"Males are best turned into gluttons with the help of their vanity. They ought to be made to think themselves very knowing about food, to pique themselves on having found the only restaurant in the town where steaks are really 'properly' cooked. What begins as vanity can then be gradually turned into habit. But, however you approach it, the great thing is to bring him into the state in which the denial of any one indulgence—it matters not which, champagne or tea, sole colbert or cigarettes—'puts him out', for then his charity, justice, and obedience are all at your mercy."
C. S. Lewis | Screwtape Letters
... asking the Holy Spirit to check my motives, attitude, and appetites.
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With Christ as my witness, I speak with utter truthfulness. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm it. My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them.
Romans 9:1-3
When was the last time "bitter sorrow" or "unending grief" could describe my emotions about my friends, family, and neighbors who do not know Christ - who, themselves, are cut off from Christ? The Apostle Paul even goes so far as to say he'd be willing to give up his own connection with Christ if he could trade it for the salvation of his Jewish brothers and sisters.
Truth is... such a trade could never be made. There is no way to transfer belief or faith to someone else. I can't give you a relationship with Jesus - I can only pray for you (and I do), live an exemplary life in front of you (with God's help!), and hope you see the reason I have joy (in any circumstance) is because of Him.
Praying for my brothers and sisters right now (on Facebook, in the family, and on my street). I love you and I hope you see God loves you even more...
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"... when a woman marries, the law binds her to her husband as long as he is alive. But if he dies, the laws of marriage no longer apply to her. So while her husband is alive, she would be committing adultery if she married another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law and does not commit adultery when she remarries.
So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God."
Romans 7:2-4 NLT
What an amazing analogy! When we are without Christ we're married to sin and there's nothing that can break up that bond... except death, of course. And that's exactly how God breaks the bond for us. Christ died, we believe in Him and we die too. Then, just as he was raised back to life, we're raised up. The difference now: we're not married to sin anymore. We're a new person completely and sin is a widow(er).
Now, there's nothing left to do but the same thing our Savior does: good.
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For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:23-26)
I don't know why, but I'm always playing the comparison game. I feel insecure about myself or the fact I've sinned and instead of submitting to God And beginning the work of repentance, I look at others around me and search for a dent in their armor - some blemish on their reputation (or at least their reputation with me)...
But this takes the gift of salvation and claims, even for just a minute, that I don't need it as much as the next guy. The Good News was good to me and it still is. There is no distinction, we all need Jesus. Simple.Comments [2]
Yeah, we're in a race and though many run in a race only one person wins the prize. Run your life of faith like you want to win! Runners put their bodies through the grinder to prepare for race day - and that for a prize and glory that will not last. We runners with Jesus run for a prize that lasts forever. Guess what? This is not time-trial. Today is race day. We are between the start and the finish - every step is getting us closer. That said, run hard! Make your body do what it must to win. Live and prepare with the finish line in mind. Remember, many are running behind you and beside you. You don't want them to miss out on a prize, so set the pace. Win together.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (my own paraphrase)
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He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment. Proverbs 12:11
What am I working on right now?
There is no vacation from obedience. Regardless of how we've followed Christ recently and even if we do great things for Him - God wants to do something through us again today. So, when I ask what I'm working on, I'm really asking God to show me what He is working on - then, I can join Him and submit to His work.
What fantasies do I need to let go of?
Fantasies are funny. We all have them: Grandiose ideas of what we would like to be. I'm easily preoccupied from engaging in the things the Holy Spirit is doing in the present by future fantasies. It's easy to say things like, "I'll make time to talk to people about my faith after I get through this season." or "Tomorrow I'll really work hard on this." Truth: Our future-self is never the stud we think he'll be. Fantasies have a way of delaying life. Except, they don't delay it at all - we just enjoy the illusion of such a thing... and another day is wasted.
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