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Why, Lord?

“Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.
John 9:2-3 NLT
http://bible.com/116/jhn.9.2-3.NLT

So often,  we cry out,  “Why,  Lord?”

Christians aren’t guaranteed a life of ease and prosperity and comfort while on this earth, and our circumstances compared to the rest of the world are not an indicator of our sinfulness or faithfulness. If Jesus gave us everything that we asked for every time and on our time-frame, we would only choose to use Him,  not to love and serve Him.

Sometimes we won’t know this side of eternity why we are facing a certain circumstance in our lives,  but He always gives us the promise that He is with us and will not forsake us. And in fact,  His way is so much better than the way that we might choose for ourselves if we were in control of our lives with no guidance, correction, discipline, love and encouragement from our Heavenly Father who lives us.

Heavenly Father,  we trust you – even in those times where we might not understand. You know best. Your will be done,  not ours.

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Debauchery and Imperfection

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Last night at the jail, my message was on our imperfection but His perfection – about Him reconciling us to be more like Him – about experiencing His touch upon our lives now, not just after our hearts have stopped beating. It was about coming broken daily to see His healing and correction continue to take place in our lives. It was about looking not at ourselves,  but looking to Christ for our salvation.

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I started out the message singing a very broken and imperfect delivery of the children’s song “Jesus loves Me”, standing in that cell block amongst some who were attending the Bible Study and many who sat in their bunk areas far away. This was clearly a broken and imperfect performance as the song lifted out of my range and my voice cracked and I even laughed at myself at one point. You see, I can normally sing fairly well,  but I had asked the Lord to use me however was best to deliver His message tonight, not so that I would receive any glory or honor. And for a message on imperfection, He was doing a great job of it in the opener – and I started into the message, letting the Holy Spirit guide us along the night’s journey into the Word of God.

In the middle of the message, I was mentioning Galatians 5 and someone said their translation had the word “debauchery” and they asked what it meant. My immediate thoughts trying to explain this old word that is rarely used today went to sexual immorality and promiscuity, but it covers so much more than that. My answer was imperfect and left room for improvement – yet again demonstrating that we don’t have to be perfect (nor will we be this side of judgement) in order to share testimony and truth about the Word of God.

You see,  it isn’t just about sexual things,  but it means any excessive indulgence that separates us from walking in the Spirit and giving God glory. I’m thankful for my brother,  Michael Mcleymore, who was there beside me, ready to quickly assist with greater clarification,  explaining that it could be anything taken too far,  even wasting our day away playing video games or watching TV in excess instead of using the day for the glory of God.

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It is about excess. Taking the things of this earth that exist for our survival,  for our health, for our enjoyment – and perverting their use from their natural intended purpose for which we should be giving God thanks and praise,  and instead perverting them into something excessive and distracting from God’s glory.

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And it all comes down to who is the Lord of our life. It comes down to our individual choices and decisions,  moment to moment,  breath by breath,  and who we are choosing to serve and glorify with those choices. Whether we are using our lives for their intended purpose of bringing Him glory and honor – sharing the Good News, loving and serving others, making disciples,  equipping the saints, walking in the Spirit, and obeying His commandments – or if we have made it about ourselves and we are proving it by our excessive enjoyment of worldly pleasures and lack of concern for God and for others.

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Settling and getting comfortable with our own imperfections will allow them to grow into debauchery. But walking this path of reconciliation with Christ,  seeking His healing touch daily will help us identify, cut away, cast off, and be delivered from those things that have no place in the life of a vessel of the Holy Spirit. Choosing to feed the flesh with individual decisions will exercise those fleshly desires in our lives,  or choosing to submit and walk in the Spirit will exercise His strength in overcoming those temptations and evil influences in our lives.

So we should ask ourselves, not whether we are perfect or imperfect – because if we don’t recognize that we are imperfect, how deep have we fallen into the darkness. But we should ask ourselves,  what path am I choosing to walk, the narrow path that is seldom chosen, or the broad way that leads to destruction?

de·bauch·er·y dəˈbôCHərē/ noun
noun: debauchery; plural noun: debaucheries
excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures.

“a life of self-absorption and debauchery”

synonyms:
dissipation, degeneracy, corruption, vice, depravity;
immodesty, indecency, perversion, iniquity, wickedness, sinfulness, impropriety, immorality;
lasciviousness, salaciousness, lechery, lewdness, lust, promiscuity, wantonness, profligacy;
decadence, intemperance, sybaritism;
turpitude

Ephesians 5:18 ESV
And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,

Galatians 5:19-21 ESV
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Romans 13:13 ESV
Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.

Romans 1:26-27 ESV
For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

Ephesians 5:1-33 ESV
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

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Don’t throw out the baby with the bath water

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In older days,  before running water and electricity, people bathed in small pans of water that would be filled with water so they could wash. There were no drains or plumbing, attached,  so after they were washed, the water in the pan would be dirty. They would then “throw out the dirty water”. So a saying arose to “don’t throw the baby out with the bath water”. The point in the saying was that we don’t throw out that which is still valuable along with that which isn’t.

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I see a perfect example of this demonstrated through Christ’s teaching. He demonstrated that grace brings the cleansing waters, but that we don’t throw away the law,  we just need to see the law in the light of Christ’s teachings. Jesus told us that He did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. He told us not to throw it away,  but to understand the Spirit and the purpose of the law,  not just the letter of the law.

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And His reaction to the crowd seeking punishment for the lady caught in the act of adultery is a great example to me of how we are meant to view the law and grace working together in unity.

They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!”
John 8:7 NLT
http://bible.com/116/jhn.8.7.NLT

You see,  Christ did not say,  “the law is wrong”, He did not go against the law,  He did not tell her to ignore the law and continue sinning. No, He taught the people who had pointing fingers and accusations and stones eagerly in their hands ready to execute judgement and punishment upon this sinner a lesson about compassion and mercy. And He still upheld the law and Word of God as faithful and true when He tells her to go and sin no more.

Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” ———-
John 8:10-11 NLT

http://bible.com/116/jhn.8.10-11.NLT

He doesn’t tell her that she is protected by grace to continue in her sins,  He doesn’t hand her a get out of hell free card and send her back to her old life, He doesn’t tell her that He’s the Savior and she doesn’t need to obey the law anymore – He tells her that He does not condemn her and to go and stop sinning.

This represents a significantly different message than many will live by and teach who claim the name of Christ. Many fall into camps who are either focused on living by the letter of the law and measuring and judging and condemning those who aren’t like themselves – falling into legalism and the leaven of the Pharisees that is the spiritual pride of those practicing an empty religion who are lost in the deep darkness of a separation from the Truth and the love of our Heavenly Father. Or they fall into camps that excuse sin and worldly living,  ignoring the Word of God or dismissing it as not having value or purpose or instruction for their lives because they’ve once said a prayer about Jesus and received a baptism by water and called His name – never having repented of their sins and received the baptism of the Holy Spirit or been freed from their captivity to a life walking in communion with God alive in their lives teaching,  guiding,  and comforting them.

You see, the narrow path is not throwing out the value ofthe instruction ofthe Word of God because of the living waters of grace. Nor is it ignoring the cleansing powers and purpose of grace by leaving the baby sitting in the dirty waters. The narrow path is accepting grace for its cleansing powers and understanding the value of the Word of God as holy and divine instruction for our lives that is more wise than our own opinions and cultural influences and preferences.

I encourage you to not use grace as an excuse to walk contrary to the Word of God saying,  “I’m only a human sinner, I’m thankful that Jesus forgives me because I’m still in sin.” There is nothing in error with that statement, you babes in Christ seeking His touch upon your life,  so I encourage you to strive on. But those who have been walking, we are not meant to remain babes, but to strive for spiritual maturity so that we can say, “I’m a child of God, thankful that Jesus loves in me and through Him I am empowered to go and sin no more.”

So don’t throw the baby out with the bath water,  and don’t leave the baby sitting in the dirty water either.

Know the value  and purpose of grace,  of your being equipped daily – in an appreciation and meditation upon the Word of God and in an attentiveness to the instruction of your teacher the Holy Spirit.

A slave is not yet free. Do not remain a slave.

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin.  A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever.  So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.
John 8:34-36 NLT
http://bible.com/116/jhn.8.34-36.NLT

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Who’s your daddy?

I ask you friend, to gladly listen to this message, expecting something that might touch your heart today.

Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me.  Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me!  For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.  So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me!  Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me?  Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.”
John 8:42-47 NLT
http://bible.com/116/jhn.8.42-47.NLT

It can be  a hard pill to swallow when the Word of God shines light on your heart’s true desires of you are not yet freed from the slavery of sin – if you are not yet repenting of your sin – if you are not yet resisting relation and evil. But a Christ makes it clear that this is not a one foot in and one foot out circumstance. We have one Father,  one master, one Lord over our lives and we are the ones who demonstrate that choice in the testimony our lives.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.  And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin.  A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever.  So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.  Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me.  Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me!  For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.  So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me!  Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me?  Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.”
John 8:31-32, 34-36, 42-47 NLT
http://bible.com/116/jhn.8.31-47.NLT

There are many who do not gladly listen to the Word of God. There are those who deny it. There are those who claim it by name but do not value it enough to listen to it and apply it to their lives. There are those that know some of what it says and run from it because they believe it is going to take things away from them that they want to cling to. There are those that pick and choose what they can use to back up their own opinions. There are those that study and try to obey in fear and obligation and confess in guiltandshame, hoping they can keep themselves out of hell for the sins that hold them captive. But how few listen to the Word of God, gladly understanding that He is for them and not against them – that His Word is meant to be a light unto our feet to keep us upon the narrow path of a life lived today, with God, as a free Son of God, not as a slave to sin.

So we must examine our deceitful hearts,  and cling to this Word of God, that is sharper than a two edged sword cutting down to the root of our sickness – and allow it to cut away those things of sin and death – and cast it away from our life today – praying that it be bound and cast into the eternal flames to never return to this place that is now the temple of the Holy Spirit – praising God as we encounter the trial that will prove our faith in His power to overcome – and praising God when He proves Himself faithful and true in overcoming sin in our lives and delivering us as a free Son of God, no longer a slave.

And when the Word of God continuously proves itself true in the evidence of our lives – will we then not cling to it like a valuable treasure that we have found? Will we not sell everything we have to possess it? Will we not gladly give up our old lives as we experience the new?

For why of a man truly knows the value of a treasure,  would he trade it for a curse and a debt that is not his to pay? If a man truly knew the great value of royalty, would He trade it for slavery?

But how many do not know in their hearts the truth? How many have heard the words, have seen the rituals and the practices, have felt the condemnation,  guilt,  and shame, have smelled the stench of religion – but have never laid their hearts upon the sweet aroma of the truth of the Word of God?

Yes,  many ears are closed,  many eyes are veiled to the truth. It is our job,  church, to restore sight to the blind, to speak the message of truth so that they might recognize His voice and return to Him.

Jesus replied, “I have already told you, and you don’t believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name.  But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep.  My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me,  for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.  The Father and I are one.”
John 10:25-30 NLT
http://bible.com/116/jhn.10.25-30.NLT

And what is the proof we bring that we are His and that His message is true? Let our lives be a testimony to His saving power. Let them look at our lives and know that we have been changed by His touch. “The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name.” Let this be your guiding light today, children of God,  that the proof is in the work you do in His name – loving and serving your fellow man,  walking in the Spirit,  not in the flesh – gladly listening to the Word of God.

And if you are not there yet, friend – if you have not yet received the baptism of the Holy Spirit of Christ who lives in you – count the cost of following Christ faithfully in this dark world,  and know the cost of denying Him separated by your unbelief for eternity – confess your brokenness to the Lord Jesus Christ – repent of your sinful ways – and all Him to come into your life to guide you and teach you and unveil your eyes to the truth of His mercy,  grace, and glory. And hold on tight for the ride of your life, as you lay hold of the only treasure worth having,  the only inheritance that lasts, the only family that brings royalty and freedom.

Arise, child of God, and hear the Word of God,  listen intently, for in it wisdom is found more valuable than gold.

hballingerLeave a comment

What do you fear?

But no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders.
John 7:13 NLT
http://bible.com/116/jhn.7.13.NLT

Fear.

If it is fear in anything other than God, it can paralyze us and keep us from the opportunities at hand. But fear itself is not bad, it just needs to be directed towards the only thing worth fearing.

Halloween is the time of year that the world wants to remind us of all kinds of things that are false, fake and imaginary that can be distractions from what we should truly fear. But if I know the truth and I fear only God, why would I fear such silly things as monsters and ghosts? If I have God on my side, then which of these should I fear? Not even one.

You see,  fear isn’t meant to paralyze us and stop us in our tracks,  it is meant to convict us and keep us on the narrow path. It is meant to protect us from danger, to remind us in whom we find our courage and strength.

But for someone who does not have confidence in that one true source of strength that does not leave or forsake us – the world offers many “scary” things to trap us. The trick is that they don’t look like traps at all when viewed with our eyes of flesh.

They are things like promiscuity with that beautiful person that catches our eye.

They are things like that raise that we can get at work by compromising our integrity.

They are things like building a kingdom of believers worshipping and following a brand name or a leader or an experience instead of Jesus Christ.

They are things like taking credit ourselves for the things that He deserves all the praise and honor and glory.

They are things like clinging to material things that we want and missing the opportunity of filling the needs of another.

You see,  some of these scariest things are made attractive and tempting if we only have eyes of flesh.

These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
A proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren.
Proverbs 6:16-19 NKJV
http://bible.com/114/pro.6.16-19.NKJV

Lord,  help us to fear the one thing worth fearing and acknowledging – You. Let our eyes be opened to the foolish tricks and traps and temptations of this world, and instead of following the attrition of our eyes of flesh,  let our spiritual eye of discernment, that voice of your Holy Spirit, guide us along the narrow path that is fearing you alone. For that is the only place that true wisdom is to be found. Teach us and guide us and strengthen us and humble us at your feet, and establish our steps along this path – protecting us in your hand,  not allowing us to run out of it or be snatched from it,  Lord. Let us be yours for eternity. Amen.

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How many only know about the baptism of John?

Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
Acts 18:24-26 ESV
http://bible.com/59/act.18.24-26.ESV

So what is the baptism of John?

Luke 3:16
John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Acts 1:5
for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now

Acts 19:4
And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”

Mark 1:4
John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

And the baptism with water (John the Baptist’s type of baptism,  emmersing people under water to demonstrate their repentance from their sins) and the baptism of the Holy Spirit and Fire (the baptism available to us through Christ coming into our lives as the living water) – the two are demonstrated in scripture as separate and different, just as in the case of Alexandria mentioned above in Acts 18,  and also in the case of Samaria in Acts 8:

Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
Acts 8:14-17 ESV
http://bible.com/59/act.8.14-17.ESV

So I wonder how many have only been baptized in the name, or in the water – but not by the Holy Spirit and fire? How many know the words and religious practice in their minds,  but do not have the yearning desire for the Lord in their hearts?

Oh,  if you do not have it,  friend,  seek it out. And not like someone wanting power and glory for themselves:

Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”
Acts 8:18-24 ESV
http://bible.com/59/act.8.18-24.ESV

And again, just like Christ warned the seventy two when they returned,  don’t be caught up in the new freedom and strength (because it is His work not your own),  but be thankful that we are His:

The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.  Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.  Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
Luke 10:17-20 ESV
http://bible.com/59/luk.10.17-20.ESV

So examine yourself so that you will know that you are alive with the Spirit:

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”
John 7:37-38 ESV
http://bible.com/59/jhn.7.37-38.ESV

And don’t block up the flow once you’ve received,  let it poor out onto others,  let your light shine.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16 ESV
http://bible.com/59/mat.5.14-16.ESV

So, do you know about the baptism of the Holy Spirit? Does Christ live in you today, friend? Come and drink,  the water isn’t just fine,  it’s amazing.

hballingerLeave a comment

Pressing On

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12-14 ESV
http://bible.com/59/php.3.12-14.ESV

I have not yet made it to my final destination,  nor do I trust my heart to not be deceitful with its trickery that has kept my eyes veiled from the truth in the past and living in error and contrary to the will of God. You see,  I do not trust myself. But I have full confidence in the promises of Christ Jesus.

It does not do me much good to look back over my past, because like Paul, I count it all as loss. I hope that each day I am either finding something new in my flesh that needs to be cut out,  cast away,  healed,  and replaced by the Holy Spirit – or that I am finding something new and glorious and wonderful to ponder upon and put into loving and faithful action as a part of my life. And to tell you the truth,  the both are one and the same. This is pressing on. This is seeing the race to its finish. This is participating in the Kingdom of God as we walk with Him,  talk with Him,  but most importantly as we listen for His guidance.

We want an easy set of rules. Even those of us who think ourselves not wicked want an easy set of rules to follow like a checklist,  so we might know our standing with God and measure ourselves and call ourselves righteous. But how few instead want to stay in communion with God? How many run from the brilliance of His glory ashamed at our own state compared to His?

But little children, do not be, afraid. You are His. He calls you His own special creation,  set aside to bring Him honor and glory. Take your eyes of of yourself and set them upon Him and be in awe and amazement and wonder. Do not be like that example of unfaithfulness who fell from God’s grace because He set His eyes on Himself and the idea of lifting himself up in glory. You are not asked to seek glory for yourself or expected to measure up to the glory of God. He bids you only to come to Him and let His light shine through you.

Press on in a life following His example.

Press in for His guidance and touch upon your life.

Do not think yourself holy or righteous of your own account – but know that His righteousness is available to you. Examine yourselves and find those areas where the enemy might still lay claim to any territory in your life. Seek your guidance and strength in the Word of God to see that temptation bound, to see that filth cut out and swept from this temple for the dwelling of the Holy Spirit, to know that it will be cast down into the eyeball pit to not return,  and to sing praises to God for the victory for it is when He inhabits our praise that we are filled and made while again so that there is no room left open for the enemy to restore their chains or reclaim that territory.

This is the race that we run to its completion. This is the ministry of reconciliation to Christ. It is a moment by moment,  day by day,  decision to see our lives filled with victory in the Spirit of Christ who lives in us, and not diseased in defeat to the temptations and passions of the flesh. This is seeking God’s advice,  guidance, strength, mercy,  and yes – even His glory – not to claim it as our own,  but to marvel in it and tell others of His mighty works in our lives.

What mighty work is God going to do in your life today,  friend? How much praise are we going to get to give Him today? Isn’t it amazing that we have a whole life ahead of us,  knowing that He has even greater things ahead in store for us? We just need to remain faithful to the end. One step at a time. Be faithful in the small things,  in this decision at hand, walk it out WITH GOD and not on your own – and get used to repeating that – and you’re on your way home on the narrow path,  friend.

I love you. Stay the course. See you when we get home, brothers and sisters. It’s not that far now,  just over that hill, just past the trials, and the destination is well worth the travel,  especially when we consider our traveling companion. Talk with Him,  walk with Him.