Acceptance with Joy

We all get discouraged by the "sin that so easily trips us up" (Hebrews 12:1). We want to change from our carnality to the image of Jesus, but we struggle with those pesky temptations to give in to sin. We cannot accept our flaws and humanity.

We belittle our self and get frustrated with our mortal tendencies. We want perfection, and we want it right now. However, this does not allow patience to have her perfect work in our life (James 1:4), until we change our viewpoint to trust God as we focus on His Word.

We come to the place where we actually joyfully accept our self - faults and all. This gives God permission to change our life from the inside out. He is the Potter, and we are simply a big lump of clay (Romans 9:21). He will mold our character and life according to His will for us (Ephesians 2:10).

God is sovereign, and has His own timetable and desires about how to use us for His glory. Maybe the warts that we despise are actually His tool to attract others to Himself. Yet, we are afraid to trust Him and His timing, so we try to stay in control.

I read about a man that struggled with the stigma of depression, and tried everything to change this in his life. Finally, he said, "Lord, I am going to be the greatest depressed person that I can be for Your glory. Then, when You are ready, You will change me."

It does not matter what occurs in our day, when we know that God is in control, and that He will get the glory from everything which He allows to manifest in our life (Job 2:10). We know without a doubt that He will work out everything for our benefit (Romans 8:28).

Prayer:

Father God, believing in Your sovereignty in our life allows us to trust You with our whole heart and not to allow our human understanding to cause us any anxiety (Proverbs 3:5-8). You shape us into the vessel that You need us to be in order to fulfill Your will through our life (2 Timothy 2:20; Isaiah 29:16).

So, when we see those pesky personality traits that frustrate us, we can trust that You will trim them away in Your timing and replace them with the fruit of Your Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). We want to glorify You in all that we say and do. We cannot always control our reactions to life, but as we walk in Your Spirit and rely only on You, You will allow patience to perfect us (James 1:4).

Thought for the Day:

Total surrender of our life to God is difficult at best, and downright agonizing when we anticipate the worst possible scenario; eventually, however, we come to the place where, like Jesus, we can pray the prayer that never fails, "Lord, not my will, but Yours be done." - Luke 22:42

Freedom from Shame

There is a huge difference between guilt and shame. Guilt convicts us, and there is a way to heal; shame condemns us, and we feel hopeless. Guilt comes when the Holy Spirit's convicts us of breaking God's laws; Shame comes from Satan's lies.

Shame is a powerful tool that Satan uses to perpetuate his lies in order to cripple our body, soul and spirit. We also inherit shame from Adam and Eve's original sin in Paradise (Romans 5:14). They felt it the moment they succumbed to Satan's lie.

However, Jesus liberates us from the law of generations (Deuteronomy 5:9-10) that perpetuates our sins, and shows us His love by His crucifixion, death and resurrection (Hebrews 9:14). God forgave us of the sins that cause our shame, and His Spirit sanctifies us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

As we live, move and have our being in Christ (Acts 17:28-34), our intimacy with God increases and our flesh decreases (John 3:30). We no longer have any attachment to this disappointing world, and we look forward to the glories of Heaven (2 Peter 3:13).

God's grace and mercy are available to us in order to escape any temptation to sin (1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Corinthians 12:9). If we live life through our spirit, rather than through the human reasoning of our mind, we can more easily resist sin.

Jesus set us free, from both the shame of sin, and also from the power of sin over our life (Galatians 2:20). Separated from Christ by our pride and rebellion, we are overwhelmed by shame; however, with Christ in us (Colossians 1:27), we walk freely from this devastating emotion.

Prayer:

Father God, thank You that when the devil attempts to overwhelm us with his lies, Your truth and love are there to dispel any web of deceit that he throws over us. We no longer hide as our first parents did from Your presence, but we enjoy unity with You both now and for eternity.

All we need for freedom from shame is the humility to respond to Your conviction and to confess our sins. Then You will faithfully forgive us and purify us from the devastation, deprivation and destruction of unrighteousness (1 John 2:9). Remind us that the proof of our love for You is obedience to Your precepts, as we walk in Your Spirit so that we do not fulfill the lusts of our flesh (Galatians 5:15-25; John 14:23).

Thought for the Day:

God's grace sets us free from sin and shame, and gives us the righteousness of Christ in exchange; we are unconditionally loved and included in the family of God and the Body of Christ, and we are co-heirs with Jesus of all that God gave to Him.

A Good Marriage - We Shall Reap

In our marriage, we are often discouraged, frustrated, lonely, unhappy, and weary of serving our mate. However, these times will decrease if we focus on serving one another as unto the Lord (Galatians 6:9). This prevents weariness from overwhelming us.

We serve each other for God's sake, not for what we can get out of the relationship, or to manipulate our spouse, or to gain accolades for our self since we feel like a martyr. We certainly do not look elsewhere for another partner - the problems will follow us.

We continue to do the right thing for God's sake, regardless of how our mate treats us. We just do more acts of service, give more gifts or focused attention, encourage and affirm each other, and hug and kiss and gaze into each other's eyes more often. 

( https://www.5lovelanguages.com/ )

We live in hope that our partner will eventually be won over by our Godly behavior. We choose to stay married for life and to make marriage our second priority in life, with our unity with God our first priority.

Every other endeavor comes after these two relationships. A loving marriage quenches the hunger in our soul for affection, affirmation, gratitude, attention and cherishing. It reduces our stress, because we have a yoke-fellow to help carry our load. We face our trials together.

This increases our energy, contentment and joy in every area of our life. We serve our King Jesus together in ministries that complement each other rather than pull us apart. We support each other through sickness and health until death parts us.

Prayer:

Father God, remind us to live out our marriage vows by serving one another in good times and in trials; not blaming the other, but carry our load in life together. Teach us ways to increase our intimacy, to strengthen our unity, to really listen to one another, to care about each other as we care about our self, and to never grow weary or apathetic about doing good deeds for each other.

Help us to see that the grass is never greener on the other side of the fence, because we just exchange one set of problems with another. Remind us to promote peace rather than discord, intimacy instead of a lack of harmony, gratitude more than unrealistic expectations, and to love our mate as they need to be loved instead of in our own way.

Thought for the Day:

Making the effort to have a good marriage pays off big time in benefits throughout our lifetime; we accept one another as we are, we attempt to bless each other every day, and we allow Christ to love our mate through us.

Our Hope of Glory

Authentic Believers irritate many people in today's world. We wax eloquent about the daily miracles and blessing that we receive from God, but unbelievers have no reference point in order to share in our joy.

They reject us because they cannot relate to our perspective. They also reject God's free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23), because they do not understand who Jesus is or what He did for us by paying the debt we owed for our sins (John 3:16-18).

When we choose God's eternal life, we and our children learn through experience to love the Lord our God, to listen to His voice, and to cling to, rely on and trust in Him alone during each moment of our day (Deuteronomy 30:19-20).

Christ, who abides within our spirit, is our hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). This is hard to understand for a person who is not Born Again by the Spirit of God (Colossians 2:2, 4:3). Yet, God reveals this awesome truth to His children, as well as to anyone who seeks Him (Colossians 1:24-26).

God's Spirit transforms us from one stage of glory to the next (2 Corinthians 3:18), until we have the mind and divine nature of Jesus (1 Corinthians 2:16; 2 Peter 1:4). Our mindset is changed from a carnal, earthly one, to a heavenly, spiritual viewpoint.

We are saved by faith in God (Ephesians 3:7-9). As part of God's family, there is nothing we can do to add to, or to take away from our position in Jesus. God gives us the commission to preach His Gospel to anyone who will listen (Colossians 1:25).

Even in times of trials and hardships, we learn to have the joy of the Lord as our strength (Philippians 4:4). We understand that God has a higher purpose for our suffering, which we may not understand, but through which we can completely trust in Him.

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for sending Jesus as the express image of the Godhead, the Trinity (Colossians 1:15). We see in Him all of Your attributes (Philippians 4:19; Ephesians 1:7; 2:7, 3:16; Romans 9:23, 11:33). Our union with You is through Jesus by Your Spirit. We are so grateful that He submitted to Your will and suffered the humiliation, degradation and crucifixion on the cross in our place (Romans 5:6-21).

Thank You also that through Jesus we have Your righteousness. We no longer need to suffer negative consequences of unrighteous thoughts and behavior, because Your Spirit transforms us and You call us Your own. We know that Jesus overcame death for us all (Colossians 1:18); and as Believers, though our body passes through death to the grave, our spirit and soul go immediately into Your presence (2 Corinthians 5:8).

Thought for the Day:

As Believers in Christ, we are buried with Him through baptism and raised to walk in a new life; therefore, we seek only those things which are above, and we follow the guidance of Christ in us, who is our only hope of a glorious eternity in God's presence. 

- Ephesians 3:16-19; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Victorious Over Trials

Life in this sin-cursed world often brings us frustration, sadness, anxiety attacks and eventually even hopelessness. There is a key element that allows us to reign victoriously over any trial that our decisions, the devil, the world, or God throw at us.

Yes, God provides trials in our life as well. He does this to perfect our character, teach us to trust in Him alone, and to bring us into a more perfect union with Him. He encourages us to walk in His Spirit to avoid the trials, which we experience through our choices (Galatians 5:15-25).

Trials do not last forever. They have a beginning, but they also have an end. By pursuing a healthy lifestyle, we avoid many illnesses; by reading God's Word and worshipping with His Saints, we grow spiritually; by caring for our needs at the same time we bless others, we reap joy in our soul.

Each encounter with a negative situation transforms our life in some way. We can allow them to make us bitter or better. We can curse God or praise God through them (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Tough times make us stronger or they weaken us and damage our body, soul and spirit. It is our choice.

God gives us so many examples in His Word of how He used frail humans to do great things for His Kingdom. They all went through adversity, which made them resilient, and prepared them for God's future plans for them (Genesis 37-50). 

In truth, giving thanks to God in everything, under any circumstance and regardless of what trial or success that we are experiencing, is the secret to a victorious life (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). God has a peace-filled and joyous life planned for us even in the midst of stress and turmoil (Jeremiah 29:11).

Prayer:                                                          Father God, You knew us before You even formed us in our mother's womb; before we were born, you set us apart for service in Your Kingdom (Jeremiah 1:50). Your Spirit within us helps us to dispel Satan's lies that "we are not good enough", that "we will always mess things up", that "You do not really love us", etc.

Jesus' love took our humanity and nailed it to Calvary's cross, as He made a way to bring us into Your Kingdom and to freely give us all of His righteousness, peace and joy within us (Romans 14:17; Luke 17:21). Thank You for loving us enough to make a way for us to spend eternity with You, as well as every moment of our life on this earth through Your Spirit within us.

Thought for the Day:

Even when we feel rejected, abandoned, unloved and worthless, the truth is that God knows exactly who we are, where we are, what we need, and how to turn us around in a moment of time; God's love, wisdom and power infuse our life with faith, joy, peace and hope; and they mold an eternal mindset in us.

Kingdom Thinking and Living

God's Holy Spirit enables us to know an intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father and Christ, His Son. The more intently we put the advancement of His Kingdom first in our life, the more fulfilled, content and joyful we remain (Matthew 6:33).

Adopting a heavenly mindset, we stop obsessing over the issues of life on this earth. We readily await the rapture of God's church or our ticket home from the Lord, whichever comes first, which helps us to focus on God's will for our life (Ephesians 2:10).

We use negative thoughts and emotions to discover what our spirit, soul and body are attempting to show us. Taking a searching inventory of our physical, emotional, spiritual and mental needs allows us to eradicate those pesky negative emotions that want to plague us.

Once we meet our needs, or turn them over to the Lord to provide for us in His time and way, our soul recovers, our body mends, and our spirit rejoices in the Lord (Psalm 23).

Then we are free to think about positive, worthwhile, wholesome, heavenly-minded thoughts (Philippians 4:8). We listen more than talk to God and other people, and we follow God's will for each moment of our day (Ephesians 2:10).

The indwelling Holy Spirit (John 15:26) perfects us from one stage of glory to the next by inspiring us to live righteously. He works into our personality the fruit of His Spirit, and He enables us to surrender our will to God's and to walk by His direction (Galatians 5:15-25; Romans 8:14).

He also guides our intercession for those on God's heart according to His will for them (Jude 1:20; Romans 8:27). The Spirit gave us life through Jesus' death on Calvary's cross, and He enables us to live in God's will moment by moment (John 3:6).

Prayer:

Father God, help us to yield to Your control and to follow Your Spirit's direction. Living in Your will is the happiest place on earth. Thank You for changing us and filling us with Your presence. We never want to grieve Your Spirit or cause You anguish in any way by our thoughts, words or deeds (Ephesians 4:30).

Thank You that Jesus fulfilled the law for us (Galatians 5:11), and gave us His righteousness in exchange for our sin (Galatians 5:5). We shed the shame, which Satan heaps on us, but we respond to the guilt that comes when we transgress the boundaries of Your will for us. We find comfort in Your arms, protection under Your wings, and mercy at Your throne in our times of need.

Thought for the Day:

When our ways please the Lord, even our enemies are at peace with us; we do not fear death, because our last breath on this side of heaven is immediately followed by our first breath of celestial air in Paradise.

- Proverbs 16:7; Galatians 5:16; Luke 23:39-43

True Love

Codependent behavior not only fills us with resentment and anger due to disappointment after disappointment, but it also puts undue expectations on our relationships, which smother our friends, family, associates and neighbors.

It makes us too needy, because we think that if we love others, they will want to love us in return. We look to others for our fulfillment, acceptance, identity, affection and provision; however, they are not humanly able to supply these necessities.

As long as we depend on people, we neglect, or even forsake our relationship with God. This causes devastating effects on our spirit, soul and body. The remedy for this predicament is to totally depend on God alone, as we appreciate what others do for us.

The Trinity fulfills our needs for satisfaction, approval, distinction, individuality, love, cherishing and blessings in body, soul and spirit. As we follow His plan for us, rather than trying to impress other people, our thoughts, desires and plans are for Him alone.

Joy and intimacy in relationships depend on our willingness to be humble, vulnerable, open, honest, and obedient to the Lord's will. Yet, holding back part of our true self for fear of rejection, causes us to miss the unity that could be ours.

Satan wants to destroy our connection with God and our significant others. We accept His lies, and believe them as truth, because he whispers them over and over in our mind. His goal is to steal our contentment, to kill our love for others, and to destroy the unity in our relationships.

Covenants in our affiliations prevent us from giving up or putting conditions on our love. We do not operate out of fear of losing their good opinion of us, but out of the joy of blessing each other every day of the week 

(1 John 4:18).

Prayer:

Father God, remind us to be honest with our self about what we need and who we are - faults and all. Teach us the benefits of taking risks and opening our self up to others. We want to make covenants with our friends, and workmates, as well as our church and natural family - those love-based promises to one another that do not rely on our feelings, but on our commitment to each other.

Help us to focus on our unity with Your Trinity within us, rather than on our human interactions. That way, Your eternal, abundant love and grace influences all of our relationships. Remind us that sharing Your agape love with others can influence their faith in You as well. We love You most, best, and always; and we love others as we love our self (Mark 12:30-31).

Thought for the Day:

Relationships are rocky at best, due to two individuals attempting to meld our choices and viewpoint, when we often disagree; if we focus less on our self and more on God, we learn to believe in, rely on and trust in Him alone, and then we will follow His will and guidance in our relationships.