No More

I came across this song on YouTube and I am amazed how many people are pointing out the choices that we make. Maybe it has always been pointed out and I didn't see it, but now I see how our choices are our choices. We have the ability to walk in freedom from who we once were, but we have to make the choice to surrender it at the cross. The devil will constantly remind us of our past, where we have been, what mistakes we have made and he will try to drag us down, but our past is gone. My past is gone, the mistakes of who I was is gone and Jesus has paid the price, He died on the cross for me. Yes, I have been married before, yes I did it my way, but now I want to do it God's way, it comes down to the choice of dying to myself, not making it about me, but making it about putting Jesus first in all I do.

I listened to a marriage teaching yesterday and the speaker said there are people in hell singing the song, I did it my way. And it comes down to a choice, to my choice to allow God to be the one who leads my life. He created marriage to represent the perfect trinity, just like He represents the perfect trinity. 3 in one, just as He has defined the husband, wife and Him to be, 3 in one. No longer can it be about what I want, the more we put Him first the closer we draw together, the more we put ourselves or other things first, the further we get from God. James 4:8 "Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." We are a double minded people, easy to be wishy-washy, but God wants us to purify our hearts, draw nearer to Him.

Isn't it time to put away our childish games and walk in the freedom that He has promised?
1 Corinthians 13:11 "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me."

What choice will you make today, to serve the old person or to serve God? God wants to renew us each day, every moment of the day, when our focus is on Him.

Have a blessed day and May God Bless your day :)

"No More"
by JOSH WILSON

Oh I know it all to well
Every inch inside this cell
I'm a prisoner of the choices I regret
The debts already paid
And the bails already made
So why do I keep coming back again?
God I'm done with holding on
To sins that you have saved me from
I'm ready to let go of who I've been

No more guilt, no more shame,
no more thinking I can't change
Who I was is dead and gone,
who I am is moving on
Saved by grace held by love
because of what your cross has done
You pulled away the prison doors
Hallelujah God
I am condemned no more
I am condemned no more

So I step out of the night into your burning light
Where my past and all its shadows disappear
You say that I am yours forever
You call me saint instead of sinner

No more guilt, no more shame,
no more thinking I can't change
Who I was is dead and gone,
who I am is moving on
You pulled away the prison doors
Hallelujah God
I am condemned no more
I am condemned no more

Melt the clouds of sin and sadness
Drive the dark doubt away
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness
Fill me with the light of day

No more guilt, no more shame,
no more thinking I can't change
Who I was is dead and gone,
who I am is moving on
You pulled away the prison doors
Hallelujah God
I am condemned no more
I am condemned no more

I am condemned no more
I am condemned no more

Pastor's Sermon

This last Sunday, the Pastor of my church spoke on Joy in the Presence of the Lord. How we can miss the joy, because we don't come into the presence of God. We don't spend time praying, that we don't read His word, that we don't sit and listen to what God has to say. We are so busy with our lives that we don't take time to be with Him.

I agree with the pastor, but I also see that it isn't just spending time to pray, but living in His presence. I recall the last post "Busy about many things" that I had about living in the presence of God, that it isn't just a morning thing, not just in the car, it is taking every opportunity to pray, to thank God for those things that come our way. It says in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 "16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." It doesn't say make a time to do it, it says to spend each moment in our day to bring glory to God. I think it is easy to get busy in our lives and miss that every opportunity we have to give thanks, to pray, to worship God in just how we are.

I think our thought process of today says well, I am at work, I have to work, but maybe it isn't closing your eyes, it is in your head saying Lord help me bless this person I am going to call. Lord help this interaction I am going to have, it is keeping God at the center of every moment of our lives, I believe that is what it means to pray without ceasing, to give thanks to God in all circumstances. I believe we seem to think that we can only hear God in the quiet of our prayer closet. We put God in a box and only take Him out when we have time, but maybe it is time to realize that Jesus is with us all the time, that all we have to do is ask for His help no matter when and where, to thank Him for the circumstances we are in, that it isn't just about doing it when it is good for us, because what does that say about our relationship with God? I believe that saying when it is good for us, makes it about me, not about Him, It becomes selfish and to love God we have to be selfless, we have to put Him first in ALL area's, it isn't about what is God for me, not my timing, but about His timing.  When we walk in His presence moment by moment, He will fill us with His JOY, because it is no longer about what I want, but what He wants.

Today take the opportunity to thank Him in all circumstances, take the time to put Him first in all decisions, phone calls, interactions with coworkers and practice Joy in His presence, instead of making about what fits your schedule, make Him your schedule and allow Him to lead the way. His timing, His way and I believe He will minister to you right where you are at. No longer will it be about when it is good for you, but what He wants.

As I had posted this post, I felt that God was saying to add the following song:

Blessed Assurance

1 Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine;
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.

2 Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

3 Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest;
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.