Week 3

Week 3

Question:

Do you ever feel held back (possibly by something in your past, fear, doubt, anger or shame)? If yes, then by what?

Whatever you may have written above, before you go any further, surrender that to Christ at the foot of the cross. This journey is hard and scary, exciting and wonderful, but if you have something…something holding you back, weighing you down, holding you captive, I plead with you to surrender it. It is only when we relinquish our hold on things or rebuke those things that have a hold of us that we can passionately, wholeheartedly pursue the heart of Christ. I so often have held too tightly to my anger, fear, and shame, and have allowed those things to become a defining force in my life. Now, as I look back, I see so much time wasted and how much I’ve missed of what Christ has wanted to show me and what He has wanted to bless me with. Please, do not think for a moment that these things that haunt you or that you battle against are insignificant or meaningless, they are not. However, they can be such an incredible part of your story and speak so clearly to the goodness, faithfulness, and sovereignty of God when you let go and allow Him to redeem each and every moment that has been stolen from you.  

Joel 2:25-27

“I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame. You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God and there is none else. And my people shall never again be put to shame.”

Let us no longer feast on our baggage and condemnation, but let us revel in the Lord, in His Grace, and His mercy. Let us pursue Him. You are made for More than this. Be freed, in Jesus name.

                                                                                                                                                                   

  

Now, after this last week of studying laying aside my wishes, wants, whims and rights I found myself wondering “why”. Why should I deny myself and follow? Even if I don’t verbalize this “why” question to myself I certainly live it out in my day to day routine. I walk in an almost absent minded “Christian” stupor. All is well if I do what I know, stick to my routine and what is on the schedule. On Sundays I go to church and often serve, and I may even attend a midweek bible study. However, my day to day…no my moment to moment lifestyle is not reflective of a hunger, a passion, a desperation, or an unquenchable thirst for Him.

Honestly, most days I’m in survival mode trying to keep all the plates spinning. I think if we look at our lives we will find we live in pursuit of making it to the next thing and miss Jesus. I put Him into my schedule instead of allowing Him to rule my schedule…NO to RULE MY HEART. I remove Christ from the equation of my moment to moment living allowing Him only into the moments that I may have penciled Him in.  I’m sorry but that is RIDICULOUS living!!! No wonder we are tired and worn out. NO WONDER WE FEEL SO EMPTY. No wonder we crave something MORE. We have been missing THE FULLNESS of CHRIST. If we only allow Him into select moments and not EVERY moment to moment breath, thought, and decision then we are simply missing The Fullness that He has intended for us, and that He paid so much for us to experience. Are we taking Jesus’ death for granted? Are we living oppressed? Are we living our lives in fullest appreciation of the price that was so graciously given to us?  Are you ready to be Free, and overflowing with Him, allowing Him to reign supreme in every nook and cranny of your life? I want that…I need that. DO YOU??? 

Romans 8:31-37 (ESV)

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
    we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

  

Day 1:  Initial Read/Context

              - What stands out to you at first glance in this passage?

              - Who is this passage written to, what was going on before, during and after, and what is

                 being said and thought?

Day2:  Truths

               -What does this passage teach me about the author?

  

               -What does this passage teach me about God?

               -What can I learn about who I am in Christ?

Day 3:  Promises

               -What promises are being given in this passage?

  

Day 4:  Commands

               -What commands am I being given?

Day 5;  Apply

              -How can I specifically apply what I have learned from this passage to how I am living

               today?

  

               -What is God revealing to me about Himself?

            -What is God revealing to me about myself and who I am in Him?

  

Wow!!! What freedom, promise, and hope are found in that passage! I don’t know about you, but that gets me excited about Christ and all that He has in store for me. Here in this passage we find a place of security, but also a challenge. I am tired of living entrenched in my task list, afraid to veer in any direction, not knowing what will happen to all those spinning plates I’ve got going. I’m so fearful of failing that I don’t even attempt to do anything other than just be GOOD. I try to be a Good Christian, Wife, Mother, and Friend, but all I reap is anxiety and stress and this nagging feeling of loneliness and desperation.

We have got to wake up and live a life based on the truth that “God is FOR us”…NOT “God is sitting in heaven grading every little thing that we attempt to try and do, utterly disappointed with us at every turn”. We are HIS Children, I am HIS. I am Free in HIM. There is nothing that can separate ME or YOU from the Love of Christ. NOTHING!!! We have got to come to the realization that we are free from the law, free from trying to do better and be better.                We, humanity, could not live by the law as we see all throughout the OLD TESTAMENT. There was no being able to keep it all together. That is why Christ paid the price for us. He bridged the gap for us so that we would be free. He died and rose from the dead and made us MORE than Conquerors through Him.

Let us shake free of the self imposed routines, law, and rituals that we root ourselves in and allow Christ to be in our every moment and order our steps according to His will and plan. Let us have faith to allow Him to unfurl His plan for our lives. Let us walk as MORE than conquerors claiming those around us for the Kingdom, setting the captives free. We are Free…Let us LIVE LIKE IT!