My child, I care for you. I have a personal interest in what goes on in your life. My desire for you is that you would set yourself apart from this world and submit to My will for your life. Too many are going the way of the world. Too many are succumbing to the distractions and pleasures of the evil one. To be set apart takes courage and resolve. Be courageous. Take your stand. Do not be lured away by the subtle distractions of the enemy. There is much to do. Consecrate yourself to Me. Turn your heart towards Me. I will fill you with My Spirit. I will accomplish My will in and through you.
Problems with My Heart
I love Paul’s writings. So practical! So honest! In Romans 7 he exposes what we like to keep as a closely guarded secret. It’s this: “I’m not the model believer I appear to be. There are problems with my heart I don’t even want to admit, or that I blatantly hide in an attempt to appear more righteous than I actually am.” Our inborn pride strongly resists any admission of failure. After all, people might discover what we’re really like!
Paul knew that if we are ever to successfully walk in God’s purpose we must first come to a sound understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And since the gospel impacts every facet of a person’s life, a good grasp of who we are in Christ requires that we be aware of at least three very important things: First of all, God’s purpose and plan for our life. Secondly, our own nature as human beings. And finally, the implications of being redeemed in Christ, but still impacted by a worldly environment dominated by sin.
From Free from the Power of Sin: the Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself
Rest in My Love
My love for you is infinite. It is everlasting. It is eternal. There is nothing you can do to make Me love you more than I do right now. Rest in My love.
Pearl of Great Value
Oh My child, if only you could see the world like I do. If only you had My eyes to gaze into the future and know your outcome is secure. Your destiny is in My hands. Your life here on earth is but a breath. When I said seek first the kingdom of God and all the other things will fall into place I meant it. Put Me first, above all else. Make Me your number one priority. Follow Me with your whole heart. Leave all the other things to Me. I am your pearl of great value.
Thriving in a Sin-riddled World
What Christian doesn’t yearn to be free from the nagging presence of sin? To one degree or another, our humanity traps us in a repetitive cycle of failure—the grinding reality of a redeemed life pitted against our self-serving flesh in a sin-riddled world. Thankfully, God has made provision for our sin! But what did He provide, really?
Many argue that in Christ we possess the power to become holy in our walk with God by choosing obedience over sin. Well, shooting for holiness in this way is a noble pursuit, but the strategy is flawed. Why? Because the purpose of Christ’s redeeming sacrifice is to impart God’s own righteousness to us, in spite of our sinful nature.
Because we now belong to Him, we don’t need to earn God’s favor. We already have it! God showers His grace on us, and in so doing His righteousness becomes our own. By His grace alone we are given the unbridled capacity for intimacy with God, in spite of the weakness of our flesh.
From Free from the Power of Sin: the Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself
Reflection
My child, I am revealing things to you which you have not known. You are in a place to receive all that I have for you. Remain open to Me and My Word. Be available for Me to come and flood you with My Presence, My Spirit and My joy. Come and sit at My feet and learn My ways. I will unveil the mysteries and open up your heart to take in the truths I have for you. You will be a reflection of Me as you learn and grow and move forward in Me. In Me are pleasure forever. In My presence is fullness of joy. I am your all and all. I am everything you need. I love your child-like faith. I love your obedience to what I am telling you to do. The more you obey, the more I will pour out on you. Receive it. Give it away. And be ready for more. My well never runs dry.
God Losing Value in our Eyes
Jesus said His kingdom is like someone who discovers hidden treasure, or a valuable pearl, and immediately recognizes the magnitude of his find. It’s about surrendering everything to gain this amazing salvation, but I think there’s even more to it than that. Why? Because what we first find so precious has the tendency to lose value in our eyes.
One day I was struck by how oblivious the owner of the treasure was to its true worth. Are we like that? Are we like the owner of the field who neglected to notice what was so easily uncovered by some passerby, or akin to the merchant so lax in his trade that he failed to recognize the true value of the pearl he owned?
Have we forfeited our treasure in Christ for something less meaningful? In the weakness of our flesh, it’s not uncommon to fall short of a single-minded pursuit of Christ. There are reasons a zealous heart slips into complacency, and understanding them is extremely helpful in trying to rekindle that lost fire.
From Free from the Power of Sin: the Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself
Trouble Saying No to Sin
As I began to learn about God as a new Christian, I saw that sin is a big issue for believers. The Bible has dozens of warnings about sin, most which point to my personal responsibility to say “no” to it. But saying “no” was the very thing I was having trouble with! The more I learned, the more confused I seemed to get. What really baffled me was Paul’s account of his own struggle with sin.
Yet why not be confused? Regarding human weakness, Paul said, “If I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.” (Romans 7:20) What in the world did he mean by that? Could he actually be shirking off personal responsibility for sin? There’s no question that Paul recognized his duty to wrestle against his flesh in resisting sin. He’s not excusing sin, but rather trying to get to the root of the problem in the believer’s life. Shouldn’t we be doing the same?
From Free from the Power of Sin: the Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself
Choose My Path
My child, do not embark on any new thing until you hear from Me. I have a path planned out for you and I need you to be fully ready and committed to following Me with your whole heart. I do not desire a divided heart. If you choose the way of the world, you will not succeed in the things I have for you. Surrender your plans. I know the desires of your heart. I will lead you. I will guide you. I will make your path straight. Your Father who knows your future.
The Spirit is Willing, but the Flesh is Weak
My behavior was radically impacted when I was born again. But it wasn’t long before a difficult question confronted me: how do I remain strong in my commitment to live in a way that pleases God when Jesus Himself said, “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak?” Weak indeed! What’s this all about, I wondered? I knew I had been deeply transformed, so why would I have even a remote desire to return to things so destructive in my past?
It amazed me because I knew from experience that sin could never be a source of lasting joy. Yet I was willing to toy with it. Could I really be that stupid? And another issue bewildered me. Why was I now completely set free from some old habits while others sprang back with a vengeance? There they were! Needless to say, the shame that came along with falling into the same old sins was extremely discouraging. The Bible talks about struggling with the old man; for me it was the old Dan!
From Free from the Power of Sin: the Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself