Midweek Motivation

Midweek Motivation

Starting Your Day out Right

But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. – 1 Corinthians 9:27

Oh the sin nature never let’s up! One minute you are walking in perfect communion with the Lord and then the next minute you are battling the flesh. It’s like a wrestling match. I feel as if I have to place my flesh in a choke hold just so I can rest and breathe. But then I get tired of keeping my guard up and want to rest and as soon as I do that…BAM!!!! I am punched by my flesh and the wind is knocked out of me. I hate this battle between my flesh and my spirit. My only hope is that when I die I have the promise from God himself that I won’t have this inner struggle anymore. He has promised me salvation which consists of three things. They are: Justification; sanctification and glorification.

These three things are linked together like a chain and you need all three in order to be delivered from the the sin nature. Most people think salvation consist of just the 1st item only; Justification. That could not be further from the truth.

Justification deals with the penalty of sin. Sanctification deals with the power of sin. Glorification deals with the presence of sin.

Most people think about salvation as just being forgiven only (I was saved on this or that day….etc.). What they are saying is that they were justified on a specific day and the penalty of their sin was dealt with at that time. But that is only the 1st part of salvation. You cannot stop there.

It’s like this: Justification starts the process of salvation. Sanctification is the part that we live out. And Glorification is the end process of our salvation.That is why when the Bible tells us to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling” we don’t need to get all worked up and scared. It does not say…”Work FOR your salvation….” But rather, “Work it out”. In other words, walk in holiness and let the Lord set you apart so that he can wash you and you can be clean.

Philippians 2:13-14: Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

I love the fact that the Word tells us to work out and then it says that it’s the Lord who works in us. This is fully dealing with the middle link of the chain of salvation…..Sanctification. When we try to clean ourselves…it’s only outward (Work out…) but when the Lord does the cleaning it is always inward (Work in).

So now going back to my thoughts from the beginning of this post; I hate the process of being washed all the time and though I desire to be clean more than dirty yet I still battle back and forth. I hate the tug-a-war. One day I will be clean as the Lord gives me a new body that is sinless. Oh how I can’t wait.

Is Your House in Order?
Cleaning, parenting, marriage, organization tips, etc. A Father’s Perspective!

Ephesians 6:4 And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

What is being a parent about? What is a Father’s role to his children? In a day and age when Fathers are not there raising their children, what does being a father look like? What do I do as a dad when I never had a dad to show me what to do?

I need to love my kids and be vulnerable with them. I need to correct them and guide them yet at the same time love them even when they fail. I need to lead them to places that I have been, which means that I need to blaze the trail first. I can’t lead my kids to places that I have not yet been. So if I want to teach them about love, I need to love. If I want to teach them about grace and mercy, I need to 1st experience these things and have those things in my heart before I can give those attributes to my kids. Let us as parents reflect the greatest parent of all time, the Lord.

Afternoon Pick-Me-Up
Writing Inspiration

When I 1st surrendered my heart to the Lord, I had no idea what would be in store. It has been an incredible ride. It has been easy at times, but difficult most of the time. Yet as the dust settles; every time I have had a struggle, the Lord has always been there. He has held me and has loved me enough to place me into difficult circumstances.

He has taken the coal in my life and has at times put me under a lot of pressure. And when coal is under extreme pressure for long periods of time; what happens is that the coal begins to change. It turns into diamonds.

The Lord is looking at the big picture and wants to create a diamond out of our broken lives. Our job is to simply stay put and allow the pressures and the difficulties of our lives to do its work. If we move out from under the pressure then we lose out on what the Lord is doing.

Many times I have tried to move out from under the pressure. I can only pray that as He has opened our eyes to what he is doing; that we would stay put. I want to stay where this pain torments me knowing that the Lord is producing something so much better than what I temporarily feel.

I really believe that the Lord is taking our souls of coal and is actually creating the rubies and diamonds for our crown that he will give to us on that day when we meet him face to face.

What else is this life but to know you my Lord; to live that you might be glorified! I want to be poured out before you as an offering, because I know for you to live I must die. So I will lay down my life because I long to know you and I will cast down my crown at your feet. I will do what you say because I live to glorify you, be magnified in me.

What’s For Dinner?

“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. – Isaiah 55:1

Fast food. That is the culture that we live in these days. We want things fast and we want them tasty. The problem is that fast food for the most part is not healthy for us. The more we eat at McDonalds, the more we start to look like one of those happy meals. Why is it that the good stuff is never fast and easy? Why is it that the good food cost so much money? I am so grateful that the Lord has what I need spiritually. And he gives it to me freely. Let us be a people who constantly go to the Lord for our needs. He has the kind of food that our souls crave and let me tell you, it is some good stuff! Let’s dig in and feast on what the Lord offers.

A Restful Night’s Sleep

Today is a day to reevaluate where I am and where I need to go. It’s about stopping and refocusing on the important things and applying them to my life first then passing them onto my children. As I stop and look at the Lord and see who he is, will I do my best to follow in his footsteps? Will I be willing to pass on all that I learn and all that I become to my children? I hope so.
Will I fail? Yes I will fail. But I will strive for a higher calling. I will aim to do better today than I did yesterday. I will try to become like Jesus in my actions and in my heart of hearts. I will try to be like my Father in heaven who loves me because he chooses to love me. He doesn’t care about my accomplishments; he cares about me. He loves me and I want to be that way with my kids. Today is about my Father in heaven and my goal is to learn and be more like him.