverance.  We must understand the goal and the great worth of the Prize or why bother to fight when the battle rages on?  We will fizzle out and not finish strong settling into complacency.  LET IT NOT BE SO!

My life may appear more pure and clean on the outside than the days I first believed but it does NOT mean I am any less weak or powerless apart from Christ...it does not mean that I should  be any less desperate in seeking Him than I was at first.  I am finding the beauty of following Him means we fight harder to see Him as He really is and choose to believe He is who He says He is and that we are who He says we are in Christ.  Seeing Him as He really is surely is our greatest weapen against our temptation to sin.  When we drink from broken cisterns it is because somewhere in our hearts we are not believing that He is the Living Water and that He alone satisfies our thirst.  When we truly believe that His grace is enough and His mercy covers every sin and failure it should lead us to greater obedience AND abandon AND worship AND humble service in HIs Kingdom! Our souls should be at rest in His Presence and alive in His Truth and humbled by His holiness.

I have been incredibly tempted in recent years to place 'good' things on the throne of my heart.  Things, people, ministries that Christ has called me to devote my life to for the sake of His Kingdom have become temptations. When they dominate my thoughts and reign supreme in my affections they become deceitful in my heart. He is speaking loudly to me, in love, that He must reign supreme in my thoughts, affections and heart.  He has an order to things...and He must always be first in that order.  Our first love, our first pursuit, our first cause!  

The battle only grows stronger and the weapons He has called us to fight with are spiritual in nature.  He has won the battle.  If we believe and fight humbled before His mighty hand and with His strength, abandoning our own feeble efforts to His, we will see His glory in the land of the living.  We will see the Reality that HE HAS OVERCOME!  He has TRULY overcome!  His death and resurrection did for us what we can NEVER do for ourselves.  

My heart is humbled, alive, ready and willing to see Him as He reallly is.  Please pray with me that Jesus would reveal Himself to us in a way that causes us to make Him the greatest Treasure and pursuit of our hearts!  Surely this will cause HIs light to shine thru us lighting the way in the darkness for others to see Him too!  

Oh Lord how we love and long for You ALONE!