May we have.....

Psalm 37 instructs us to:

            Trust in the Lord

            Delight yourself in the Lord

            Commit your way to the Lord

            Rest in the Lord

            Wait for the Lord

May we have -

Faith to wait to hear His voice 
Trust to stand firm in His grace and truth with perseverance             
Resolve to act when we hear His still small voice

An Overcomer

An Overcomer….in and through Christ alone. Yes I am - as a child of the King of Kings!

Lord Jesus, You have overcome the world…and by Your blood I can walk in Your victory…give me faith to see and hope to persevere and grace to walk this walk.

But the flesh fights for survival and the ability to reign each day…my spirit struggles to seek after You in all that I do…and the world hearkens with its seductive call luring me into its darkness - the battle rages on.

You call out…You send Your Spirit…You are the Victor…and You lift me out of the mire…You place me under the shadow of Your wings…and hide me safely in Your mighty fortress…an Almighty God is my Lord.

Be strong and courageous for the Lord my God is with me…I shall stand in Your victory!

1 John 5:4  For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.

John 16:33  In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.

1 John 4:4  You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

Rev 3:21-22  He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 

Intimacy has been corrupted….

God's wonderful design and plan for intimacy between a husband and wife has been corrupted by the ways of the world - and the enemy's hand is written all over the corruption! The strong desires that emanate from the lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh have become the focus of what intimacy is supposed to look and act like. Intimacy has been commoditized, marketed and made a function of self-satisfaction (the devil's handiwork - taking something God has made beautiful and turning it into something that becomes self focused). 

It is has been transformed from its originally created beauty and is being used as a source of power and control in our world which has resulted in generating a negative effect on the human condition.

God's design for intimacy is based upon trust, admiration, closeness, mutual enjoyment - it is a true and unique component of unconditional love that one has for one another - and the two shall become one flesh. I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine…and God said it is good!

Song of Solomon 6:3 I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine…

Playing in the game

While coaching youth basketball one of the key elements that I try to impress upon the kids is that while you are on the court, during the game, if you are standing and watching the game you might as well be sitting on the bench! You are no help to your team if you are watching the game instead of being actively involved in the playing of the game - no matter what your level of talent. I even challenged my son that each time I saw him 'watching' the game I would charge him a quarter! It is very easy to watch the game go by but it takes effort and determination and perseverance and even sacrifice to actively play the game.

As I pondered upon this it made me think about the body of Christ and how we spend quite a bit of our time watching the game…we are not actively involved in this game of life that we have been called to play i.e. spreading the gospel and making disciples! Just as with basketball, if you are just watching the game you are actually helping the other team (the enemy) by your non-involvement. No matter what your gifting or talents or maturity in the Lord are we are all called to be actively engaged players in this game of life.

I would encourage all who call Jesus Christ Lord to get in the game - don't watch as if you were on the sidelines - you have been selected to play on the first string team - His team…get out there and allow the Holy Spirit to give you strength and power and discernment along with His grace and truth to actively play this game of life and battle against the enemy! We are on the winning team and lives are waiting to be touched for His glory.