Strengthening Your Resolve

Resolve Fortified

Monday, April 6, 2020

9:38 AM

One of thee most frustrating things to work from home is that I am trading accountability for comfort. There is no way to through what I am doing up against any real time standards in the person of my supervisor. This is a blessing and a curse at the same time because I could be jeopardizing my IT future because of the mistakes that I am making. Typically when there is no accountability your own sense of perform is how you rate your ability.

Although I am experiencing this at work I am not feeling this way in ministry. I have never been so sure of what is happening and which way I am going in my life. Oddly enough there is not additional emotional security in that because I want to be secure in other cases.

Just now I heard the voice of Mike Todd " If you are getting the bag, then you making your resource your source."

The hardest part of following God is learning to fully sacrifice. Bishop McClendon mentioned something about what the nature of the sacrifice is for the believer and how makes the distinction to note that the sacrifice of Christ pays for our sins past present and future. But our sacrifice comes when present our bodies, mouths our minds, talents gifts and time for his purposes. He said " When you praise god consistent with what his sacrifice afford us this is the sacrifice."

I am find more and more peace in God over what is happening in my life and strangely I am more and more fearful of the outcome should I fail to follow in my definition of perfectly.

There then lies our greatest challenge. Learning to fully surrender.

Prayer

Lord, I can hear you calling out with your word. " If a Man wish to come after me, he must first deny himself, take up his cross and follow me."

Jesus I am seeing the cross I must die on. Everything in my flesh wants to avoid the cost to follow but everything connected to you it pressing me into lay down and open hands and cross my feet.

Could it be that I have been hearing you this long and not listening.

" I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future, then you call to me and come and find me when you seek me with all of your heart.  And I will be found of you saith the Lord. And I will set you free…"

Here is the meditation If he knows the plans then my job is not to plan but to follow. The cost to follow is your heart. " Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to thine own understanding but it all thy ways acknowledge him and he will direct thy paths." " My heart does safely trust in him." When the cost is paid the reward is given. The father then says I will be found by you…The will of God cannot be revealed unto you crucify your own.  "

20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.  Gal 2:20" 

16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.  Gal 5:16 - 25"

5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom 6:5-11"

The way is clear there is nothing stopping me from understanding what needs to be done. Its Jesus sacrifice that I buy into when I lay on the cross. When I rise his body is there bearing my sin and faults. I rise daily anew with only his mind in me to follow his call."

Lord, simple obedience seems like its not the answer but then when I look at how much you accomplished on the cross at calavary I cant help but understand that to be true.

Lord Jesus give me the simple courage to obey you. I forfiet my plans and my dreams and passions. My children and wife I commit them to you. My finances and ministry they are yours. I wont move until I hear you speak and Ill stop when you stop talking because I believe you have the planned my steps.

I am not fan of saying make it like it was…but please make it like it was. When all I could do was lean on you because I was not sure of anything else but your call. Bring me back to the child like sense of faith to know that its your voice when you speak and I speak only what you say just like Jesus and I do what I am led to do.

I crucify my ambitions and I trade it for stillness in you.