Real Life - A Weekly Blog Devotional

originally posted January 26, 2009
From the Word:

Click and read Psalm 139

Key Verse:
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. -Psalm 139:23-24 (NLT)

While running errands the other day, I turned on the radio and heard a brief section of a sermon by Chip Ingram. He asked the audience to consider what items they thought God would put on their “growth list” for the upcoming year. That’s all I caught before I drove up to the Dutch Brother’s window and had to turn off the radio to order my very much needed Sugar Free Soy Almond Joy. : ) I tucked that thought in the back of my mind and resolved to think about it later.

A few days later during my prayer time I remembered his question and asked, “What would you put on my list, Lord?” I opened up my laptop and started typing a list of the things I thought would be there, fully expecting a long to-do list for improving my inadequacies. I started to type things like:
- Less procrastination
- Be more of an evangelist
- Work harder and quit being lazy
- Lose weight

But as I was making the list, the “to-do” things started getting pushed to the bottom of the list as He started sharing with me His growth agenda for me. My growth list was a long list of “to-do,” but His growth agenda prioritized attitudes and heart condition over action. I was surprised and humbled.

His list included:
- Assurance of His love for me
- Replacing lies with truth
- Increased faith especially when I doubt my salvation
- Desiring His approval over the approval of the World
- Freedom from the hold the enemy has over me in the areas of shame, fear, and anxiety.

My list ended up so different than I expected it to be. I was once again reminded of God’s grace and love for me. I saw again His desire for me to be free from lies and to trust fully in Him. He didn’t dismiss the areas of holy living that I thought He would want me to be concerned about, but losing weight is far less important to Him than the fact that I allow shame over my weight to interfere with my relationship with Him, and procrastination is less important to Him than the level of my faith. And over all else, He wanted me to be absolutely assured of His love for me. My performance was less of a priority than the condition of my heart.

Personal Application:
I’ll ask you the same question:

“What items would God put on your growth list?”

Spend time in prayer this week seeking that answer. Are there areas of your heart that Jesus longs to get to? Are there places He wants to heal? Have you believed lies that need to be replaced with truth? Use today’s key verse as your prayer this week and allow Him to shine His light on your heart.

Don’t allow fear to keep you from asking Him. You will probably be surprised by His unexpected agenda for your life. If there are areas of sin He points out to you, confess them quickly and receive His forgiveness. Often the individual sin actions in our lives stem from deeper sin issues in our hearts. Allow Him to dig out the root of what is causing the behaviors so you will not be hindered in your spiritual growth.

Father,

Thank you for your goodness toward me. Thank you for caring about my spiritual health and heart condition. Show me the areas of my life and heart that you want access to. Help me to submit to you and your priorities for my spiritual growth. Give me the ability to hear from you and to know where You want to work in my life.

In Jesus’ Name I pray,
Amen

More of God’s Word:
1. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. -1 John 1:9 (NIV)

2. But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. -1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)

From God’s Word:

Click and Read Psalm 86

Key Verse:
O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive,
so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help. - Psalm 86:5 (NLT)

This is the season for playing in the water. When the temperatures soar, there is nothing better than getting wet.

One of my favorite summer pastimes is floating on an air mattress or inner tube in a lake or the ocean. I close my eyes, listen to the lapping water, and enjoy the peace as I float along. Ahhh, luxury!

That is until I open my eyes, sit up, and realize just how far from shore or the dock I’ve drifted. It’s amazing how little time it can take in the water to drift a long distance. Once you realize how far you’ve gone, it takes so much work and effort to get back to where you need to be. You have to jump in and swim back, or doggy paddle your way in slow motion. Why is it that it takes so much longer to get back then it did to drift out?

Life is like that. When you drift off course, you have to work so hard to get back to where you want to be. It’s true in finances, life goals, careers, and relationships.

Isn’t it wonderful that Jesus does not operate that way? When we drift spiritually and find ourselves far away from Him, all we have to do is repent and instantly we are at His side once again. He greets us with open arms and forgives us, continuing the walk right where we were.

He doesn’t ask us to perform penance or to work our way back to Him. He pulls us back to Him the minute we turn and say, “I’m done straying. Please forgive me.”

We may have to endure the consequences of the sinful choices we’ve made, but we will not have to earn our Savior’s love and acceptance. We won’t have to work our way back to His side. He will bring us back to where we need to be when we allow Him to do it.

Personal Application:

Read this excerpt from the old hymn, “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.”

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

Is that you? Are you prone to wander? Or have you drifted spiritually?

Just call His name, and let Him bring you back across the distance. Don’t waste your time dog paddling back. Repent and get back to walking by His side.
Isn’t He wonderful? Thank Him for His forgiveness and love.

Dear Lord, Thank you for your grace. I pray I will not take that grace for granted or treat it lightly. It is an amazing gift. Thank you that when I stray, you are so kind to bring me back. I love you! In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen

More of God’s Word:

1. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is he who has forgiveness of his transgression continually exercised upon him, whose sin is covered. Psalm 32:1 (Amplified)

2. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. - Psalm 51:17 (NLT)

Recently, I attended the wedding of Scout the Dog and Jessica Bear.

Boy the Bear officiated the ceremony.

Guests like Sarah the Doll enjoyed dancing, cake, and watching the happy couple open their gifts.

My daughters planned this event in their bedroom and pulled off a pretty decent wedding. They even remembered the most important detail: Scout and Jessie each said, “I Do.”

Watching my girls set up the wedding for their stuffed animals and seeing their imagination hard at work, I was struck by the fact that they instinctively knew that Scout and Jessie were not actually married until those words were uttered.

It reminded me of an analogy I read in a book called The Search For Significance by Robert S. McGee.

An engaged couple may intellectually know they want to marry each other, and they probably feel very close to one another but until they willfully say, “I do” to each other, they’re not married. Many people are at this point in their relationship with Christ. They need to say “I do” to Him.

As I planned this week’s devotion, I felt there would be someone reading this who would be able to relate. You’ve shown up, you’re wearing the pretty dress, you’ve gone through the motions of the ceremony, but when it comes to saying the vows, when it comes to letting go of control of your own life, you’ve never said “I do” to Jesus.

More of God’s Word:

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.
-Revelation 22:17

From God’s Word:
Click and Read Matthew 14:22-33

Key Verse:
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” - Matthew 14:30 (NIV)

I made a startling discovery this week.

There are some awesome people out there doing some amazing things for the Lord, and I DON’T MEASURE UP!

When the kids are tucked in for the night, I love to put my feet up, grab my laptop, and surf my favorite blogs. There are some that I follow on a regular basis and look forward to seeing what has been going on in the lives of my blogging buddies. This week, it became clear to me that my blogging buddies are stellar people. I came across stories of people feeding the hungry, traveling to Africa to serve orphans and other ministries, families adopting here and abroad, people reaching out and ministering to hurting people. Others who are missionaries far from home.

A great wave of discouragement rolled over me. Inventory of my life showed much lacking: Inconsistent prayer life, no time in the Word, nothing done to meet the spiritual or physical needs of hurting people. In my own estimation, I’ve been boring, blah, and of little value to the Kingdom of God.

As I pushed my stroller along the greenbelt on Thursday afternoon, I prayed about the situation. And I got a strange answer.

The Holy Spirit said to my heart, “Turn your eyes off of yourself and on to the glory of Jesus.”

I remembered Peter walking on the water to meet Jesus. As long as his eyes were locked on the Lord, he was doing the miraculous, but as soon as he took his eyes off the Lord, looked at the waves and thought about his own inability to do what he was doing, he sank.

When my eyes and focus are locked on Jesus, I will reflect His glory to this hurting world. When I’m stuck focusing on myself and my sin and failures, I get nowhere other than discouraged. My eyes this week have been on the wrong person.

Awhile ago, I read about a mom who was seriously struggling to love her adopted teenage daughter. She confided in a missionary friend how difficult this girl was to love. The missionary told her, “Quit working so hard to love her. Instead focus on loving God. That is where you will find the ability to love her.”

God’s purpose in my life is to make me more and more like Jesus. Focusing on my sin and failures won’t make me more like Jesus. Focusing on Jesus will make me more like Jesus.

Personal Application:

Read this excerpt from Andrew Murray’s book Humility:

Being occupied with self, even having the deepest self-abhorrence can never free us from self. Not to be fully occupied with your sin but to be fully occupied with God brings deliverance from self. This gives us the answer to the question so often asked and seldom clearly understood: How can I die to self? Death to self is not your work: it is God’s work.

Commit today to turn your eyes off of yourself and on to the Lord Jesus, desiring to know Him more, so you can reflect Him more. That is when you will make a significant impact on this hurting world.

Father,

In Jesus’ Name I pray,
Amen

More of God’s Word:

1. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hebrews 12:2 (NIV)

2. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
- 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 (NIV)

Turning my eyes to Jesus,

From the Word:
Click and Read Isaiah 55:6-11

Key Verse:
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. -Isaiah 55:8 (NIV)

Yesterday, I went on a field trip to the zoo with my daughter’s Kindergarten class. The highlight of the trip for me was seeing this guy:

My friend, Daiquiri, took this picture with a simple digital camera and no zoom lens. We were literally this close to him, the only thing separating us was a sheet of glass. It was surreal to be so close to a lion. Awe inspiring, really.

Mildly curious, but undisturbed by the strange humans oohing and awing over him, he lounged right by the front of the cage the entire time we were in front of him. He almost appeared cuddly, like I could reach out and pat his furry mane or snuggle up next to him for a nap. But then I saw the scars on his face and realized, this guy is for real. He’s not some play thing or a pet. He’s dangerous and unsafe. Thank goodness for that glass between us!

The adults seemed to have a healthy respect for him, but the kids were clueless of how dangerous he was as they climbed on the outside of the exhibit and pounded on the glass. Many grew bored with it all and wanted to move on, while their parents stood and stared.

“How often do we see God this way?” I wondered. As clueless little children, forgetting His majesty and power, expecting Him to be “cuddly” and “safe” and to do our own bidding, according to our own will?

C.S. Lewis wove a similar theme throughout his Chronicles of Narnia series. In the books, Aslan the Lion represents Christ. Often the characters are reminded that Aslan is “not a tame Lion.” He is powerful, merciful, loving, kind, and trustworthy, but he is not tame, predictable, controllable, or even safe.

I love this quote from Lewis’ novel, The Last Battle:

Do you think I keep him in my wallet, fools?” said Tirian. “Who am I that I could make Aslan appear at my bidding? He’s not a tame lion.”

I enjoyed watching Disney’s movie version of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, where this concept appeared again through this scene:

Mr. Tumnus: [of Aslan] He’s not a tame lion.

Lucy Pevensie: No… but he is good.

What a MIGHTY God we serve! How worthy of our worship! How strong on our behalf! Thank God that He is not safe, not a puppet who dances at our whims, nor a small thing to be contained in the box of our limited understanding. He is HUGE, MAJESTIC, AWESOME, and not at all tame.

Yet, He loves me. He always acts in my defense and on my behalf. All that He does is good, even when I don’t understand it. How safe that makes me feel!

And He loves you. Even when He isn’t doing what you think He should. Even when His ways are incomprehensible to you, when it feels like He is doing it all wrong, remember that He isn’t tame, but He is GOOD.

Personal Application:
Are there circumstances in your life where God isn’t acting as you think He should? Take time to confess your desire to control and tame Him. Ask His forgiveness and worship Him despite the circumstances.

I’m not sure who said this, but it fits, “If God were small enough to understand, He wouldn’t be big enough to worship.” God is worthy of our worship. AND He is knowable. We can snuggle up to Him and feel safe and protected, unlike the lion at the zoo. We just can’t expect to control Him.

Father, I worship You. Your ways are not my ways. I submit to Your perfect will. Forgive me for the times I have been more concerned about my own will than Yours and expected you to do my bidding. Thank you for your forgiveness and patience with me. Thank you that in the midst of your majesty and power, you love me, and know me, and have my best interest at heart. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen

More of God’s Word:

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
“Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?”
“Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen. - Romans 11:33-36 (NIV)

From the Word

Click and read >Hebrews 12:1-12

Key Verse:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. -Hebrews 12:1

Bright and early Saturday morning, I ran a 5K in the Famous Idaho Potato Race to help raise money for the YMCA. It was a special moment for me. The weather was absolutely perfect. The greenbelt was beautiful. And I was surprised by how easily I was able to run the three miles.

I have been training for this race for the last 10 weeks, following a plan called ‘From Your Couch to a 5K” Ten weeks ago, I was only running for 60 second spurts followed by 90 seconds of walking for a total of about 15 minutes. Saturday, I ran 30 minutes straight without a need to stop and rest. My training paid off.

Friday night before the race, I went to pick up my number, timing chip and course map. While I was there I was so impressed by the people I considered the real runners, those who planned to run the 1/2 marathon and marathon races.

Marathon runners train for something called “Hitting the Wall.” It is common to run out of glycogen stores in your muscles and liver somewhere around the 20 mile mark. They have to train to persevere through that crash of energy, when the race feels unbearable. I saw some runners this weekend that must have hit that point in their race when I passed them. One lady was sobbing, others looked in physical pain.

It made me think of the spiritual implications of running the marathon race of this life. Walking faithfully with Christ, remaining faithful to him through persecution, heartache, and overwhelming trials of this fallen world, is the ultimate endurance run. Thankfully, we do not have to rely on our own strength. When our “glycogen” stores run out, we rely on His strength and energy to keep us going, and we put our faith into practice. When burdens feel unbearable and our strength is gone, we must remind ourselves that “this is what I have been training for,” this test of my faith will make me stronger. Press on! Don’t quit! Run with perseverance that race marked out for you.

At the end of my race on Saturday, I hit a point where I wondered how far I had already run and how much farther I had to go. Then all of a sudden, on my left through the trees, and over the river, I caught glimpses of the finish line. There were hundreds of people celebrating with loud music, cheering on the runners as they came in. My speed picked up, my hope increased, and I ran faster than I knew I could just to get to that party! As I ran across the finish line I was huffing and puffing but I felt so much joy and victory. I did it! I was “home free.”

I was surprised by how much it helped to know the end was near, to get those little glimpses of the finish line through the trees, and to know what was waiting for me. That’s what the hope of Heaven is intended to do for us. As that day draws ever nearer, as we look up in anticipation, we can run faster toward the prize waiting for us. We can remember that our faith is strong enough to carry us home because we’ve been training for this. Don’t lose hope! Just like the crowd was cheering for me during the race, I’m cheering for you, “Keep going! You are doing awesome! You’re almost there!”

Personal Application:

Are there areas of your life where you can see your faith being tested? Have you “hit the wall” in the race of life? Pray for God to strengthen you to push on, to persevere, and to remember that you are almost there.

Father,

Thank you for training my faith, making it grow and increase. Thank you for equipping me with the strength I need to endure this marathon of life. Please keep reminding me of the prize that awaits. My very great reward on the other side of the finish line is You! During this time of trial and struggle, please give me your grace and help to persevere.

In Jesus’ Name I pray,

Amen

More of God’s Word:

When We All Get to Heaven

Eliza E. Hewitt, 1898

Sing the wondrous love of Jesus,
Sing His mercy and His grace;
In the mansions bright and blessed
He’ll prepare for us a place.

Refrain:
When we all get to heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory!

While we walk the pilgrim pathway,
Clouds will overspread the sky;
But when trav’ling days are over,
Not a shadow, not a sigh.

Let us then be true and faithful,
Trusting, serving every day;
Just one glimpse of Him in glory
Will the toils of life repay.

Onward to the prize before us!
Soon His beauty we’ll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open;
We shall tread the streets of gold.

Pressing on with you!

From the Word

Click and Read Hebrews 10

Key Verse:

For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.
-Hebrews 10:14 (NLT)

“I have to walk on my tiptoes,” my daughter told me when I met her at the school bus stop. “I’m going to Princess School and this is how a princess is supposed to walk.”

As we walked home, she explained that her new library book was called Princess School and she was officially training in all things princess. She’s been very committed to this plan all week, insisting on wearing dresses and paying lots of attention to manners because “princesses are very polite.”

As I’ve watched her practicing her princess skills, it reminded me that I too am a princess. Because of my faith in Jesus, I have become a child of God, the Daughter of the King of Kings, and the bride of Christ. Royalty.

How very un-royal I feel at times! It is easy for me to slip into condemnation mode and to wonder if I’m ever going to get things right. But the truth is, whether or not I pass Princess School or get an A+ in Royal Manners, I have already been made a princess. That can not be taken away from me.

The struggles I have to overcome sin in my life do not and can not take away from who I already am in Jesus. I had a counselor help me understand this with this analogy. He said:

When a prince or princess is born, they are immediately a part of the royal family. They already are a prince or princess. Then they spend the rest of their lives learning how to be royal.

That’s how the sanctification process works for us. When we turn our lives over to Jesus in faith, at that moment we are positionally perfect. God sees us through the lens of justification. We are already made perfect, even as we are being made perfect or holy.

Throughout my lifetime, God will be making me into the image of his son. I will be learning how to be royal, but I can rest in the knowledge that that work is already completed. I am his. He promises to finish the work he began in me, so condemnation and discouragement has no place in my life. I need to lift my head up in confidence and start walking like the princess I am.

Personal Application:

Do you ever doubt your salvation? Do you find it difficult to believe that you are forgiven and free? Replace the lies with truth by confessing your false beliefs and replacing them with scripture that tells the truth.

This royal position does come with responsibility. There are warnings throughout the Bible to not treat this amazing grace cheaply. It is our responsibility as a princess to bring honor to our King. We should strive for holiness. We should try to win people to Him by our goodness and by our example that Biblical principles really do work. The difference is in our hearts. We are motivated by love and gratitude, not because we think we can earn our salvation or because we are afraid of His wrath.

After you are aware of this amazing gift, how terrible it would be to throw it all away. The end of Hebrews 10 can be scary and appear to contradict what the beginning of the chapter says. It does not! I think Matthew Henry did a great job of explaining it in his Concise Commentary, so I’ll let him explain:

The exhortations against apostasy and to perseverance, are urged by many strong reasons. The sin here mentioned is a total and final falling away, when men, with a full and fixed will and resolution, despise and reject Christ, the only Saviour; despise and resist the Spirit, the only Sanctifier; and despise and renounce the gospel, the only way of salvation, and the words of eternal life. Of this destruction God gives some notorious sinners, while on earth, a fearful foreboding in their consciences, with despair of being able to endure or to escape it. But what punishment can be sorer than to die without mercy? We answer, to die by mercy, by the mercy and grace which they have despised. How dreadful is the case, when not only the justice of God, but his abused grace and mercy call for vengeance! All this does not in the least mean that any souls who sorrow for sin will be shut out from mercy, or that any will be refused the benefit of Christ’s sacrifice, who are willing to accept these blessings. Him that cometh unto Christ, he will in no wise cast out.

This is a final throwing away of God’s grace. We know from Jesus’ story of the prodigal son that there is always hope that someone like this will come home and a grand reception of forgiveness and love will be waiting when they do.

Dear Father,

I’m overwhelmed by the beauty of this truth. From the time I was a little girl, I dreamt of being a princess. You have made me a princess. You forgave my sins, made me right before you, and are now molding me, shaping me, and training me for this royal position. Thank you for redeeming me and for forgiving me. Thank you for the hope of eternity with you. Thank you that I get to enjoy the benefits of your Kingdom even now. How good you are! How amazing your grace and love!

In Jesus’ Name I pray,
Amen

More of God’s Word:

1. Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. -Philippians 1:6 (NIV)

2. But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. -1 Peter 2:9 (NLT)

3. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. -John 1:12 (NIV)

Love,

Princess

From the Word:
Click and Read Psalm 127

Key Verse:

The girls kept bickering, the baby whined incessantly from the moment he woke up, and my husband had to work, so getting all of us grumpy people dressed and out the door and to church on time was all my job. I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t do that job well. I nagged and yelled and acted like I was the kid.

On the way to church the Mommy guilt rolled in, and I apologized to my kids for the way I behaved.

My oldest daughter was so kind and said, “That’s OK, Mommy, you ALWAYS do that. We’re used to it.”

Ouch! That did not help the Mommy guilt one little bit. Usually, an incident like this would lead to great discouragement, but I’m learning to respond differently. This time I just stopped and prayed the prayer that is becoming all too familiar, “Lord, please cover where I fail.”

Cover where I fail- How thankful I am that I can pray that. When I can’t live up to the ideal mom that I long to be and worry that I’m failing and ruining my children, I can let go, look up, and say, “Help!” And my kids are somehow surviving being raised by me! Ha Ha.

1. Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. - Psalm 25:4-5 (NIV)

3. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. -Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

4. Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. -Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)

Love a very imperfect,

From the Word:

Click and Read John 16:5-15

Key Verse:

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth
- John 16:13a

I’ve finally been able to make it back to a Women’s Bible Study, and it feels so good to be there. After my baby was born, it took a little bit of time to get our routine down enough for me to make it out of the house. It has been so good for me to be back in the Word and in fellowship with other women.

During the study a few weeks ago, we had a brief discussion about condemnation. It reminded me of my own personal struggle to understand the difference between condemnation and conviction.

When I was in the middle of grief over my miscarriages, I became acutely aware of my own failures and sin. Condemnation came in like a flood. At one point, I even believed I had identified a failure in my life that was responsible for all of the pain I was going through. I was convinced I was being punished. I was overcome with guilt over the issue and knew God must be so angry with me, too.

It took time in the Word and in prayer for me to be able to figure out the difference between spiritual attack and the heavy guilt and condemnation that can come with that, and the voice of conviction that often comes from the Holy Spirit when there is sin in our lives that needs addressing.

One of the easiest ways I found to discern the difference was to ask the question, “Where is this sending me?” Condemnation makes me flee from the Lord to hide my shame. Conviction draws me to God, puts me on my knees, and leads me to repentance and change. Condemnation brings feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness, while conviction builds me up spiritually, shapes me and molds me into the woman God wants me to be, and makes me more effective for the Kingdom.

Personal Application:

If you are a believer in Jesus, and you are feeling condemnation, it is not from God. If past sins are haunting you, seek God for freedom. If you are enslaved to guilt and fear, you will not be effective for the Kingdom.

Condemnation and conviction differ in their source and in their purpose. Condemnation comes from the enemy but conviction comes from God. Conviction leads to repentance. Condemnation sends you running from God in shame. Conviction sends you running to God for change. We are commanded to live a holy life by God’s help, but we are not to live in a state of shame waiting for the axe to fall.

When we have strayed from God’s best for our lives and are living contrary to His ways, we open a door for Satan. We open a door for his temptation, accusation, and deceit. These things lead to further sin and estrangement from God. If you have unconfessed sin, confess it quickly. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Be done with it, stop doing it, and live free from it. After you have agreed with God that it is sin and turned from it in repentance, feel forgiven and move on. Stop expecting punishment and condemnation from the God who loves You and gave His life to prove it.

Father,

Thank You so much for the gift of grace You have given me. I am so grateful that there is no condemnation for me because I belong to Jesus. I desire to live a life that is holy and pleasing to You, by the power of your Holy Spirit, and for Your glory, not my own. When I need to be convicted of sin in my life, I pray I will recognize it and run to You, not from You. I pray the Enemy would fail in his attempts to use condemnation to render me ineffective for your Kingdom. Help me to know truth and to recognize lies. Mold me into the woman you want me to be. Thank you for your gentleness, faithfulness, and forgiveness.

In Jesus’ Name I pray,

Amen

More of God’s Word

1. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
“Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Christ.
For the accuser of our brothers,
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down. -Revelation 12:10 (NIV)

2. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. -Romans 8:1 (NKJV)

From the Word:

Click and Read Galatians 5:16-26

Key Verses:
Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another. - Galatians 5:26 (NLT)

Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. - Romans 12:15 (NKJV)

Jealousy reared its ugly head this week. I didn’t see it right away, but during my prayer time, I had to face the fact that it was there, repent, and battle against the ugly green monster.

Isn’t it strange that you can be jealous even of people you love? My jealousy issues were wide ranging, and involved many different people. There was jealousy over other people’s success, recognition, opportunities, ministries, possessions, bodies, clothes, houses, etc. Once I was aware it was there and started digging in my heart and relationships, there was a lot to confess.

Most of us are familiar with the second part of Romans 12:15 where we are told to weep with those who weep, but it is easy to skip over the command to rejoice with those who rejoice. Why would we need to be reminded to do that? The happy part is the easy part, isn’t it?

But is it really such an easy thing to do? Do you feel like rejoicing when:

- Your friend invites you over to see her new living room makeover?

- You want nothing more than to be married or to have a baby and you get THE CALL from a happy friend who wants to share her good news?

- You feel fat and frumpy but your friend loses weight and is now able to fit into a size 6?

- You watch someone else achieve their dreams when you wonder if you’ll ever even find the time to TRY to realize your own?

- Someone else gets special recognition or enjoys success?

- You meet a beautiful woman and know you could only imagine what it would feel like to look like that?

Happiness for another person’s good fortune does not come easily. It is against our nature. The natural man wants to be a god, wants to be significant, and adored. The natural man wants it all for himself. In our case, I should say “herself.” Jealousy, envy, selfish-ambition- those are all trademarks of our sinful natures.

Thankfully, we are no longer slaves to that nature! God gives us the ability to be different. We are new creations in Christ. Because I belong to Him, I have the ability to love instead of envy. I can fight my sinful nature because of the Holy Spirit within me. I can rejoice with those who rejoice because as a daughter of the King of Kings, I have nothing to envy!

Personal Application:
Spend some time looking for evidence of envy in your own heart. How has that affected your relationships? Your ability to love? And your ability to rejoice with those who rejoice?

Take some time to confess any jealousy you find and pray that God will prevent it from continuing and harming relationships in your life.

Here are some steps to fighting jealousy that I’ve found effective:

- It is very difficult to be jealous of someone you are sincerely praying for. Often those feelings of jealousy are replaced with genuine love for that person as you pray for them. You begin to find it exciting when good things happen to them and feel privileged to be a part of participating in their lives in a special way.

- Praise God for creating that person. Thank Him for the ways their talents, beauty, success, etc. enrich the lives of those around them and fulfill the special purposes He has for their lives. Praise does amazing things in our hearts.

- Ask God to give you the eyes to see them the way that He sees them and the heart to love them the way that He does. Ask Him to equip you with genuine desire to see them prosper and to be blessed.

Father,

Forgive me for the way jealousy has crept into my life. I lift this situation ________ and ask you to work in a mighty way to heal that relationship. Change my thinking and replace my jealousy with genuine love. Show me how to esteem others above myself and to love like you love. Help me to appreciate the variety of gifts and talents you’ve given other people. Enable me to rejoice with those who rejoice. Help me to be content with my own life, gifts, and blessings. I thank you for the change you are going to do in my heart and in my relationships.

In Jesus’ Name I pray,
Amen

More of God’s Word:
1. A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. -Proverbs 14:30 (NIV)

2. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. - Romans 13:12-14 (NIV)

God bless your week! I am praying that you all have a blessed time celebrating Jesus’ resurrection. He is Risen!

Love,