My beloved, hear Me when I call. Listen to My voice. I am wooing you to Me. I am stretching out My arms for you to come closer. Just when you thought that our relationship couldn’t get any closer, I am taking you to a deeper place. Come and abide in Me. You are My beloved bride and I cherish you. I adore you. Be still and know that I your God will never leave you or forsake you. Your God and the One who loves you most.
Self Interest–a Gift of God
Self-interest, ugly as it may be, is actually a gift of God. It helps us make our way in this world. Having a healthy sense of self-worth—feeling significant—motivates us to reach toward God’s purpose for our life. It’s rooted in the fact that we truly are valuable.
God showed me this in an unusual way. Next door to us lived a child with Down Syndrome. He functioned at the level of a three-year-old, though he was much older. But his condition allowed him to speak freely from the heart—totally without pretense. Every time I saw this young man, he asked, “Do you love me?” Now we wouldn’t dare express ourselves like this, but isn’t this need at our very core? “Am I significant to you? Am I deserving of your love?” Self-interest—a gift of God? Yes! Because an inconsequential life is tough to bear, and one that is meaningless is practically a death sentence.
From Free from the Power of Sin: the Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself
Your Highest Priority
My child, My kingdom is not of this world, and you are not of this world. But you are sent into the world to testify that I am the One and only God and Jesus is My Son who I sent to rescue them from the domain of darkness. This is eternal life: That they may know Me, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom I have sent. My desire is that those who believe in Me will be one. Unity. I in you, you in Me. This is the intimacy I seek. For you to know Me and My Son. Make this your highest priority. Make this your life’s purpose. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all the other things shall be added to you.
John 18:36 John 17:14-16 John 17:3 Matthew 6:33
Free Will is Rooted in Self-interest
It is said that man is a free moral agent, meaning he possesses unrestricted power in making moral choices—we call it free will. Undeniably, God’s eternal purpose required that man be given the ability to choose—not merely between right and wrong, but more importantly in regard to the lordship of God over his life.
Yet what appears on the surface to be the ability to choose freely, is something more than merely free will. Man’s rejection of God does not in any way mean that he possesses freedom of choice in regard to everything else. Rather, in refusing to accept God’s purpose for his life, he inevitably opens himself up to control by another force—Satan. The tool the devil uses to subjugate man is his will—a will inherently rooted in self-interest. So instead we should think of this self-serving attribute of man’s nature—what we commonly call free will—as self-will.
From Free from the Power of Sin: the Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself
I will lead you
As you walk through this life, keep your eyes on Me. Each day I will lead you and guide you saying, “This is the way walk in it.” Let your heart be fully Mine. Direct your thoughts upward. I have your future mapped out. I have My plan in place. You will be saved from a lot of heartache if you follow My plan instead of your own. Your Father who knows the way.
Does the World Revolve Around Me?
Why are cars called autos? It’s because they’re self–powered. In the Greek, the word autos means self. God has designed us with the capacity to make our own choices—we’re self-propelled, so to speak. Self is simply me, a personal being given the glorious gift of existence and awareness. But this gift of life has the effect of placing me at the center of my own personal universe. Sure, we deny that the world revolves around us. Yet given the true nature of self, it’s hard to believe otherwise!
The Bible uses the term heart to convey the idea of self. Think of the heart as the engine that runs our being. Both our mind-set and our behavior are dictated by what is in the heart. Jesus said, “The good man brings forth what is good out of his heart; but the evil man brings forth evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.”
From Free from the Power of Sin: the Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself
Experience joy today
You shine brightest when you give yourself away. My glory shines through you when you serve others who cannot repay you. The gifts and talents I have placed in you are best expressed as you treat others as more important than yourself. Philippians 2:3. Joy and happiness are a direct result of loving Me and loving those I have placed in your life. Remember this, “I am able to do far more abundantly beyond all that you ask or think according to the power that works within you.” Ephesians 3:20 Experience joy today. Give yourself away.
Rebuilding Our Character is God’s Job
Trying to control our flesh through an external system of do’s and don’ts will not change our behavior. True change is only possible when a vibrant connection to the Spirit of God brings about a deep rebuilding of our character. Only through God’s indwelling presence can our conscience ever become healthy. Our conscience has tremendous influence on the will, which in turn guides the thoughts and feelings of our mind. It directs our actions from within—standing firm no matter what we find facing us.
A lifestyle of communing with God is the key to transformation. Vibrancy in any relationship comes as the result of intimacy—it has to be real; it must be alive! What’s really awesome is that when we get close to God we can expect to grow into all He has planned for us. And yet we so often stubbornly refuse it. Why is that? It’s because we’re all wrapped up in ourselves.
From Free from the Power of Sin: the Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself
It’s Personal
My child, it’s not a shallow pursuit for you. It’s personal. It’s a passion and a vision I have given to you. Don’t despise small beginnings. Don’t let others destroy the dream. Hang on to Me. Hang on to the purpose I have given you. Don’t look to the right or to the left. Don’t be distracted or discouraged. Focus on Me and keep the vision clear in your heart and mind. Trust Me. Be submitted to Me and I will make your path straight.
Forget the Symptoms; Attack the Disease!
While trying to change our behavior by disciplining the body has some value, it ultimately never produces the desired result. This is because it merely treats the symptoms—not the disease itself. And not only that, it leads to heaping on a load of guilt when it fails to work. By its very nature, this strategy is doomed to failure because it simply bucks God’s design. His life flows not from the works of the flesh, but from the Spirit of God surging through our spirit.
The same goes for depending on our intellect. But doesn’t gaining more knowledge about God mean that our heart will change in the process? To some degree it does. It’s important, but that’s not what we need most! God’s strategy is centered on our opportunity to commune with Him. Genuine change in our heart results from the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit bringing our spirit alive to Him.
From Free from the Power of Sin: the Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself