COMPLETENESS IN YOUR FAITH IS NOT ABOUT PERFORMANCE

10/13/2019

DO YOU EVER FIND YOURSELF CAUGHT UP IN THE IDEA THAT BEING A GOOD CHRISTIAN AND GROWING IN YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE HAS THE KEY ELEMENT AND FOCUS OF PERFORMING BETTER IN THE THINGS THAT YOU STRUGGLE WITH ? IT’S KIND OF LIKE SETTING GOALS OF SLOWLY BUT SURELY ELIMINATING SIN PATTERNS THAT SEEM TO CONTROL YOUR LIFE IT IS THOSE THINGS THAT WE SPEND OUR TIME AND EFFORT TO ELIMINATE IN OUR BEHAVIOR, ONLY TO FIND THAT THEY SUDDENLY SHOW UP AGAIN JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT YOU HAD DEFEATED THEM. SOMETIMES THEY CONSUME US AS WE GEAR UP FOR THE BATTLE, THINKING THAT WE CAN DEFEAT THEM BY OUR OWN STRENGTH AND PLAN.. WE CAN ALSO FIND OURSELVES SPENDING A LOT OF TIME IN PRAYER FIGHTING SIN, AND MISSING THE ONE THING THAT MATTERS MOST. YOU SEE, THE WHOLE AND COMPLETE TRUTH IS THAT ONCE WE HAVE ACCEPTED JESUS INTO OUR LIFE, THESE THINGS HAVE ALREADY BEEN DEFEATED….BY HIM ! SHOULD WE STRIVE TO DEFEAT SIN ? ABSOLUTELY. THE KEY TO OUR SUCCESS IN THIS HOWEVER DOES NOT LIE IN OUR OWN EFFORTS, BUT INSTEAD LIES IN HAVING JESUS TEACH US AND HELP US KNOW WHO TO BE AND HOW TO LIVE THROUGH HIM ABIDING IN US. HE HAS ALREADY MADE US WHOLE AND COMPLETE. HE HAS CONQUERED OUR SIN AND DELIVERED US FROM DEATH.

LET US ALSO LAY ASIDE EVERY ENCUMBERANCE AND THE SIN WHICH SO EASILY ENTANGLES US, AND LET US RUN WITH ENDURANCE THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US, FIXING OUR EYES ON JESUS, THE AUTHOR AND PERFECTER OF FAITH, WHO FOR THE JOY SET BEFORE HIM ENDURED THE CROSS, DESPISING THE SHAME, AND HAS SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE THRONE OF GOD. Hebrews 12:1-2

BUT ONE THING I DO: FORGETTING WHAT LIES BEHIND AND STRAINING FORWARD TO WHAT LIES AHEAD, I PRESS ON TOWARD THE GOAL OF THE PRIZE OF THE UPWARD CALL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS Phillipians 3: 13-14

IF WE SPEND OUR TIME IN GOD’S WORD, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT JESUS ABIDES IN US AND WE IN HIM, WE CAN TRULY APPRECIATE OUR SALVATION AND ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO DWELL WITHIN US AND GUIDE OUR LIFE. OUR FOCUS MOVES FROM HOW WELL WE ARE DOING IN AVOIDING TEMPTATION AND UNRIGHTEOUS THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIOR TO INSTEAD SEE THE RICHES OF GOD’S GLORY, WHICH IS “CHRIST IN US “ ! HALLELUJAH ! WE SEE THE POWER AND COMPLETENESS THAT JESUS BRINGS INTO OUR LIVES ! SHAME, GUILT, STRUGGLE, SELF JUDGEMENT, KEEPING SCORECARDS ON BEHAVIOR, FEELING UNWORTHY ALL GO AWAY WHEN JESUS REIGNS IN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS. THAT IS FREEDOM, AND HOPE, AND MOVES YOU TO SERVE OTHERS, SERVE THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY ALLOWS US TO REJOICE IN ALL THINGS…..EVEN OUR STRUGGLES AND SUFFERING. GOD IS ALWAYS BESIDE YOU. EVERY SECOND OF EVERY MOMENT OF YOUR LIFE…..AND HE LOVES YOU UNCONDITIONALLY. SO, LET HIS WORD CONSUME YOU. USE YOUR GIFTS TO SERVE OTHERS. BE THANKFUL FOR BOTH BLESSINGS AND TIMES OF TESTING. GROW IN YOUR KNOWLEDGE, FAITH AND WISDOM. LET YOURSELF SEE THE LOVE AND GLORY OF THE GOD WHO CREATED YOU THROUGH YOUR DEEP RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS SON. GIVE HIM YOUR HEART, SOUL, AND MIND AND BE HIS….FOR ETERNITY :)

ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BY THE INSPIRATION OF GOD, AND IS PROFITABLE FOR DOCTRINE, FOR REPROOF, FOR CORRECTION, FOR INSTRUCTION IN RIGHTEOUSNESS: THAT THE MAN OF GOD MAY BE PERFECT, THOROUGHLY FURNISHED UNTO ALL GOOD WORKS. 2 Timothy 3:16

IT IS BECAUSE OF HIM THAT YOU ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, WHO HAS BECOME FOR US WISDOM FROM GOD - THAT IS, OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, HOLINESS, AND REDEMPTION. 1 Corinthians 1:30

I AM SO THANKFUL FOR BEING COMPLETE IN JESUS. PRAISE GOD FOR HIS DEEP LOVE FOR US/JA