Return To Purity

Bullet-proof

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Watson) — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 12:34:00 +0000

I was thinking the other day how cool it would be to be “bulletproof.” Not too long ago, another remake of the original “Superman” movie was released into the box offices across the nation. I’m not sure how successful the movie was considered to be overall, but according to a June 23, 2013 article I found online, it had already grossed $398.3 million, worldwide. Apparently, the world is very interested in a story about a man who fights for what is right, just and fair…and who just happens to be “bulletproof” as well.

Of course, it is impossible for us mere mortals to have bodies that are impenetrable to bullets, as the “Man of Steel” does, but there is good news still to be heard today. The God we serve is infinitely higher and greater, stronger, faster, wiser, and more powerful than all of our ideas of what a “Superman” would be. Jesus is the perfection of all that we hope for, for all that is just, right, and fair.

Sadly, however, the majority of the human race chooses to reject Jesus, in all His splendor, and chooses instead to believe in ideals and fiction that will never be. Humanity simply cannot rise above and become altruistic. Man cannot become better than he is now. It is not in our nature to do so. So many, so sadly, spend their entire lives pursuing that which will never be. Only God, His will, His plan, His blessings and a relationship with Him are real, worthwhile and beneficial to man.

While the ideal of the “Superman” as Hollywood presents it is not a reality, there really is a way for us to be “bulletproof.” This “secret” is contained in the pages of the Book of Isaiah:

“No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
You shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
And their righteousness is from Me,”
Says the Lord.”

So here it is, the way to be “bulletproof.” This is not a way for us to bounce bullets off our chest, but a way to be capable of dealing with and not being ultimately defeated by all the bad things that come into our lives. The verse does not say that we will not deal with adversity. It does not say that we will not have times that we are knocked down, attacked or even brutalized. What it does tell us is that we have the undying, unquenchable, unending hope that our God will “never leave us nor forsake us.” We may be struck down, but we will not be defeated. We will rise…again and again…. Much like the mythical creature the Phoenix, we will often rise out of the ashes of what the Enemy “meant for harm” and [if we allow God to forge us], we will become more than we were before. By His hand we can become more than we are, we can grow, we can increase, we can become….all that He has called us to be.

We may never fly, jump tall buildings in a single bound, be we can all be SUPER men (of God) because Christ is the perfection of manhood, our goal, the standard by which we compare ourselves. Through the hand of God at work in our lives, allowing and trusting Him to use our adversities and our pain and suffering to change us, we can become true “men of steel”, impervious to all the attacks that our enemy might hurl at us.

Like Isaiah says, it is the heritage [the inheritance and the God-given right] of the servants of the Lord to enjoy His protection, His deliverance, and His blessings. So, put on “the whole armor of God” as you leave this morning and let’s be to those around us the example of what God would consider to be a Super man!

Who’s in Charge around here?

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Watson) — Tue, 02 Jul 2013 04:16:00 +0000

When we hear something on the news or over the radio about a disturbing or terrible event or breaking development, we often (if just for a moment) experience a sense of panic. While a heightened sense of awareness in times of distress or tragedy is normal and sometimes beneficial, allowing that to spiral downward into despair or worry is harmful to our well-being, and spiritually wrong.

The Word tells us to: “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7), to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5). It also says things like, “for God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7).

These are but a handful of Scriptures that teach that God is in control, and the Bible is full of other such passages that encourage us to trust God. So, why do we so quickly and so readily worry? Many would say that it is just “human nature” to worry and that it is just an extension of the “fight or flight” response of our sympathetic nervous system to a perceived attack or threat to our survival. However, I believe that there is a much deeper and spiritual context to be explored.

Our enemy, the devil, wants us to doubt God. He wants us to doubt His promises and forget about His faithfulness. When we start to wonder whether or not God can take care of us, then we begin to focus more on ourselves as the source of our help, and not our God.

“My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:2)

In the world we live in, and the times as they are, we must remember…and be reminded of what we read in 1 Samuel 2:

(1 Samuel 2:6-9)

6The Lord gives both death and life; he brings some down to the grave but raises others up.
7The Lord makes some poor and others rich; he brings some down and lifts others up.
8He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump.
He sets them among princes, placing them in seats of honor.
For all the earth is the Lord’s, and he has set the world in order.
9“He will protect his faithful ones, but the wicked will disappear in darkness.
No one will succeed by strength alone.

In all of our lives, and in every situation we face, may we always remember and take comfort in these words from God’s Word: (1 Samuel 2:8c)

FOR ALL THE EARTH IS THE LORD’S

AND HE HAS SET THE WORLD IN ORDER

Conduct Yourself with Honor

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Watson) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 17:41:00 +0000

Remember when Jesus stood before Pilot to be questioned? What did He tell Pilot? I find it interesting that Jesus said very little when being questioned. You see this portrayed in movies as well. When this scene comes us, often the actor portraying Jesus just has this solemn, strong-silent look on his face while Pilot asks him what should be done, what “crimes” is He guilty of, etc…

So, as I’m reading today in 1 Peter 2 about how we are a chosen race, a royal priest hood and that we belong to God. Our purpose, 1 Peter 2 tells us, is to proclaim the “excellencies of him who called you” and verse 11 specifically calls us to “abstain from the passions of the flesh.”

The key verse, for me, was verse 12:

”Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.”

A few things I want to point out:

1. Our conduct is to be honorable (Jesus’ conduct always was)

2. Others WILL speak evil against you…just give it time and it will happen (people spoke evil of Christ)

3. If we have honorable behavior, others will notice and see that behavior (everyone saw Jesus behaving honorably)

Here’s the most important part:

4. WHEN others see us behave honorably EVEN when we are wrongly accused or being spoken evil of, it is a TESTIMONY to others..it will amaze them…perhaps shock them. They will then have to give God the credit for this behavior, because we all know that a person is not capable of such behavior in and of themselves. Others will realize that NO one is THAT good unless God is in them. God is glorified when we live like this.

Jesus is our model of behavior and the goal we all shoot for, right? He is our standard of excellence and our goal is to become more Christ-like, right? What did HE do before His accusers? How did HE treat those in authority? Look at what he said in Mark 12:17 when He was talking about whether or not one should pay taxes:

Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” And they marveled at him.

They MARVELED at him. Why? When you are this committed to the will of God and refuse to bend, even when questioned, people notice, there are amazed and many times they are shocked at such behavior. Our human nature tell us that it’s “ok” to bend the rules and compromise what we believe in when it is convenient or profitable to us…but Jesus NEVER did. And that is why HE is our example.

IF we are truly to emulate Christ and become more like Him, we must do this in EVERY area of our lives, not just those that are convenient and easy. We must dig, deep into the depths of our souls, and bear all of ourselves to Him to be forged into His likeness…even if this means that we must suffer or feel pain. Wasn’t it Paul that said to live is Christ and to DIE is gain? (Philippians 1:21)

I leave you with this final passage from 1 Peter 2 to meditate on, and it is my hope that we all will never tire in our efforts to be more like Christ.

²²He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. ²³When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

Afraid to Live?

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Watson) — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 16:14:00 +0000

We talked to our children recently about what they would do if a tornado hit our house. We showed them the safest place to be, how to sit or lie down if necessary, and we briefly told them what could potentially happen to us. You would think that in a situation like that, they would fear for their lives or at least be concerned over losing them. Maybe it’s because they’re still young and don’t really get the “death” thing yet, but I was amazed at how they seemed to show no concern, no remorse for dying. They just said, if we die…we’ll just be with Jesus…

And then it hit me…..this is what the Bible is talking about when it says, “out of the mouth of babes….” What would our life be like if we paid no more attention to whether we live or die and just trust in the fact that when we do…we will be with Jesus. Would we take more risks and live carelessly? I don’t think so. I believe that living like that would enable us to do the things that God has called us to without any fear of losing that which we think we possess. Jesus said that we would not truly find life until we lost it, and that He came so that we may live and have life more abundantly. I wonder sometimes if we fear the unknown because we think we have something to lose, or is it because we have yet to truly live?

Luke 6:40 reads,

“A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.”

The verse does not say one will think like their teacher, but that one would BE like their teacher. This means that one will act like, think like, speak like, love like, respond like, care like, etc... Chirst.

Until we live like Christ, in everything we do and others see Him in all we do, then we are not finished with our training as disciples. We must "press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14).

I know now, more than ever, that I have so very, very far to go to be like our teacher, Christ. I know my journey has only begun. There is no depth, no height, no measure by which to measure what can be discovered and learned about our Lord. I look forward to what He has yet to teach me, what I have yet to learn, and the joy that comes from knowing Him more.

We must be near Him to hear Him

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Watson) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 14:51:00 +0000

Matthew 14:23 (ESV): ” And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,”

To hear the voice of the Lord…to know His will. This is a desire shared by, I dare say, every individual who calls Jesus their Savior. How do we know what He wants? How do we know what it is that we should do in this life? Are we pleasing Him by the way we live, act, speak, think, and treat others? It is one thing to say that we want to please the Lord, but as James reminds us, we must “be doers of the Word, and not hearers only.”

If we, like Jesus, are not stealing away to find that time and place where we can be alone with God, then there is absolutely NO WAY we can know the Father’s will. One can only know the Father’s will by spending time Him. Our lives are so busy today, and time is always a precious commodity. All of us have the same amount of time every day. Spending time with the Father is not an issue of time, but an issue of choice. We make time to do in our lives what we deem important. So the question becomes, “Is the Father important enough to us to spend time with each day?” Jesus proved by His actions that he Father was the most important person in His life. Time after time, Jesus made conscious effort to remove Himself from the crowd so He could draw near to the Father. James 4:8 teaches us to “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”

If we are to know the Fathers’ will and live in a way that is pleasing to Him, we must spend time with Him. No matter what is going on in the world, no matter what problems we face, He is the solution. Let us thank God for loving us as we are, and for loving us enough not to leave us as we are. He has chosen to lead us (through our relationship with Him) into a life of wholeness.

Seminary Scholarship from LOGOS.COM

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Watson) — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 20:14:00 +0000

Going to Seminary is expensive. On top of that, finding a scholarship can be really difficult. That's why I was so excited to find this Seminary Scholarship website today. Not only are they giving away a $1,000.00 scholarship and a digital theological library, all I had to do to apply was watch a short video and answer a few questions! It took less than 15 minutes. What is best of all is that if you're in seminary and apply for the Seminary Scholarship, and put my name as the person who referred you, if you win the scholarship, so do I! We could both get a $1,000.00 scholarship and digital theological library. So, do us both a favor and go apply for the Seminary Scholarship today.

Quick Thought: "Have I reached my potential for God?"

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Watson) — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 06:35:00 +0000

1 Corinthians 10:31
"So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

What is Fear?

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Watson) — Mon, 02 May 2011 02:57:00 +0000

Fear comes in many shapes, forms, ideals, and situations. There is a difference, however between genuine fear and being startled or surprised. If someone jumps out of the bushes at you and yells "boo!" then that is being startled, or frightened, or as some say, "scared." These things are temporary, and mostly fleeting emotions and responses to situations.
Fear is something that lingers, much like guilt lingers in our minds and our hearts. Fear can be consuming, too. Some people are so full of fear that they are crippled and restricted from living a normal life. There are two definitions from www.dictionary.com I would like to consider here:

1. *"concern or anxiety; solicitude. ex: a fear for someone's safety."

The first definition is concern or anxiety. This is not truly fear, but merely worry. This is what the Bible is talking about when it says in Matthew 6:27 NLT, "Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?" Many people would call this fear, but this is just not what I consider to be the full embodiment of this emotion.

I believe that fear, the type of fear that consumes and debilitates individuals is best characterized by this second definition:

2. *"a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid."

Remember that our enemy, the devil, is a liar; and he uses this emotion against so many of God's children. I have experienced this, you have experienced it, and I'm sure you know others who have, too. Satan would have us so consumed with something that, as the definition states, could or could not be real. We are all, at times, far too eager to entertain thoughts about situations and events that may never even happen. This is a trick of the devil, and we need to recognize this tool of his and "take these thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ." God did not intend for us to be afraid, about anything.
We are supposed to cast all our cares on Him, and trust that He will take care of us. We Christians don't really have issues with fear as much as we have issues with trust; trust in the Lord. Think about that. Why would God ever do anything to hurt us? Remember, every time God sent an angel to speak to us, the first thing the angels usually had to say was, "Fear not!" That might seem silly to some, but the angel is from God, and we should trust God enough to not fear His messenger, right?
Here's my point: Recognize improper fear as a hindrance to your relationship with God; and strive to remove it from your life. For clarification, an example of proper fear is when someone pulls a gun on you and you are staring down the barrel. I am sure that if that happened to me that I would have *"a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger." But God speaks to us in the Bible about how we should view fear:

"9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9 NIV)

One man, in particular, understood this view of fear, and he penned these words:

"So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance." (Franklin D. Roosevelt-First Inaugural Address)

Fear is something we all will experience at times; there is no avoiding it. But, I believe we are responsible for how we react to it. Keep it in the proper perspective, and remember that it is nothing more than a tool used by the enemy to hurt us, deter us, to distract us, and (if allowed to take root in our lives) to destroy us. Remember this promise of God whenever you start to feel fear:

"7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."(2 Timothy 1:7 KJV)

___________________________________________

Citations:
*"fear." Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 01 May. 2011. .

Are you struggling with Internet Pornorgraphy?

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Watson) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 17:31:00 +0000

There is freedom from this prison; but the question is "Do you want to be free?"

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." (1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV)

Focus on these 3 things:

1. "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man." Your struggle is NOT unique. More men and women than you could possibly imagine struggle with this...but not everyone has the courage to admit they have a problem and need help. The devil would have you think that you are alone and somehow inferior because of this struggle, but that is the furtherest thing from the truth. [ A LIE] You, and I and countless others have suffered, or are currently suffering through this darkness. But there is hope:

2. "God is faithful....He will also provide a way out" You know it to be true. There is never a time that we sin that we don't make a choice to sin. Just before we click on that button or link to view the pornography, we make the choice to do it just before we act on it. There is ALWAYS a way out. We can always choose to walk away. Why don't we? Because we try to fight the temptation in our own strength, and we do not take advantage of the most powerful resource that God has given us. There is a word, that when spoken, will cause the devil to step back, it will give you leverage in the temptation, and the ability to hand the problem over to God (That's where it belongs, anyway.) So, what is this all-powerful word? Look closely at the word, and study it. Look up it's definition in the dictionary so you can know the full meaning of this word. Ok, so here is that powerful, mighty word:

"No."

"Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." (Proverbs 18:21 NIV)

The "fruit" of the word "no" is the ability to give God our temptation and let Him fight our battle for us. That is how He intended it to be, anyway. When we fight in our own strength, we are doomed to fail. Only when we let God fight for us, will we have victory.

3. "so that you can stand up under it." Only through God's strength, and His guidance will you be able to stand up under this temptation. I know you feel the crushing weight of this darkness, this addiction, this cancer to your soul, but God will give you the strength to "stand up" under the weight of this burden. Keep saying "no" and He will give you the strength to stand again on His promises, on His Word, and He will lift up your head and redeem you and give you the ability to walk the freedom and abundance of life that He so desires for us all.

Please take the time to watch this video, and realize you are not alone in this struggle.

It's gonna be worth it!

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Watson) — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 03:11:00 +0000

1 Corinthians 15:58

New International Version (NIV)
58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

New King James Version (NKJ)
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

If a cop turns on his blue lights behind you on the road, would you pull to the side of the road or just keep driving? Some people will pull over, and some will just keep driving and run. (Which makes for interesting tv shows). So, what makes the difference?  Why do people obey or disobey? What is it in us that makes us stop or go? Why do some of us run while others obey?

Let's apply this to our spiritual life: Why do we obey God? Is it because we are fearful that He will smite us if we don't? Or do we do it out of love? If we know that God works all things together for His people, then why do we say "no" to God? Why do we walk away or sometimes run from His will? I think I know why. I think it's fear. I think we are afraid of where He might lead us if we follow Him wherever He wants us to go. I think we get uncomfortable and that scares us into stopping, and sometimes, running the other way. Whether or not we want to admit it, everytime we say "no" to God, we're telling Him that we don't trust Him to run our lives, and we think we can do a better job of it than He can. The scripture above says that nothing we do for Him is in vain. We may not see the results right away. We may, in some cases, not ever see the results of our labor. If we are only motivated to serve by seeing the fruit of our labor, then are we serving for the right reasons?

What if I never see the fruit of all of my labor?   It's a question that anyone who is serious about serving the Lord must face. Are you ok with the possibility that you may work your entire life for God, and never see the results for yourself? This will probably not be the case, but if you are setting out to serve the Lord with all of your might, you cannot gauge your success by what you can or cannot see. Sometimes the devil will cause us to not see results in an attempt to discourage us from doing what God has called us to do. If a farmer gets a bad yield from his fields one season, does he give up farming because of it? No. He will most likely double his efforts and look for the cause of the bad yield and correct it for the next season. He doesn't quit farming, because farming is his life.

In the same way, when we pour our heart into ministry and see no return we should not give up. Whatever God has asked of you, do it as fervently as you do breathing.  Now that's something that we all do and no one wants to quit! We should seek the face of God and His will, and never, ever turn from the task He has given us. What we see as failure could simply be a test of our determination. We must stand firm on the promises God has given us in His word. When we rely on His strength {which He tells us to do} we cannot be moved. Everytime the devil sends defeat our way it should be as fuel on the fire to make us even more determined to serve the Lord. He would not have brought us this far to forsake us now.

This scripture is God's promise to us that He is in control. When we are serving the Lord in what He has called us to do, nothing we do is in vain. It does not matter if we see the fruit of our own efforts, because God sees it. God knows what He is doing even when it doesn't look that way to us. Just keep doing whatever it is you are supposed to be doing, and everything will turn out as it should. If God can speak the universe into existence, I think he can handle supervising our lives.

Psalm 23: 4-6

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Watson) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 02:44:00 +0000

The following is the conclusion of my thoughts on the 23rd Psalm. We pick up where we left off last time with verse 4:

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

Even in your lowest of lows, in your deepest dispair, when it looks like all is lost, the Lord is telling us here that He is with us. He walks with us in our darkest times and because of that, we should not be afraid. Change will come, sadness will have its time in our lives, people will die, and we will be hurt, discouraged, and mistreated at times. But God gives us comfort in knowing that He is ordering our steps, and He is going before us to make a way for us.

your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Like a shepherd uses his rod and staff to both chastise and protect his flock, so the Lord uses experiences, people, events, etc.. to guide us in the right path...and to correct us when we stray from Him.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

In the sight of those who seem to be against us, God will often bless us before their eyes. Also, in the midst of a trial we can have peace, knowing that even in the battle you may currently be in, the Lord Himself will minister to you and provide your needs while He is waging war against your enemies. Do not forget that the battle (all battles, spiritual and physical belong to the Lord. He is our Champion..you cannont fight your battles for yourself and expect to be victorious...only He can bring the victory!) Our Lord knows who we are and where we are and He will not forsake us.

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
God will use our trials and tribulations to change us and grow us spiritually. Our conflicts shape who we are. Our response to difficult times reveals our character. God works all things together for our good. That does not mean that life will always be easy and without strife, but that no matter what we face: God is there. He will use our worst experiences to mold us in His image. He is forever preparing us to be His bride. He is setting us apart and getting us ready to be with Him. As we let Him do this in our lives, we begin to experience blessings that are indescribable and immeasurable. Our cup ....overflows...

6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever

David has come to the conclusion that he can trust God to do what He says He will do. We will have our times of trouble, but you can be assured that the Lord will always bring into our lives only what will help us to grow in Him , to become more like Him, and things that will prepare us for His purpose for our lives. Because God does not withhold any good thing from us...

[11 For the LORD God is our light and protector. He gives us grace and glory. No good thing will the LORD withhold from those who do what is right. Psalm 84:11 NLT]

...we can be assured that our lives will be seasoned with goodness and blessings and we have the promise of an eternity in Heaven with our King.

Thoughts on Psalm 23 ...continued

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Watson) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 04:30:00 +0000

Where would God take us, His children, in this life? What kind of experiences will He allow us to have? Does He truly do everything with our best interest in mind? Consider this:

Would a shepherd take his sheep to a place where they could be attacked by wild animals? Would he take them where there was no food or water? Would he take them farther than their bodies would allow? Would he take them where there is no shelter from the storm? The answer is NO. The sheep are more important to the shepherd than anything else. His life is consumed with taking care of the sheep.

²He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
³He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.(Psalm 23:2-3)

God will work all things together for our good. He loves us and wants nothing but what is best for us. Does that mean that He wants us to go through life without any troubles or hardships? NO. But, God will take any situation in life that we face and (if we surrender to His will and let Him) he will make good come out of it. What the devil means for harm, God will take and use for our good.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

Even in these two verses from the book of Psalms, it is extremely clear what God intends to do for us in this life. He intends to nurture us, and to help us to grow in our faith (even if it means times of tribulation)

He gives us times of renewal to recover from our trials and 'valley' experiences. (verse 2).
He heals our wounds and picks us up when we fall. He teaches us when we fail and encourages us when we doubt. The Lord will take us all down the paths we need to walk in order to increase our faith and make us more like Christ. This means that life will not always be easy, and sometimes we may suffer so that God can heal us and/or restore us so that He may receive the Glory. (verse3)

No matter what we face, our Lord is in the midst of it. If life is easy right now, and without problems, then that is what you need right now and it is what is best for you at this time. If life is difficult at this time, and seems to be full of problems...then that is what you need right now and it is what is best for you at this time....but, God is doing something for your good, even when it doesn't look that way.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Watson) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 03:20:00 +0000

Psalm 23: The Lord's Prayer

verse 1: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want"

So much can be said and has been said about this particular psalm. This was in my reading today, and I want to share some of my thoughts:

The very first verse is David's declaration of his faith in God. It's a simple statement, but not a simplistic one. In just a few words, David manages to say something quite profound. Think about everything that a shepherd is to his sheep. A shepherd leads the sheep, watches over them, makes sure they are fed, have water, he makes sure they are safe. He defends them if they are attacked. He is always thinking of the needs of his sheep, and he does what is best for the sheep, not always what they want. Just in saying that God is his shepherd, David is proclaiming that God is in control of his life and that he trusts Him to provide for him, defend him, feed him, provide for his needs, lead him, and do whatever is best for him.

In the second half of the verse, David is telling us that God is his all in all. He has no other needs nor wants, because the Lord has provided everything for David and he is perfectly content. No wonder God said that David was a man after His own heart. How many people can you think of that spend their entire life searching for something they cannot find. When we give everything of ourselves and our lives to God , we discover that everything we thought we were giving up becomes that which we don't even want anymore.

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want"

I pray that we all can arrive at the same conclusion that David did, and that we would all strive to live our lives with this in mind:

God is everything I need and want. Apart from Him, there is nothing.

Trash or Treasure?

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Watson) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 01:25:00 +0000

I bought a new pair of earphones the other day because my old ones stopped working. I took the old ones and laid them in the seat of my truck and pretty much forgot about them. Friday, on my way home from work, I reached down to pick up my new earphones, and i found the old ones. I remember I kinda looked at them with disgust and tossed them forcefully into the floorboard. For some reason I stopped and looked at them there and this is what came to mind:

I'm so glad that even when we stop working, or just quit doing the job we're supposed to do that God doesn't toss us to the side as garbage! In the midst of my sin and in my lowest lows, He still loved me and wanted me. Even when we willingly disobey, and walk away from God, He still pursues us and desires for us to be reconciled with Him. It's humbling to think that the same God that spoke the universe into existence and that has the power (and the right if He wanted to) to just speak it out of existence would still love me and want me no matter what I've done. I really struggle with understanding how much God loves us. Our pastor delivered a powerful message on this very subject today. We were in Ephesians 3:

¹⁶That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

¹⁷That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

¹⁸May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

¹⁹And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Our God is forever patient, forever good, forever faithful, forever seeking us. No matter what we've done, who we've hurt, or how we've failed; God still sees us as His children, the apple of His eye, and he wants nothing more than a relationship with you and I. He will not cast us down as trash; instead (IF WE LET HIM) He will fix what is broken and make us new again in Him. Like the prodigal's father, He is always watching afar off to see us when we appear on the horizon. God is the great recycler. He always takes what others see as trash, and turns it into treasure.

Boast about this!

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Watson) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 11:50:00 +0000

I just got a new phone last week, and it's one of those smart phones. I'm not going to mention the name of it, but for those of you who have a phone like this you understand how consuming it can be at first. You spend a great deal of time trying to learn how to use it, and all it can do and you want to show others too. You talk openly and freely to anyone who will listen about how "cool" it is and all the phone can do. I sort of felt like a kid at Christmas this past week. Other people would see the phone and say, "hey, is that the new ------ phone," and I would get a little excited as I said , why yes it is...let me show you what it can do!

If anyone out there can even begin to say that you've had an experience similar to this, then don't miss this:

It hit me in my reading today: What if we as Christians could be just as excited and willing to talk about our Jesus at any moment as we are about a stupid toy! What if we went around telling everyone all that Jesus can do! What if instead of saying "there's an app for that" we went around saying: hey, "there's a Savior for that, and His name is Jesus!" You can search in His "market" of provisions and never find something that doesn't meet your needs. He has the provision for every need you can think of. All of His "apps" work for every life, no matter what "version" you are.
Whatever your need is, whatever you are looking for, no matter how big or how small; no matter how silly, or how wise, Jesus has everything, not some of what you need, but ALL of what you need and it is YOURS for the asking. Trust Him today if you don't already as your Savior, and tell Him what your need is. He already knows, and has already made a way to provide it to you.

We need to wake up and take our focus off all this "stuff" around us and seek God's face in these last days! It is so easy to become distracted, and don't you ever underestimate the devil! He can use the simplest of things to distract you from God's work. When we take our eyes off Jesus we begin to stray away from Him.

If we're going to brag about anything, lets brag about what God has done. Let's tell everyone who we meet and who will listen what God brought us through, how He saved us, how He healed us, how He delivered us, how He provided for us.  The Lord is good to us, always, and when we share our stories with others, 3 things happen:
                   1. God gets glory and He delights in this
                   2.  We bless others. (those who you share your stories with are encouraged in the faith)
                   3. We will be blessed because we have blessed others.

Have a great day, and enjoy your church service tonight. May God bless you today, so that you have a story to bless someone else with tomorrow!

23 This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches,

24 but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me,
that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 9: 23-24 NIV)

You are your brother's keeper!

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Watson) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 02:09:00 +0000

Why is it that someone who knows what God wants them to do will willingly walk away and turn from Him? I've got this friend that has told me that he was called by God into the ministry. He started going to school for it and began taking classes and studying for his calling. He had the full support of his church, pastor and family, but he just stopped. He ran from it and he actually avoided me for a couple of months. Recently, I asked him what happened and he opened up to me again. He told me that as soon as he started following God's will for his life that he came under more attack from the devil than he has ever faced before. He said that it was just "too much" and he ran from God out of fear of losing his friends and having to 'give up' so much for the ministry. It would be easy to just draw a conclusion here and say that he was just weak, or he didn't really surrender to God, or that his faith was not strong enough....etc...

But I think the real reason he failed was that his church failed him. No one was checking up on him on a regular basis. His fire was choked out by all the weeds around him.

How many of us know someone who is a brand new Christian, or just young in the faith? Are you reaching out to that person on a regular basis to help them grow in the Lord? Are you taking every opportunity to encourage them and remind them that tough times come, and to just hold on to Jesus?

If we are not reaching out to those people, and to each other on a regular basis, then we are failing each other. We are all in this together, and we need to remember our shared goal and our shared Heavenly Father. It is so easy to get so wrapped up in our own lives that we 'forget' to check in on our spiritual siblings. I'm guilty of this myself. How many times have I sat beside someone in church and never asked them if they need prayer for anything or sometimes just: "How are you?" The older I get, the more I think that one of the devil's favorite tools is getting us busy. If we're too busy, then we won't have time to pray, read our bible, or spend time with our loved ones. Keep in mind that we are in constant spiritual warfare, and just because you're having a good day and walking strong in the Lord, doesn't mean that the guy or gal sitting next to you is doing as well as you.

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12 KJV)

Knowing God’s Will by Greg Laurie

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Watson) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 02:56:00 +0000

I found this in my reading today....it was just too good to pass up. This is by Greg Laurie. Enjoy!

We have all asked the question at one time or another: How can I know the will of God? We wonder, does God still speak today? Is He interested in me as an individual? Does He indeed have a master plan for my life? If so, how do I discover it?

There are things we can do that will cause us to hear His voice more easily and to grasp His will more quickly. We are not just victims of chance, hoping that our luck won’t run out. We have our Creator, who has a special plan for each of our lives.

And just as God spoke to men and women in Scripture, He wants to speak to us today.

Of course, there are a lot of voices vying to be heard these days. There is the voice of our own conscience. There is the voice of our friends and loved ones. There is the voice of the devil. And of course, there is the voice of God.

Learning to know which is which is important. God has said that we can know His will and His way (see Genesis 18:17; Isaiah 30:21).

Jesus said, “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15 nkjv).

God wants to speak to you and guide you, but perhaps it seems like there is just an icy silence from heaven when you ask Him for direction in your life. In Romans 12:1–2, we find some prerequisites for God’s guidance:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (nkjv)

This passage contains what we call a conditional promise, and a great one it is. The promise is that you can know the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. The conditions are that: one, you must present yourself to Him as a living sacrifice; two, you must not be conformed to this world; and three, you must be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Notice the order. It doesn’t say you can know God’s will and then decide whether or not you want to offer yourself to Him. First, you surrender to Him. That is your part. Then God will do His.

First, we learn what we need to stop doing: Don’t be conformed to this world. The word “conformed” that Paul uses refers to the act of assuming an outward appearance that does not accurately reflect what is inside. In other words, Paul is saying, “Don’t masquerade as if you belong to the world.”

So much of this world’s thinking can cloud our reason as to the will of God. We need to remove the barriers to hearing His voice.

When he says we need to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, this could also be translated, “experience a metamorphosis.” We need to go through this process as our mind is renewed.

Our minds are going to be renewed and transformed as we spend time in fellowship with God and His people. When we saturate our lives and thoughts with the Word of God, then and only then will we know the will of God for our lives.

Let me (Shannon) interject here: I have another example of a conditonal promise found in the bible: 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)

14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Ths is a very familiar passage, but it also proves what Greg is saying: if we first humble ourselves, then pray, then seek God's face, then we repent

THEN

God will hear our prayers, forgive our sins and heal our broken land. If you think about it, I'm sure you can come up wth more conditional promises in the bible...Ok, enough from me: back to Greg's Devotional:

The Psalmist said, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105 nkjv). One of the clearest ways to discover God’s will for your life is in the pages of Scripture.

Knowing what the Bible says and saturating yourself in it will help you discover the will of God for your life. Neglect of it will cause you to not know the will of God for your life.

Sometimes, knowing the will of God will be easy, but sometimes it will be more difficult. Remember, God’s Spirit will always work through God’s Word.

Don’t just wait for impressions. Study the Bible, and His Spirit will lead you through His Word to understand it in its proper context. And with all of that in mind, after you’ve prayed, then make your decision.

How low can you go?

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Watson) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 04:19:00 +0000

Image by Tomasz1950 via Flickr

If anyone understands that God hears our prayers no matter where we are, it's Jonah.

I love that the bible says that "from inside the fish Jonah prayed..." I think this is such a testament to God's unfailing devotion to us. He knew exactly what fish Jonah was in and He knew exactly where that fish was and He was watching every move that fish made. God did not allow the fish to destroy Jonah, only to "consume" him for a time. Sometimes trials come our way and they can surely consume us while we are going through them. Just don't lose sight of the fact that our Father does not lose sight of us.
He is always watching our every move, and He knows where we are and what we are "in" at all times. If God can hear the
prayers of one man in a fish in the vastness of the oceans, He will surely hear us when
we call out to Him.

Jonah's Prayer

Johah Chapter 2:
1 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. 2 He said: "In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry. 3 You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. 4 I said, 'I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.' 5 The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. 6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you brought my life up from the pit, O LORD my God. 7 "When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. 8 "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. 9 But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD." 10 And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

The Dad Life

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Watson) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 03:15:00 +0000

Found this on Godtube.com. Thought all the fathers out there would enjoy this.
I didn't find anything offensive about this...if you do...forgive me... I thought it was really funny.
Have a great day! Smile...it's good for you :)

What are we supposed to do?

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Watson) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 03:12:00 +0000

"Bretheren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6: 1-2 KJV).

One of the teachings of Christianity is that we should bear each other's burdens. We usually do a pretty good job of this. When we hear prayer requests at church, many of us make sure to remember those people in our daily prayers. Or when we hear of someone who lost a loved one, or is going through a financial crisis, or lost a job, etc... we are quick to go to God in prayer for their needs to be met.  I'm sure some of us even take pride in how well and/or how often we pray for other's needs.

But, what happens when we hear about a brother or sister who had an affair?  Or what if we learn of someone getting a divorce; or find out that someone we know is admitting to being an alcoholic or drug addict? What is our first reaction to such news? Sadly, I'm pretty sure I can say our first thoughts are along the lines of : "can you believe that they did that to their spouse?" or "I thought they were a better Christian than that." I'm sure you can think of some other things that could be said.  However, the bible teaches us we are to bear one another's burdens, and gently help those who fall to rise again and resume their walk with God.

Here is an example of how we have to be careful so that we don't fall ourselves:

      Do you remember a few years back when Michael English had an affair with a member of another band? I think he was with the Gaither Vocal Band at the time and they were on tour with another Christian group. Now remember, these were 2 groups of people who spent the majority of their time singing for God, praising God, and serving God. The were trying to reach the lost, minister to peoples needs, and restore the fallen, etc...These weren't just (as my grandma would say: heathens), they were people trying their best to live for God.
     Why did this happen? They let their guard down. When we take our eyes off the Lord and start focusing too much on this life, we stand the risk of making the same or similar mistakes. Especially in the times we live, we must be "on top of our game" spiritually speaking, and we need to keep "our eyes on the prize." Even those who we consider to be the best of us are still susceptible to falling if they lose sight of what is important!

Galatians 1:2 says that we should bear each other's burdens. So when we hear of others who have fallen, we should react as though we have fallen. If it was you who had fallen, I bet you'd be on your face before God and not just sitting back and saying: "what a shame" or "they had so much potential." Brothers and sisters please, we don't have time to be judging each other or comparing how bad we think other's sin is compared to our own. We have to bind together as the body of Christ (as God intended all along) and lift up our fallen ones. It is our job to reach out to them and help them to their feet. If they fall more than once, we have to be patient with them and help them back up more than once.
     Our God never leaves us nor forsakes us, He is ever patient and full of grace. Why would He expect us to be any different in how we treat our brothers and sisters in the faith? He told us that we should love our neighbor as ourselves. He gave us parables about the shepherd who left the (strong) 99 and went out to look for the (weak) 1 sheep. Don't forget about the lesson of the Prodigal son! Our God is merciful and I don't think it would be a stretch for us to assume that He intends for us to show that mercy to each other as often as needed!

I leave you with this quote from Charles Conn: "Let us mark well that we are responsible for one another, and all our loud protestations do not eliminate the fact that we are indeed our brother's keeper."

Why we walk away

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Watson) — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 04:42:00 +0000

Have you ever known anyone that got saved and was so on fire for God that you could hardly stand to be around them? And then that same person some time later seemed to just act like nothing ever happened? Or maybe you know someone who started serving in the church only to abandon their position shortly thereafter?   There are many reasons that we could offer for this. I'm reading a book right now by Charles W. Conn titled: "Why Men Go Back" and it deals with this issue. He gives 6 reasons that people "defect" from the faith, backslide, or absolutely abandon God and the church.  Reflect with me on these 6 reasons and please allow the Holy Spirit to search us and let us know if any of these are issues for us:

1. Fear
     Perhaps some leave for fear of what their 'friends' might think, some for fear of all they think they have to give up to be a Christian. Maybe its the the fear of the responsibility of having to live a Godly life as a testimony of our faith that drives people away. Surely there are many more fears that could be listed here.

2. Lack of Spiritual Depth
     Just like the parable of the seed that falls on rocky ground....some will find themselves in an environment that does not help them grow. If you are a new Christian especially, you must be in a church with sound bible teaching and instruction so that you can flourish in the faith.

3. Refusal to accept God's doctrine
     Some people just don't want to change the way they live.  Some people just make up a God to serve in that they "pick and choose" what to believe about God. It's all or nothing here. You cannot add to or take away from what God is. He is the alpha and omega...the author and the finisher of our faith.

4. Discouragement
    BAD TIMES COME....SURPRISE!!!!! The Lord Himself told us that we would have trouble in our Christian lives. Expect trouble to come, don't be surprised when it shows up, and be ready to call on the Lord in your time of trouble! We all get depressed at times, but the joy of the Lord is our strength! I think all of us have at some time been disappointed by a person or persons in the church that we respect. The important thing is to not let your disappointment in that person or person affect your view of God. God will never disappoint you, but men will....just give anyone enough time...and they will disappoint you! Remember, our faith is in God, not man. We should strive to be like Jesus, not men and women we respect.

5. Temptation
     I think this is pretty straight-forward.   Either we give our battles with temptation to the Lord, or we are defeated by the temptation. Just because we get saved, doesn't mean that we will no longer have temptation. Not even in deliverance from bondage are we immune to temptation. I am one who was delivered from an addiction to porn. That will always be an area of weakness for me. I didn't say that I struggle with it, or that I have returned to it, but the temptation of it will never go away. The difference is that I give it to the Lord so that He can fight my battle. I also don't allow myself to be in situations that I can be tempted.

6. Persecution
      This is probably pretty rare in our country. Thank God we still have some freedoms and we are not, at this time, physically persecuted for our faith. We do experience some mild verbal persecution at times. I'm sure most of us have been made fun of for our decisions, and how we conduct ourselves, and what things we will not allow ourselves to do.

Please take some time and meditate on these things....if you are not affected by any of these, then Great!
If you know of anyone that is struggling with any of these things, please encourage them and pray for them today. As the body of Christ we have to stand in the gap for one another and be in prayer for the needs of our brothers and sisters in the faith.   "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5:16 NIV

Believing God by Grey Laurie

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Watson) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 03:36:00 +0000

In my reading today, I came across this devotional by Greg Laurie. I thought it had a great and profound message, so I decided to use his devotional for today's post. Like we talked about in LifePointe on Sunday night: Who is it that will say that we can't reach the men in our church, our community, and our nation? It's the Devil, our enemy and HE IS A LIAR!
Enjoy Pastor Laurie's devotional and everyone have a wonderful day. I'm praying for you...and please pray for our men's ministry!
-Shannon

Believing God July 1, 2010 -

"And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him." —Hebrews 11:6

There always will be people who will tell you that you are going to fail, that you never will amount to anything. I had a teacher who wrote on my report card, "Greg Laurie will never amount to anything, because all he does is sit in class all day long and look out the window and daydream and draw cartoons." Was it true that I did those things? Absolutely. But I wasn't real encouraged when I read what my teacher wrote on my report card.

Yet throughout my ministry I have heard the same kind of things. I was 20 years old when we started what is known today as Harvest Christian Fellowship, and people said, "You can't start a church. You are too young. That will never work. You are not qualified." Later, when we started our crusade ministry, people said, "Oh, that won't work. Crusades are over with. No one wants to go to crusades anymore." Everything we have done, we have had our opposition and our naysayers. In fact at this point in life, I have come to expect it. If I don't get opposition I wonder what is wrong. Where are the critics? Where are the people telling us we can't do this?

I am not advocating false bravado. I am not saying that we should be presumptuous. But I am saying that as followers of Christ, we should take some steps of faith and see what God will do. I would rather try and fail than never try at all.

Some people always will be critical and throw a wet blanket on everything. And sadly for those people, things seldom happen. But for the ones who are willing to take the risks, God can do some pretty amazing things. What risk is He asking you to take today?

Copyright © 2010 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Get the doubt out!

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Watson) — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 05:55:00 +0000

"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him."
(Mark 11:23 NIV)

No matter how bad the world gets. No matter what happens tomorrow, let us never lose sight that God is still on His throne and that He is aware of all that happens, and all the hurt and pain that is sometimes in this life. Things will never get so bad that God can't intervene. Your situation can never reach a point that God can't reach down and lift you up. It doesn't matter where you've been, or where you are going. God is already there and waiting on you to come to Him.
I challenge us all to get the doubt out of our lives. I challenge us to stop thinking about what 'cannot' be done. I pray that God will remind us of all the mountains in our lives that He has already cast into the sea, and all of the impossible situations that we have already been brought out of. I don't know your situation or what it is that you are going through; but I do know one thing: God will meet you where you are and in whatever you are in and He will do it in an instant, if you just believe in Him, and in His word. Doubt no more! Call on the Lord and receive your help, NOW!

Say "NO"

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Watson) — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 05:21:00 +0000

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "NO" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age." (Titus 2:11-12 NIV)

In the days that we live, it is of the utmost importance for us as Christians to live godly lives. The world around us is in a state of perpetual moral decline. If we ever expect anything to change, then that change must start with us. We have to live to a higher standard. We have to practice what we preach. If we don't, then what makes us different than the world?

We can start by saying "no" to gossiping, "no" to complaining, "no" to destructive behaviors, "no" to sexual immorality, "no" to that questionable tv show, "no" to inappropriate websites, "no" to our pride, and "no" to anything that does not bring glory to God. If we can say "yes" to charity, "yes" to loving our neighbor, "yes" to serving others, "yes" to the joy of the Lord, "yes" to giving God the praise He deserves, and "yes" to God's will for our lives; then the world will take notice.

There is a saying I've heard: "Sometimes our lives are the only bible that others read." How many people are you leading astray by the life you lead? Are you willing to give an account for misleading those who are watching your life? There are more people watching than you think. We have become dangerously comfortable in the lives we live and most of us have forgotten where we came from and what we were brought out of. If the world is to be won for Christ, then we have to live our lives to a higher standard and show them that what we have is worth living for!

Carpe Freedom!

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Watson) — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:32:00 +0000

Seize your Freedom!

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery" Galatians 5:1 NIV

Since we as a nation just celebrated the day of our independance, I thought it fitting to talk about our freedom in Christ. I used to be addicted to pornography, so I remember well what it was like to be a slave in bondage to my sins. The Lord delivered me over 6 years ago, but there have been many times since then that I have struggled with temptation. The verse from Galations is a warning to those of us who were once slaves to sin. God freed us from those sins so that we might be free. God intended for His children to have a life of peace, prosperity and to be free from all bondage. Anything that you do that you cannot stop doing is an addiction. You might like have an addiction to food, drugs, alcohol or, as in my case, pornography. It doesnt matter what the addiction is because all sin is equal in God's eyes. The point is that when we are set free from that addiction, we should be very careful that we don't allow ourselves to go back and pick up that burden again.

Every thought, action and plan that the devil has for us is for our destruction. In John 10:10 we read:

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (KJV).

The devil knows that if he can tempt you to sin, and keep you in that sin, that you will become a slave to that sin. That means that he will have stolen your joy and brought you into a situation and possibly a habitual behavior that will ultimately lead to your destruction. The devil is our enemy and he wants what any enemy wants: our death!

God does not only want us to be saved from the death that sin brings [For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" Romans 6:23 NIV] but to give us the exact opposite of what sin deserves: life, and life more abundantly. The Lord in His infinite mercy gave us His son to die for our sins so that we may have a way to be restored to Him and be able to one day live with Him.

It does not matter what you've done, where you've been or what you've said, seen or heard. The Lord stands ready to forgive you, restore you and sustain you. "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.

Seek the Lord today, ask for His mercy now and seize your God given FREEDOM!

CARPE FREEDOM!