HAPPY FRIDAY!
Today's scriptures are about receiving a new heart and a new Spirit from God. I spent many years trying to be good, and do well on my own, but I had it all wrong. Knowledge is power, so when we seek God’s wisdom, we'll find everything we need to grow in our Spirit, as well as keep a peaceful heart. I'm so grateful for the Grace of God! When we come to the realization that we're inadequate, and cannot live a righteous life without Him, we'll surrender. We'll take on a meek spirit, and open our heart up to Him.God wants our happiness, but happiness is impossible without peace. I don't know one person who just wants to be pure evil, because it takes more energy to be angry, upset, and mean; it's just plain exhausting. We were created with a conscience, which is a God-given sensor that everyone has, to help us recognize right from wrong. It's different, yet very similar to the Holy Spirit. Whether saved or unsaved, we’ll feel remorseful for the bad things, and proud of the good things we do; it's just in our nature. So believe me, that person whose main purpose in life is to make others miserable, is fighting his or her own demons. There's some type of pain on the inside of them, which makes them act and react the way that they do.
We notice the immediate remorse and regret in Adam and Eve right after they disobeyed God, and they didn't have the Holy Spirit within them. Before Christ, God used the conscious to persuade people to repent, and make sacrifices for their sins. He had many messengers, prophets, and His written Word, to help man avoid evil. Nonetheless, it wasn't until they surrendered to Him, could He change their heart. Today we're so very blessed to have Salvation, once and for all, through Jesus Christ. It's written: For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. (Heb. 9:13-15)
The best day of my life was when I received the call. I decided that I'd had enough of uneasiness, pain, heartache, anger, and utter chaos in my life. I grew weary, which was the most humbling period in my life. I was so weak from trying to fight my battles alone, that I literally couldn't get up out of the bed. I had been trying to change, and start going to church regularly. I wanted to stop the smoking, drinking, partying, lying, and other sins I was committing. I was tired of being tired, so I eventually I fell on my knees and cried out to the Lord. That was the moment I realized that I couldn't do it on my own. The more I tried, the harder it became. I asked God to fix me, renew me, and strengthen me, and that's when the light came on. I was filled with the Spirit, and my life changed from that day forward. What a lot of us don't realize is that when we accept Jesus as Lord, we become one with Him, and He's one with God. We cannot live in evil, because we're no longer subjected to it.
God will refine us, and start the rebuilding process, and sometimes things need to be torn down, in order to be rebuilt on a solid foundation, with a stronger frame. When I deliberately sought the Lord, things just started to change. I started to hunger and thirst for Him more, and found that my cravings for the ways of the world decreased. It's a daily walk with Him, and the enemy still works hard to take me out of this place, but Jesus said: My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. (John 10:27-29) I find true peace in the promises of the Lord, because I know that no matter what happens in this life, I am His.
I can't count the amount of times I heard a person say, I can't go to church, or surrender my life to God, because I'm not ready. People are under the notion that they have to become "better" in order to be saved. If there's only one thing you take from this message, let it be the fact that you're incapable of becoming "better" without God. He is who will make you righteous, but only when He becomes one with you. The only thing you need to do is surrender. Realize and understand that you need Him, and He'll show you the way. He has a calling on your life, and He's been knocking and knocking, waiting on you to answer that call. If you’re trying to "fix" your life before you answer His call, then you will never experience the love of God. Remember He said, "My grace is sufficient in your weakness".
If you don't know Jesus, then don't wait any longer, ask Him to come into your life today! He doesn't care what state your life is in, or how many sins you've committed, He'll take you just as you are. You're clay, and He's waiting to mold you. As my Pastor taught us this past Sunday, the good thing about clay is if you notice a blemish or make a mistake in your sculpture, it's really easy break the mold down, and start again fresh. Don't allow the enemy to lie to you any longer, submit to the Lord, and allow Him to mold you into the beautiful Spirit you're intended to be. My favorite verses today are: There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:1-6)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455450&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/broadcast/today-on-radio
http://www.intouch.org/magazine/daily-devotional
I love you!
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