To win the Race

Let go of my expectations for my life

Give my life to Christ (He gave me life to give it  to Him and live with Him United)

He will carry me with grace (let Him direct my steps)

He will empower me to persevere through each day (no anxiety-He provides)

He will bring me to Heaven after I learn who He is and live the purpose I was made for in Christ (He has good works for me)

I will be in communion with the One who Loves me completely everyday throughout eternity (God is Love and made me for Him)

Nothing and no one is worth losing this perfect love and life of grace by preferring destructive things. That would be insanity. (Choose to forsake all that could harm my union with my Love!)

Choose Him and pray! Ask seek and knock. He does not coerce, He waits to be asked. The grace is there but it must be chosen. My free will is the greatest gift. I am responsible for it. The consequences are eternal. 

READ

26 In that day you will ask in my name; and I do not say to you that I shall ask the Father for you; 27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from the Father. (John 16:26–27, RSV2CE)

REFLECT

Jesus’s work broke down the barrier between the Father and humanity. I now, because of the work of Jesus, can go directly to the Father. 

I can ask in the name of Jesus because He satisfied all the requirements of sonship perfectly. He also is the Lamb of God, the perfect atoning blood sacrifice that takes away all my sin. 

I can go directly to the Father and ask something in the name of Jesus. Jesus tells me I don’t have to ask Jesus to go to the Father for me. Jesus says the Father himself loves me  personally because I have loved Jesus and believed that Jesus came from the Father. 

PRAY

Father, thank you for making a way to have a relationship with you! I need you to be my Father. I need your perfect care, support, direction, and love. I have a very distorted view of fatherhood from this world so I need you to open my heart and mind to You and who you really are. Thank you for giving your son to me! Thank you for opening my heart to love Him and believe in Him!

Thank you Jesus for opening the way for me to know You and the Father. Thank you for your sacrifice that washes me clean! Thank you for opening my heart to love you and believe in you. 

In the Name of Jesus, Father, I pray for the grace to kill sin in me, to live for your glory, and to persevere into eternity as yours forever! Please never let me go!

Amen

Addiction is proof that you are capable of intense devotion. 

You just serve a false God. 

Let that fire be re-ordered. 

Anyone who 

1. try’s to claim the esteem and respect of others, 

2. who is attached to his own will 

3. and to his own ideas, 

4. or is too fond of his own independence, 

5. or who seeks spiritual delights and consolations in God, 

is not poor in spirit; 

he is a rich owner of himself. 

If you desire to be perfect give your will to God, come to Christ in meekness and humility, and follow him to the Cross and the grave. 

This is what the Lord has been asking: “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me” (Mt 16:24).

Jesus did not pay for my sin so I can stay in it.  (Forensic)

Jesus paid for my sin so I can repent. (Turn from sin and walk in grace.) This is the new life. (Transformation)

I am now, by his Spirit, given access to Grace, by faith (submission of my own intellect and will to God’s intellect and will), to live the commandments. 

Given access is not the same as using the access. I must choose to walk in it. (Do what He says-Transform)

If I do not want to live the commandments, I don’t really know or love Jesus. (False profession-forensic not transformative)

He came to make a new man from the old one. I died to my life and now walk in His. When I get resurrected I will have the new life completely. Until then I fight the old man trying to take control. I must constantly surrender to the Spirit of Grace to fight the old man. 

Once saved always saved is a lie from hell. Just like a marriage, you must choose every day to be faithful. Repent everyday. If I start going the opposite direction I am no longer connected to Christ. I must walk in step with him in one direction. 

Lord, open our eyes. Help us see. We are dying and not truly with you if we are not obeying you. Destroy all the false teaching. Help us! Help us repent. Amen. 

READ

21 When my soul was embittered,

when I was pricked in heart,

22 I was stupid and ignorant,

I was like a beast toward you.

23 Nevertheless I am continually with you;

you hold my right hand.

24 You guide me with your counsel,

and afterward you will receive me to glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but you?

And there is nothing upon earth that I desire besides you.

26 My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.

27 For behold, those who are far from you shall perish;

you put an end to those who are false to you.

28 But for me it is good to be near God;

I have made the Lord God my refuge,

that I may tell of all your works.  (Psalm 73:21–28, RSV2CE)

REFLECT/RESOLUTION

I’m angry and frustrated. I am acting like an animal wanting to wreak havoc on those who abuse me. 

You still do not let go of my hand. You are trying to guide me. 

I want to hear and obey and not do anything stupid in my anger. 

If I listen and remember you got this in your hand and let you have the consequences I will be with you forever no matter what others are doing. 

I need to let go of the earth, what is happening here is nothing compared to being with you. There is nothing else I need here on earth but you my God. You are the strength of my heart and mine forever if I let go of earth and cling to you. 

Those who are far from you will perish. I do not want that for me! It is good if I stay near you and let the anger go. I will tell of all you do! You are my refuge! 

REST

You are always trying to go to guide me you never leave me. I have a choice on how I will respond. You can make consequences good out of any evil someone does to me. The greatest good is the push toward hiding in you! Being with you and clinging to you is the best good out of all evil. I do not have to lie and pretend it is not hurtful or evil. I can name it and still Trust you are holding me! Thank you My God for your love and power to orchestrate consequences to be closer to you! I am Safest in You!! Amen. 

God is Sovereignly taking care of us. 

God kept His word, even using the unrighteous deeds of some to accomplish His plan. What they meant for evil, God meant for good. God is in control, and He is trustworthy.

The personal example of Joseph, who, because he trusted in God was able to understand God’s big-picture plan and forgive his brothers. Even though they had caused great harm to Joseph, God didn’t abandon Joseph. Rather than respond with hate and anger, Joseph was able to respond with love and forgiveness, being a blessing to those who had intended to destroy his life. Joseph came to realize that what his brothers had meant for evil, God meant for good.

God provided for Joseph’s brothers, even though they had acted evilly. If God works in our lives in this way and cares and provides for us even when we are behaving in an unloving way, then we, like Joseph, should care for even those who are unloving toward us.