I used to make promises lightly. I used to lie to my very own soul. A soup of flesh and bones. When all those promises ravaged me you were the only one I told. Back then I had to bleed to feel. Yet my own blood could not save me. It is only by the blood of Jesus Christ that you my Father gave me.
I would rather walk through this world now like a horse with blinders on.
I am skittish or am I angry? Either way I can no longer abide without speaking.
I detest the culture that is so invasive and ravages souls.
I detest the bullies, the political vomit, the religious misinformation being preached.
I hear with my eyes shut the cries of our young screaming out in terrifying confusion.
I hear the elderly silenced of their vast contribution of wisdom.
I hear with my eyes shut the deafening bombs of war, abortion and other useless dying.
Evil, greed, jealousy, envy, bitter, joy, peace, kindness, entitlement, shame, lies, prosperity, poverty, mentally ill, diseased, disrespect, fitness, news media, hollywood, sexual violence, addiction, self righteousness, murder, sodomy, rape, divorce, scammers, hackers, government intrusions, book banning, history, gossip, lynching, canceled, abortion, pollution, domestic violence, sex traffic, degrading others, lack of productivity, drugs of choice rampant, man bashing, body bashing, gay, straight, conspiracy theories, censorship, thinking your kid is better, judging when you know nothing about the person…
You may say I am overreacting but I disagree…But here I leave you with Truth.
“We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted,butnotforsaken;struck down,butnotdestroyed.We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.…” 2 Corinthians 4:9
Jesus said, …” I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father…andyet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.These things I have spoken to you, thatin Me you may have peace.In the world you[b]will have tribulation; but be of good cheer,I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
There is an old Cherokee proverb that says there are two wolves at war within us. One wolf desires to do what is right, to choose Love every time. The other wolf is hateful and selfish and ravages everything and everyone to get his own way and the wolf that wins is the wolfyou Feed.
The man said to his son,
“One wolf is evil, which is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”
“The other wolf is good, which is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”
I find this interesting in that this is exactly what the Bible teaches us. As human beings we can either feed our lust, lying, selfish, dark Sin nature or we can feed our Spirit. We can think on things from above.
God is Spirit and Jesus said that to truly worship and relate to God you must be given the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the only way to have a Holy Spirit.
My Mother said to me once, “if you feed your flesh you flesh will grow, if you feed your Spirit your Spirit will grow.” At the time I didn’t know she got that straight out of Romans chapters 7 and 8 and Galatians 5.
So which wolf are you feeding? It is a daily choice.
“The fact is that sin is a bigger disaster than we think it is and grace is more amazing than we seem to be able to grasp that it is. No one who really understands what Scripture has to say about the comprehensive, every-aspect-of-your-personhood altering nature of sin would ever think that anyone could muster enough motivation and strength to rise to God’s standard of perfection. The thought that any fallen human being would be able to perform his or her way into acceptance with God has to be the most insane of all delusions. Yet we all tend to think that we are more righteous than we are, and when we think this, we have taken the first step to embracing the delusion that maybe we’re not so bad in God’s eyes after all.” Paul Tripp
You better pray everyday
You better read your Bible every day.
You better join the choir, teach Sunday school, be a missionary, or do some kind of ministry.
You better tithe.
You better be at Church every time the door was open. (This one was easy because my Dad was a Pastor.)
So, if you are out there trying to earn your way into relationship with God it is a burden that you need not carry and when you realize this Truth it is actually a relief. Then you can start to actually do and say the things that please God by letting His Spirit live in you.
It can be a rough ride and not a pretty sight, but Jesus did not come and die for us because it was comfortable or pretty. He did it because he understood and still understands that it is HE who brings life from sin and death, and it is Jesus in you that will produce “good works and fruit.”
Your behavior will change because Jesus transforms our hearts and out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, the hands serve, and the love overflows. I know, because I spent years trying to be good enough and failed and then as I lay all of that down I began to change.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
…all civilizations, and ages both on earth and heaven hinges on them …they profoundly transform those who hear, say, and believe them …they annihilate shame, guilt, burden, loneliness,depression, and death …they provide supernatural joy, freedom, and hope …they expose and destroy all lies, suffering, and evil …they hold all the mysteries of creation, time, and purpose …they drag “lies” kicking and screaming into the light and banish darkness …they wreak havoc on all evil authority and authenticity …they redefine success and sincerity and sacrifice …they are immediately understood and leave their mark when spoken …they hold in their meaning all beginnings and endings Three words… “He is Risen”