The Climb (part 2)

I was thinking this morning about the climb, who do you think the climb is about? Do you think it is about myself, about me changing me? No the climb is not about me, the journey is not about myself, it is about God. I can't change me, but I can allow God changing me by putting Him first. When I start putting Him first, then I am able to see what my actions of being selfish did to other, by my choices, by the things I say and about making life about myself. When I am able to take me out of it, I see that Jesus is the only way, more of Him and less of me. I start dying to myself, I start dying to the things I want and I start living for something much greater then me.

As I was thinking about writing this, a Bible verse came to mind. James 3:16 "For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice." I believe it is because no longer am I carrying about anyone else, but myself. What will I gain, what will be my benefit. I am going to raise myself up and tear down others, because me, me, me. Selfishness comes in many forms and I think it is easy to get lost and unable to see the truth of my actions.

I want God to keep making me the man He wants me to be, that requires me to die to my selfish desires and not putting myself first before other and before Him. I think today's culture is all about me, when it should be all about Jesus and then others and me last.

Am I the only one that struggles in this area? Remember Matthew 7:1-5 "7 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye." And when you think your eye is clear, remember that correcting someone else must be done in a Godly fashion, with love and patients. Do it as God has corrected you, putting God first, loving them not for there sin, but for the person they are. This is done by loving God more then thyself.

J    = Jesus
O  = Others
Y  = Yourself

The Climb

John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."

Ephesians 6:10-12 "10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God,so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

The devil wants to rob from us our very thought of what God brings. God has given us so much, but the devil wants to steal it from us, he wants to destroy our very trust that we have in God. The devil brings doubts, questions, he reminds us of our past, he reminds of things that were struggles in our lives and he reminds of how we may seem. It is written that God is there to bring us freedom from the very lies of the devil. It is so easy to give into the thoughts, the doubts, but God is freedom from the very thing that is used to destroy us. The devil tactics are there and are very real and powerful, but God is stronger and more powerful. God has given us freedom from the lies that are meant to destroy, but who are you going to listen to today?

The devil will say I are not worth it, but God created me, He chose me, He paid a price for me of death on the cross, you tell me if I am worth it? For God said I am, He sent His son Jesus Christ to save me from myself, why myself? That is the question, are we not our worst judges. Maybe instead of thinking of ourselves as the devil will have us believe, maybe we should change our perspective to what Jesus did for us today. 

Stop believing the lies of the enemy and start seeing why Jesus loves you. This reminds me of a song that I used to listen to 

by Carman 

"Revival in the Land"

Satan: Then I’ll come in like a flood
Demon: But they say the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against you.
Satan: Ooh
Demon: It’s written in the Word.
Satan: I’ll form weapons against them.
Demon: Sir, no weapon formed against them shall prosper, that’s in the Bible too
Satan: Yes, I’ve heard. I’ll hit them with every filthy lusty thought you can imagine.
Demon: But its written resist the devil and he must flee.
Satan: Obviously the enemy is taking the battle more seriously than we are.
Demon: And that’s very dangerous Sir…. Especially for me.
Satan: It’s time to launch my final most vicious attack. I’ll remind the saints of their past, how they were liars, cheaters, manipulators and moochers.
Demon: But Sir, you know what will happen if you remind the saints of their pasts…
Satan: And what is that?
Demon: Sir… they’ll just remind you… of your future.
Satan: NOOO!

Is it time today to resit the lies of the enemy, because Jesus Christ was sent to save us  from ourselves, to save us from the lies, to save us from the very thing that the devil uses to destroy us. It is time to remind the devil of his future and stop allowing the past hurts, sins and pains to destroy us and start taking Jesus by the hand and asking Him to walk you through the valley of death, He is your freedom, who are you going to listen to today? The devil will make you believe his way is easier, but God says His way will last forever. The devil will say his way is more fun, but God will remind you that even though fun, it will end in destruction and that God is eternal. 

What will it be, the easy way that will crumble and fade, or God's way where nothing is impossible and God is limitless, we are the limits. He has none. I will take God's way, what about you?

Do we apply the words we speak or sing?

Have you ever stopped to really listen to the words of the songs you are singing in church or anywhere else? Today take a minute and really think about these words. 

"Forever Reign"

You are good
You are good
When there's nothing good in me
You are love
You are love
On display for all to see

You are light
You are light
When the darkness closes in
You are hope
You are hope
You have covered all my sin

You are peace
You are peace
When my fear is crippling
You are true
You are true
Even in my wandering

You are joy
You are joy
You're the reason that I sing
You are life
You are life
In you death has lost it's sting

Oh, I'm running to Your arms
I'm running to Your arms
The riches of Your love
Will always be enough
Nothing compares to Your embrace
Light of the world forever reign

You are more
You are more
Than my words will ever say
You are Lord
You are Lord
All creation will proclaim

You are here
You are here
In your presence I'm made whole
You are God
You are God
Of all else I'm letting go

Hallelujah, forever
All the glory, forever
All the praise to You

My heart will sing
No other name
Jesus, Jesus

This is another song we sang:

"At The Cross"

There's a place where mercy reigns and never dies,
There's a place where streams of grace flow deep and wide.
Where all the love I've ever found,
Comes like a flood,
Comes flowing down.

[Chorus:]
At the cross
At the cross
I surrender my life.
I'm in awe of You
I'm in awe of You
Where Your love ran red
and my sin washed white.
I owe all to You
I owe all to You Jesus.

There's a place where sin and shame are powerless.
Where my heart has peace with God and forgiveness.
Where all the love I've ever found.
Comes like a flood,
Comes flowing down.

[Chorus]

Here my hope is found
Here on holy ground
Here I bow down
Here arms open wide
Here You save my life
Here I bow down
Here I bow down

[Chorus]

Our strength grows tired and weary, but God is the only way. You see when we try to do anything without God it dies, but with God all things are possible. If we try to love our love will fade, but when we chose to put God first, the love we have only grows, it become a choice that we are able to love unconditionally, because He first loved us. 

Jesus came to save us from ourselves, not just on Sunday, but every day. Time to step up to walk with God every day, not just one day a week. When we surrender to God, we say you are in control, it is no longer my way, but yours. More of you and less of me, More of Your way and less of mine. It can't be about what I want, but what He wants. It isn't my money, but God's money, not my time, but God's time. You see the perspective changes for me to God.