Week 7
Patterns......
This week is about the patterns of sin in my life. The truth is Satan doesn't have to be all that creative in temptation with most of us. We all seem to have an achiles heel when it comes to sin. Those things we fall into time and again. My number one problem is pride. It isn;t in the sense of standing on a hill thinking I'm better than everyone else, it's in the sense of thinking I know better than God. If you tie that to fear and a lack of trust that sums up my big three. Due to some abuse in my past, trust is really hard for me. Even when it comes to trusting God. I want to desperately, but then my fear kicks in and I think I have my best interests at heart, not God, and I run out ahead of HIm. Every time I've done that it turned out badly. I don't know best even though I sometimes think I do. God's ways are always better. Trust is SSOOO hard. Even in my messy disobedience and lack of trust, God has stepped in and shown me grace. Lord, please open my heart and mind to trust. I have come to understand what real love means. Why did it take so long? People throw that word around like they know what it means. MOst have never seen it. You are love. Love caused You to take my place. Love caused You to come here and live with us, speak to us, heal us, and die in our place, so that You would never have to be without us. Love caused You to give us free will, even knowing that we would disobey and cause You to face the cross for us. Because love isn't love if there is no choice. If You would give me Jesus, there is nothing good in all of creation that You would ever hold back. Forgive my fear, PLease build my faith. Love isn't flowers, chocolate, and jewelry, love is sacrifice. Love is giving up yourself for the object of your love. Putting others before yourself. That's love. If someone says they love you and they aren't willing to put your needs ahead of their own, they don't love you. A great marriage is when both people sacrifice for each other and they constantly both give of themselves for the other. It is not one person doing it, that is abuse. Marriage is the example God gave us of our relationship with Him. He has already given ALL, what am I willing to give for Him? He is asking all. Most of us won't give it. The question is Am I willing? Lord more than anything in life, I want to be.
This week is about the patterns of sin in my life. The truth is Satan doesn't have to be all that creative in temptation with most of us. We all seem to have an achiles heel when it comes to sin. Those things we fall into time and again. My number one problem is pride. It isn;t in the sense of standing on a hill thinking I'm better than everyone else, it's in the sense of thinking I know better than God. If you tie that to fear and a lack of trust that sums up my big three. Due to some abuse in my past, trust is really hard for me. Even when it comes to trusting God. I want to desperately, but then my fear kicks in and I think I have my best interests at heart, not God, and I run out ahead of HIm. Every time I've done that it turned out badly. I don't know best even though I sometimes think I do. God's ways are always better. Trust is SSOOO hard. Even in my messy disobedience and lack of trust, God has stepped in and shown me grace. Lord, please open my heart and mind to trust. I have come to understand what real love means. Why did it take so long? People throw that word around like they know what it means. MOst have never seen it. You are love. Love caused You to take my place. Love caused You to come here and live with us, speak to us, heal us, and die in our place, so that You would never have to be without us. Love caused You to give us free will, even knowing that we would disobey and cause You to face the cross for us. Because love isn't love if there is no choice. If You would give me Jesus, there is nothing good in all of creation that You would ever hold back. Forgive my fear, PLease build my faith. Love isn't flowers, chocolate, and jewelry, love is sacrifice. Love is giving up yourself for the object of your love. Putting others before yourself. That's love. If someone says they love you and they aren't willing to put your needs ahead of their own, they don't love you. A great marriage is when both people sacrifice for each other and they constantly both give of themselves for the other. It is not one person doing it, that is abuse. Marriage is the example God gave us of our relationship with Him. He has already given ALL, what am I willing to give for Him? He is asking all. Most of us won't give it. The question is Am I willing? Lord more than anything in life, I want to be.