Flesh vs Spirit

"an excellent prayer" Psalm 86:11 "Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart" One of my 'ongoing' battles, is a divided heart...Here David is praying, "God, just unite my heart towards Thee." Part of us is towards God, and part of it is towards our flesh. David is saying, "Lord, I don't want a divided heart. Unite my heart towards Thee." I think that's an excellent prayer.

It's All About Me...isn't it?

"rest for my soul" Hebrews 12:2 "Looking unto Jesus" The Holy Spirit's ever, ongoing work is to get our eyes from 'self' to Jesus...but for satan its just the opposite, he loves to keep us looking at our selves...he loves to tells us "Your sins are too great for pardon; you have no faith; you dont repent enough; you will never be able to continue to the end; you have such a wavering hold of Jesus" All these are thoughts about self, and we will never find comfort or assurance by looking within. But the Holy Spirit turns our eyes entirely away from self: He tells us that we are nothing, but that "Christ is all in all." Remember, therefore, it is not thy hold of Christ that saves thee—it is Christ; it is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee—it is Christ; it is not even faith in Christ, though that be the instrument—it is Christ's blood and merits; therefore, look not so much to thy hand with which thou art grasping Christ, as to Christ; look not to thy hope, but to Jesus, the source of thy hope; look not to thy faith, but to Jesus, the author and finisher of thy faith. We shall never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our doings, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul. If we would at once overcome Satan and have peace with God, it must be by "looking unto Jesus." Keep thine eye simply on Him; let His death, His sufferings, His merits, His glories, His intercession, be fresh upon thy mind; when thou wakest in the morning look to Him; when thou liest down at night look to Him. Oh! let not thy hopes or fears come between thee and Jesus; follow hard after Him, and He will never fail thee.

Remember, its not your hold of Christ that saves you—it is Christ..."keep your eyes on Jesus"

Just a Closer Walk with Thee?

"spiritual blindness?...a walk down death row?" Mark 8:36 "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" Daily, okay minutely, we are reminded...it's a battle ya know? I mean where's the attraction in dying in an electric chair?...But it's possible, no probable, by avoiding the walk down death row with Jesus means that we may gain the whole world, and end up losing everything.
Every now and again, we're reminded of what it truly takes to "be like Jesus", and Pastor Rob did just that yesterday morning...and quite frankly, there's no attraction in it...in fact, I must confess, too often I choose the other path, the path more often travelled. Concerning this scripture of Jesus challenging us that if we are going to go His way, we need to die to ourselves, and become 'others centered'...a commentary I read said this: "Amazingly, the people who live this way before Jesus are the ones who are really, genuinely happy. Giving our lives to Jesus all the way, and living as an others-centered person does not take away from our lives, it adds to it"   "hmmmmm Lord, I really need Your help in this area, get my eyes off myself, help me in my spiritual blindness, Your spirit has to reign in me, so that I can take that walk down death row, and bring You the honor You deserve!"

Home is where....it's Best

"where's it Best for me to be?" Psalm 73:28 "But it's good for me to draw near to God." it's easy with the "stuff-of-life" to lose our bearings, get too far from our home base...God offers us a great 'home base'....its a real good 'place to stay close to'...God wants to be with me, holding me by the right hand, guiding me with His counsel. And when I get to the end of the road, He is going to receive me into glory...Often I forget who offers the best home base, thankfully God never stops trying to remind me, and its in His Word, and its made possible thru the work on the cross by Jesus Christ! Thank You Jesus!

Sometimes, I just need to take a moment

"a pause to reflect upon" Psalm 67:1 "May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, Selah" Truly, is there anything more affirming...more comforting...then to have God shine His face upon us? To know that as God looks upon you, He is well pleased - not because of who you are, or what you have done, but because you are in Jesus Christ; Once again, its not about me, its all about Jesus...Thanks Lord, for this reminder, this opportuntiy to pause and think of who its truly all about, your son Jesus Christ! Selah, ahh that's a pause to meditate on

Forest For The Trees

"God can change my attitude?" Ps 62:2,6 "He only is my rock, I shall not be greatly moved: He only is my rock; I shall not be moved." David went from not enough faith in verse 2, to an increased faith in the Lord, in verse 6. You've heard the old saying..."can't see the forest for the trees?" Well thats me...the stuff of life gets in my way...and David of the Bible was no different...so many times, he would come to God with a heavy, heavy heart...really discouraged, and not able to see any relief, or chance of victory...but after a little "prayer-time" with God...and 'poof'! That's our God...and it's glorious when we finally bring things to God in prayer and see how God can just bring a change in our own attitude concerning the situation. "hmmm?"

What is God Drawn too?

"what about my works?" Psalm 51:17 "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." God really isn't asking or requiring sacrifice...what God really desires is only your being broken over your sin. "God, You don't want my sacrifice, else I would give it. But what You really want is just a broken spirit."  I think God is drawn to me, when I am broken, humbled before Him...totally reliant upon Him....not myself...