It is the most stressful thing to not know, WHAT, EXACTLY to do with your life, as a single woman balancing work and family at home, and be exhausted when you attempt anything, because you're so stressed out about what you should be doing.
Why do we do anything, anyway, according to Scripture?
Post coming up. I don't know when.
:thoughts boiling:
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Why Anxiety is NOT paralyzing in Christ
This morning was a trial... I was stressed about almost everything that crossed my mind.
I wanted to be God, to have control over being a good piano teacher, having a love life exactly the way I think it would be good, being able to help as much as I think is needed at home, having easy and refreshing relationships at home.
God has me in different situations than those. He has me falling short of my expectations in teaching piano, doesn't have me in a relationship, is putting people that I don't know and can't know right now into my life, is only having me able to do the surface things that need to be done at home while other things go undone, and he's allowing the relationships with much of my family and many friends to be either hard, strained, or almost non-existent.
I was feeling anxious this morning. I had a head-ache, and I want even now to let life get me down.
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in every circumstance for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
[1 thess. 5:16-18]
If I'm worried about being a good piano teacher, instead of simply doing my best with joy, it's pride. Lord forgive me of my pride. You are my identity and the reason I can do my best in You.
If I'm worried about my love life it's because I'm believing that God is not GOD, and is not a good ruler over this area of my life. He is a good ruler, and He is ordaining every minute. That's pride as well.
If I'm worried about not getting things done at home, it's because I'm believing that I should have more time than God has given me to do more. He hasn't. He's given me the time that I have and I am only expected to do what is 'reasonable.'
If I'm worried about my relationships being hard, it's because I believe I deserve for them to be easy. God has given me my lot, and the lines have fallen for me in pleasant places.
Ashley, ______, [reader]
The LORD has given you all things that you need right now. The only important thing is that you remember who you are in Christ- forgiven, and sealed with the HOPE of heaven. You are called in this life to share this joy, share this hope of salvation. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart- HE has overcome the world. He is working all things according to the purpose of His will, and He will be glorified in His every step in your sanctification. He has ordained even this morning to rearrange your mindset so that first, you are rejoicing that all you are called to in this world is to represent Christ, in everything you, even in weaknesses and failures, His power WILL BE made perfect in You.
He is rejoicing over His SAINTS even now, by the blood of Christ.
I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
...
The LORD will keep you from all evil;
he will keep you life.
The LORD will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore. [ps. 121]
I wanted to be God, to have control over being a good piano teacher, having a love life exactly the way I think it would be good, being able to help as much as I think is needed at home, having easy and refreshing relationships at home.
God has me in different situations than those. He has me falling short of my expectations in teaching piano, doesn't have me in a relationship, is putting people that I don't know and can't know right now into my life, is only having me able to do the surface things that need to be done at home while other things go undone, and he's allowing the relationships with much of my family and many friends to be either hard, strained, or almost non-existent.
I was feeling anxious this morning. I had a head-ache, and I want even now to let life get me down.
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in every circumstance for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
[1 thess. 5:16-18]
If I'm worried about being a good piano teacher, instead of simply doing my best with joy, it's pride. Lord forgive me of my pride. You are my identity and the reason I can do my best in You.
If I'm worried about my love life it's because I'm believing that God is not GOD, and is not a good ruler over this area of my life. He is a good ruler, and He is ordaining every minute. That's pride as well.
If I'm worried about not getting things done at home, it's because I'm believing that I should have more time than God has given me to do more. He hasn't. He's given me the time that I have and I am only expected to do what is 'reasonable.'
If I'm worried about my relationships being hard, it's because I believe I deserve for them to be easy. God has given me my lot, and the lines have fallen for me in pleasant places.
Ashley, ______, [reader]
The LORD has given you all things that you need right now. The only important thing is that you remember who you are in Christ- forgiven, and sealed with the HOPE of heaven. You are called in this life to share this joy, share this hope of salvation. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart- HE has overcome the world. He is working all things according to the purpose of His will, and He will be glorified in His every step in your sanctification. He has ordained even this morning to rearrange your mindset so that first, you are rejoicing that all you are called to in this world is to represent Christ, in everything you, even in weaknesses and failures, His power WILL BE made perfect in You.
He is rejoicing over His SAINTS even now, by the blood of Christ.
I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
...
The LORD will keep you from all evil;
he will keep you life.
The LORD will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore. [ps. 121]
Monday, February 23, 2009
Two favorite books, and why I don't even want to read them
Two of my favorite books right now are Pleasures of God, by John Piper, and Humility, by Andrew Murray.
I've read them both once, and am reading through them, very slowly, again. I love reading them, and the following is what I am learning in light of reading them, but mostly, the reason I said I don't want to read them, oftentimes, is because What I really want is the meat of the truths they contain, found in Scripture.
But here is just a teeny, tiny, bit about what they are teaching me. I'll post more later.
Life is all about God.
John Piper was one of the first people to explain to me that life is all about God, not us. The chief end of man is to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever, and Piper explains that God is the guarantor that man will do that. [either by being destroyed by His wrath, or trusting in Jesus]
So Man is always ultimately glorifying God.
You say, "Whoa, Ashley... easy there... I don't know about that." and I say, well, it's true. Every person's life is planned by the Lord, no one can change the Lord's plans, and all His plans are glorifying to Him. [Piper has an illustration of a wide-lens and narrow-lens view of the Lord's pleasure, in Pleasures of God I believe, so check it out]
Whatever the LORD pleases, he does,
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all deeps. [Ps. 135:6]
in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed [happy] God with which I have been entrusted [1 Timothy 1:11]
That last one is used by Piper to prove that the Lord is always being glorified, is always happy, always blessed, in the fact that He is enjoying Himself. He does all things, ruling all things, for His own sake.
That is why we can trust Him with our lives.
I, I am he
who blots out your transgressions for my own sake,
and I will not remember your sins. [Isaiah 43:25]
He is out to make His Name great. And that is our hope. That He means all He says in the Word, every promise in the Scripture, because Him being our hope and help is what makes Him glorified.
I've read them both once, and am reading through them, very slowly, again. I love reading them, and the following is what I am learning in light of reading them, but mostly, the reason I said I don't want to read them, oftentimes, is because What I really want is the meat of the truths they contain, found in Scripture.
But here is just a teeny, tiny, bit about what they are teaching me. I'll post more later.
Life is all about God.
John Piper was one of the first people to explain to me that life is all about God, not us. The chief end of man is to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever, and Piper explains that God is the guarantor that man will do that. [either by being destroyed by His wrath, or trusting in Jesus]
So Man is always ultimately glorifying God.
You say, "Whoa, Ashley... easy there... I don't know about that." and I say, well, it's true. Every person's life is planned by the Lord, no one can change the Lord's plans, and all His plans are glorifying to Him. [Piper has an illustration of a wide-lens and narrow-lens view of the Lord's pleasure, in Pleasures of God I believe, so check it out]
Whatever the LORD pleases, he does,
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all deeps. [Ps. 135:6]
in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed [happy] God with which I have been entrusted [1 Timothy 1:11]
That last one is used by Piper to prove that the Lord is always being glorified, is always happy, always blessed, in the fact that He is enjoying Himself. He does all things, ruling all things, for His own sake.
That is why we can trust Him with our lives.
I, I am he
who blots out your transgressions for my own sake,
and I will not remember your sins. [Isaiah 43:25]
He is out to make His Name great. And that is our hope. That He means all He says in the Word, every promise in the Scripture, because Him being our hope and help is what makes Him glorified.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Service
Whoever said doing things for the Lord looks glamorous?
Whoever said doing things for the Lord involves doing more than simple service for the ones God places in your life? Lately I've seen so much Christian promotion of living lives that are CHOCK FULL of service to the Lord. their kind of service to the Lord.
What does the Bible say about godly service? When I look, it says things like
'the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than [john the baptist]' and 'But Jesus called to them and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
I believe God calls us to simple service, faithfulness in little, in God-given priorities, seeking to displaying the fruits of the Spirit in all of those areas. Those things are the true marks of a Christian, and if you're anything like me you have a lot of growing to do regarding love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control.
God is in the business of being glorified, and that comes not from the filling of days with as many good things as possible while failing in the tasks most important, loving family, serving the church body, and ministering to those around you. God is glorified by simple, faithful dependance on Him, in a heart that seeks after His heartbeat more than the approval of others. I know I need to work on that.
We should keep that in mind the next time we're tempted to strive after big, noble things for God without checking our motive, and our faithfulness to the simple thing that God calls us to- service, as our Christ served us.
Whoever said doing things for the Lord involves doing more than simple service for the ones God places in your life? Lately I've seen so much Christian promotion of living lives that are CHOCK FULL of service to the Lord. their kind of service to the Lord.
What does the Bible say about godly service? When I look, it says things like
'the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than [john the baptist]' and 'But Jesus called to them and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
I believe God calls us to simple service, faithfulness in little, in God-given priorities, seeking to displaying the fruits of the Spirit in all of those areas. Those things are the true marks of a Christian, and if you're anything like me you have a lot of growing to do regarding love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control.
God is in the business of being glorified, and that comes not from the filling of days with as many good things as possible while failing in the tasks most important, loving family, serving the church body, and ministering to those around you. God is glorified by simple, faithful dependance on Him, in a heart that seeks after His heartbeat more than the approval of others. I know I need to work on that.
We should keep that in mind the next time we're tempted to strive after big, noble things for God without checking our motive, and our faithfulness to the simple thing that God calls us to- service, as our Christ served us.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Songs and Providential Nights
I came across that infamous book Passion and Purity tonight, and rereading Elisabeth Elliot's insight led me to write this song; I hope it moves your heart to praise the Savior.
When my heart, lies awake
You meet, me here
When my heart, fails again
In your character my heart, can rejoice
I praise You
When my heart lies awake
But knows you are where
This restless heart finds peace
I praise You
Forever my heart will sing
For You love to bring me back
You love to be, Savior
Your merciful smile, bathes this sinner
Your relentless love, pursues my heart
Your glory to know, my heart you have captured
Your fathomless love, my only hope
I praise You
When your mercy I see
I have found you are where
This restless heart finds peace
I praise You
Forever my heart will sing
You love to bring me back
You love to be, Savior
The thirty three years, You spent on this earth
That precious lot of time, the one thing I know, I can know
When Hosanna they cried, still you rode onward
For You came to write Your love on wayward hearts
So I praise You
Savior
Only in You
This restless heart finds peace
I will praise Your Name
Forever
For You love to bring me back
You love to be, Savior
When my heart, lies awake
You meet, me here
When my heart, fails again
In your character my heart, can rejoice
I praise You
When my heart lies awake
But knows you are where
This restless heart finds peace
I praise You
Forever my heart will sing
For You love to bring me back
You love to be, Savior
Your merciful smile, bathes this sinner
Your relentless love, pursues my heart
Your glory to know, my heart you have captured
Your fathomless love, my only hope
I praise You
When your mercy I see
I have found you are where
This restless heart finds peace
I praise You
Forever my heart will sing
You love to bring me back
You love to be, Savior
The thirty three years, You spent on this earth
That precious lot of time, the one thing I know, I can know
When Hosanna they cried, still you rode onward
For You came to write Your love on wayward hearts
So I praise You
Savior
Only in You
This restless heart finds peace
I will praise Your Name
Forever
For You love to bring me back
You love to be, Savior
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Desiring to honor God
It's interesting to know where joy is found.
I know joy is found in my Savior. And yet my heart is entrenched in so many other lesser desires. If I didn't know that my heart was secure in Christ's blood, I would be tempted to think that my faith just wouldn't stay steadfast, amidst my sin.
It occurred to me today, as I was struggling to trust the Lord, that all He wants is our faces turned towards Him, ready to receive from Him. He wants us to stand, through our trials, not with a carefree happiness and delight, but with a steadfast hope that endures, hour after hour, day after day.
Also, the Lord reminded me in my Daily Light [devotional that is a part of my quiet time] that I am not my own. We have been bought with a price, and now we belong to Christ, forever.
This is a good thing, and a sobering thing.
It is a good thing, because we will never be plucked from Christ's hand. We are His forever, because He loves us. We will always be cared for, no matter the circumstances or the condition of our hearts. We have trusted in Christ for his salvation and will not be put to shame- we will stand before God on the last day and have Christ as our advocate, Christ as the reason we can enter in God's perfect love.
It is a sobering thing, because, the promise of God's care throughout our whole life does not mean the absence of trials.. My dad once said, which clarified my understanding greatly, that God promised protection and deliverance, physically, for the Israelites, if they would obey His commands. What He promises us, as Believers in Christ, is not that things will go well for us on this earth, but that we will be cared for. Everything we experience in this life, is from His loving hand- whether it's big or small. ALL are lovingly given, all are a part of God's care for us- our sanctification. The Lord disciplines those He loves. But as Elisabeth Eliot reminds me, [Katharina von Schlegel wrote it]
Be still my soul, the Lord is on thy side
Bear patiently, this cross of grief and pain
Leave to Thy God to order and provide
In every change, He faithful will remain
Be still my soul, Thy best, Thy Heavenly Friend,
Through thorny ways, leads to a joyful end.
We will see His glory. It is worth it all- this suffering is for a wonderful, amazing, beyond-comprehension purpose! We have a great, great, treasure in Christ, we are restored in Him, by His precious blood, to the God of the Universe, who is the source of ALL GOOD THINGS, and He does all things well. This world is passing away, but His love is from everlasting, to
-everlasting-
on those who fear Him.
I know joy is found in my Savior. And yet my heart is entrenched in so many other lesser desires. If I didn't know that my heart was secure in Christ's blood, I would be tempted to think that my faith just wouldn't stay steadfast, amidst my sin.
It occurred to me today, as I was struggling to trust the Lord, that all He wants is our faces turned towards Him, ready to receive from Him. He wants us to stand, through our trials, not with a carefree happiness and delight, but with a steadfast hope that endures, hour after hour, day after day.
Also, the Lord reminded me in my Daily Light [devotional that is a part of my quiet time] that I am not my own. We have been bought with a price, and now we belong to Christ, forever.
This is a good thing, and a sobering thing.
It is a good thing, because we will never be plucked from Christ's hand. We are His forever, because He loves us. We will always be cared for, no matter the circumstances or the condition of our hearts. We have trusted in Christ for his salvation and will not be put to shame- we will stand before God on the last day and have Christ as our advocate, Christ as the reason we can enter in God's perfect love.
It is a sobering thing, because, the promise of God's care throughout our whole life does not mean the absence of trials.. My dad once said, which clarified my understanding greatly, that God promised protection and deliverance, physically, for the Israelites, if they would obey His commands. What He promises us, as Believers in Christ, is not that things will go well for us on this earth, but that we will be cared for. Everything we experience in this life, is from His loving hand- whether it's big or small. ALL are lovingly given, all are a part of God's care for us- our sanctification. The Lord disciplines those He loves. But as Elisabeth Eliot reminds me, [Katharina von Schlegel wrote it]
Be still my soul, the Lord is on thy side
Bear patiently, this cross of grief and pain
Leave to Thy God to order and provide
In every change, He faithful will remain
Be still my soul, Thy best, Thy Heavenly Friend,
Through thorny ways, leads to a joyful end.
We will see His glory. It is worth it all- this suffering is for a wonderful, amazing, beyond-comprehension purpose! We have a great, great, treasure in Christ, we are restored in Him, by His precious blood, to the God of the Universe, who is the source of ALL GOOD THINGS, and He does all things well. This world is passing away, but His love is from everlasting, to
-everlasting-
on those who fear Him.
Friday, January 23, 2009
A Convicted Heart
Who am I?
to not see the importance of walking in love? Who am I, to continue to walk in dissension with my brothers and sisters?
The past week or so God has shown me grace, the great grace of my salvation, and I finally know the comfort and peace of it- He is all my hope for favor with God, all He has done is all I couldn't do; attempts in myself to become holy, even "through Christ" are only my flesh deceptively trying to find glory for myself. So yes- my hope is in Christ, but I went to the other extreme as God relieved my heart from almost a works mentality this week. Not all the time, and not outrightly at first, but I thought about it yesterday, and I was simply rejoicing in Christ, and... hm... serving my own agenda! My own neat little agenda with things I wanted to get done, whether it's 'acts of service' or not- it was still my agenda, and when things got in the way- fleshly frustration.
Perfect example- this morning.
I've been sleeping downstairs because my room is so chilly, and therefore I've been doing my quiet time on the couch... let's just say the house was not quiet, downstairs, this morning, when I was was just trying to 'glorify God by doing my devotions'... well my reactions to the situation completely exposed my sinful heart, as I was reading 2 John, Matthew 4, and subsequently John 13:34-35 I think.
First things were going well, Matthew 4 was about how Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures through Satan's temptations. Before I've looked at that passage and thought, "I need to live up to that, oh no!!!" But this morning, the Lord was revealing that Jesus is all we can rejoice in, Jesus fulfilled the scriptures so I could have favor with God just by trusting Jesus and rejoicing in His perfect substitution. Then I ended up in 2 John.. by the grace of God, to expose my attitude [and reactions!] to my siblings, and not having quiet... [I wasn't even in my own room- so selfish of me!!!]
"Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God- whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son." [2 John 9]
I was sooo not doing that, as I said in the first couple sentences up there. And yet we always find perfect forgiveness, and perfect help. God is a God of perfect forgiveness and perfect help. Lord you are our help. We can look to You- the perfect God of the Universe, and not that You came down and led a perfect life of love so we don't have to earn that favor with the LORD. You are our favor, and You are our power.
We are called to JOY in the Savior through service! We have died to that nature that says we have to live for ourselves to be happy. Our joy is in the cross of Christ and letting that transform our life. We are called to increase our joy by abiding in the Savior's perfect love, and living a life that is in perfect surrender to Him, and His Spirit in us.
Let us forsake the flesh and love the better joy of loving others today... of thanking God for bringing us near to Him, rejoicing in all that He has supplied us with in Christ. We are not called to worry about tomorrow's grace, or tomorrow's strength. We only have to live for today, this minute, resting in Christ, resting in His perfect work that He did, and how it is only in rejoicing in Him and making Him look radiant that we can do anything of worth. Humble me, Lord, Humble me and delight me in You.
I'm sorry this is so long... I for sure won't be posting every day but fridays are slower days so I thought I'd post. <3
to not see the importance of walking in love? Who am I, to continue to walk in dissension with my brothers and sisters?
The past week or so God has shown me grace, the great grace of my salvation, and I finally know the comfort and peace of it- He is all my hope for favor with God, all He has done is all I couldn't do; attempts in myself to become holy, even "through Christ" are only my flesh deceptively trying to find glory for myself. So yes- my hope is in Christ, but I went to the other extreme as God relieved my heart from almost a works mentality this week. Not all the time, and not outrightly at first, but I thought about it yesterday, and I was simply rejoicing in Christ, and... hm... serving my own agenda! My own neat little agenda with things I wanted to get done, whether it's 'acts of service' or not- it was still my agenda, and when things got in the way- fleshly frustration.
Perfect example- this morning.
I've been sleeping downstairs because my room is so chilly, and therefore I've been doing my quiet time on the couch... let's just say the house was not quiet, downstairs, this morning, when I was was just trying to 'glorify God by doing my devotions'... well my reactions to the situation completely exposed my sinful heart, as I was reading 2 John, Matthew 4, and subsequently John 13:34-35 I think.
First things were going well, Matthew 4 was about how Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures through Satan's temptations. Before I've looked at that passage and thought, "I need to live up to that, oh no!!!" But this morning, the Lord was revealing that Jesus is all we can rejoice in, Jesus fulfilled the scriptures so I could have favor with God just by trusting Jesus and rejoicing in His perfect substitution. Then I ended up in 2 John.. by the grace of God, to expose my attitude [and reactions!] to my siblings, and not having quiet... [I wasn't even in my own room- so selfish of me!!!]
"Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God- whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son." [2 John 9]
I was sooo not doing that, as I said in the first couple sentences up there. And yet we always find perfect forgiveness, and perfect help. God is a God of perfect forgiveness and perfect help. Lord you are our help. We can look to You- the perfect God of the Universe, and not that You came down and led a perfect life of love so we don't have to earn that favor with the LORD. You are our favor, and You are our power.
We are called to JOY in the Savior through service! We have died to that nature that says we have to live for ourselves to be happy. Our joy is in the cross of Christ and letting that transform our life. We are called to increase our joy by abiding in the Savior's perfect love, and living a life that is in perfect surrender to Him, and His Spirit in us.
Let us forsake the flesh and love the better joy of loving others today... of thanking God for bringing us near to Him, rejoicing in all that He has supplied us with in Christ. We are not called to worry about tomorrow's grace, or tomorrow's strength. We only have to live for today, this minute, resting in Christ, resting in His perfect work that He did, and how it is only in rejoicing in Him and making Him look radiant that we can do anything of worth. Humble me, Lord, Humble me and delight me in You.
I'm sorry this is so long... I for sure won't be posting every day but fridays are slower days so I thought I'd post. <3
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Psalm 34
"This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him
and saved him out of all His troubles" [ps. 34]
We have to really cry out to God what we are struggling with and not say simply the religious cliches we're supposed to say, or God doesn't usually, really change us.
"Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace, and pursue it." [ps. 34]
We pursue these things because it will go well with us. Because this is the only way to 'have life' and 'love many days', to learn to live this way, only in Christ. Simply because this is true life, this is the way Jesus lived and the way we will live in Heaven, the way God empowers us to live through the life of Christ in us; and because we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, our inheritance is secure and we have new power within us- new power! Every day we have new power, which is never, not, new power.
"I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith [trustful, relinquishing-all-self-reliance, dependance on Jesus] in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me." [Galations 2:20]
Many are the afflictions of the righteous
but the LORD delivers Him out of them all.
He keeps all his bonesl
not one of them will be broken. [ps. 34]
That is our Jesus. That is our Jesus whom we love! We are in relationship with Him, whose bones were not broken [John 19:36], and He helps us, hallelujah. Jesus is our righteousness, Jesus is our security. Jesus fulfilled all of these demands for us, and secures forever forgiveness with His blood. We can hope in Him, Him alone, forever. He will help us, He will be with us, He will redeem us make us holy, and glorify our bodies with Him; we are His inheritance.
Bless your name- You are good; You are faithful- we should always trust in You!
In your Son, my Savior,
Ashley
and saved him out of all His troubles" [ps. 34]
We have to really cry out to God what we are struggling with and not say simply the religious cliches we're supposed to say, or God doesn't usually, really change us.
"Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace, and pursue it." [ps. 34]
We pursue these things because it will go well with us. Because this is the only way to 'have life' and 'love many days', to learn to live this way, only in Christ. Simply because this is true life, this is the way Jesus lived and the way we will live in Heaven, the way God empowers us to live through the life of Christ in us; and because we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, our inheritance is secure and we have new power within us- new power! Every day we have new power, which is never, not, new power.
"I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith [trustful, relinquishing-all-self-reliance, dependance on Jesus] in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me." [Galations 2:20]
Many are the afflictions of the righteous
but the LORD delivers Him out of them all.
He keeps all his bonesl
not one of them will be broken. [ps. 34]
That is our Jesus. That is our Jesus whom we love! We are in relationship with Him, whose bones were not broken [John 19:36], and He helps us, hallelujah. Jesus is our righteousness, Jesus is our security. Jesus fulfilled all of these demands for us, and secures forever forgiveness with His blood. We can hope in Him, Him alone, forever. He will help us, He will be with us, He will redeem us make us holy, and glorify our bodies with Him; we are His inheritance.
Bless your name- You are good; You are faithful- we should always trust in You!
In your Son, my Savior,
Ashley
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