The Passion
That was six years ago, in 2011.
Looking back, I can honestly say that we were genuinely trying to live God's way. The only problem was that we hadn't fully grasped that true, permanent change could not happen without reading the actual living Word of God! At that time, I had just started attending bible studies at the church that we currently attend. I had already accepted Jesus as my LORD and Savior in 2008 at a church that my sister had invited me to. I had already started praying a lot. However, I didn't understand God's ways fully because I wasn't reading His Word. Four years ago, in 2013, my sister bought me a really nice bible for my 32nd birthday. It was genuinely my intention to start reading it right away. However, that didn't happen until several months later after I was attending my third bible study. That bible study drew me to God's Word in such a passionate way! It began to transform my life in every aspect. God was creating a new me from the inside out. I was allowing God to mold me and to shape me, according to His will.
Shortly after I began reading my bible I felt God telling me that He wanted us to start attending this church where I had been going to these bible studies. I was more than willing to do everything that He asked of me so I told my husband what God said to me. My husband agreed to go to this church, without hesitation. Attending this church in the beginning was very difficult for us. You see, this church spoke God's truth in a very raw and truthful manner. This was causing us to be uncomfortable during some of the services. There were moments when we didn't agree with what was being preached and we just wanted to get up and walk out. Oh, but God!
You see, I had already given Him my heart. I had already decided that doing life my way was bringing me struggle after struggle and filling me with bitterness, anger, animosity and I didn't like it one bit. I had already committed to allow Him to lead me wherever He wanted to take me. And I knew that He had led us to that church. So while my flesh wanted to get up and walk out I would stay put. Later, I would ask God to give me a sign that that was the church where He wanted us. Time and time again He would show me that He wanted us at that church. I didn't understand why at that time but I was allowing Him to lead me. Today I know that had I given in to my flesh and walked out of that church, that I would not be where I am in my spiritual walk with my LORD! I would've allowed the enemy to steal the rewards that lay ahead, had I not sought God's counsel. I'm so thankful that I chose back then to accept His help in pushing through to continue on that difficult journey that He wanted us to tread. The uncomfortable feeling was coming from hearing God's truth. God was trying to remove the false truths and half-truths of the world that I had accepted as real truths. He was beginning to replace them with HIS complete truths. It was painful. Hence, the phrase: the truth hurts. Yes, the truth did hurt me. Oh but guess what else it did???
That is God's passion! He wants to set you FREE!!! HIS truths will set you free! You will begin to realize How much He loves you and adores you! You will realize that all that He desires is to have a relationship with you. He desires for you to put Him at the center of your life because He knows the right way for you to go! He knows how to keep you from harm. He knows how to lead you into better things. He is for you, not against you! He has plans to prosper you, to give you hope and a future! His ways are greater! His ways are higher! If you have not accepted Him as Lord over your life, I highly encourage you to do so today. Ask Him into your heart. Repent of all of your sins. Give Him full access to your heart. Don't try to hide the ugly or dirty things that you have done or are still doing. He already knows. Just release it all to Him.
My family and I are now in our fourth year of regular attendance at this church. However, at the very beginning of last year, I made a commitment to God. I committed that I would live in complete surrender. No more praying for something and then trying to answer my own prayers. No more of me trying to tell Him when to do something or how to do it. Nope. None of that! Last year, I spent so much time listening to Him and less time talking. He told me to do things and I obeyed. I wouldn't question it. I didn't try to understand it. I simply acted in complete obedience. In the fall of last year, breakthroughs started happening in my life, in my own family. Things that I had been praying for, He began to answer. My husband started attending Wednesday night services. Our oldest daughters accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior. God has brought us many new friendships. And most recently, just last week my husband and our second daughter decided to get baptized! I had the honor of being baptized with them on stage and it was the greatest gift and blessing! I don't know where God is leading our family, but I can now genuinely say that we are all in! We will continue to thank Him for His greatest gift, for His greatest sacrifice, by laying down our own lives just as Jesus laid down His life on that Cross. Father, let your will be done! In Jesus's name. Amen.
One last thing, because His passion has now become my passion, I would like to give you this opportunity. If you have not accepted Jesus as Lord over your life, if you have not submitted to His will over your life then I encourage you to say this out loud to Him:
"Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. I have messed up big time in my life. And I need you. I ask for your forgiveness. I need you to help me live a better life with you at the center. Take over, Lord. Take the wheel. I give you full access. I accept you as Lord over my life. Direct me. Guide me. Take me wherever you desire to take me. In your name I pray. Amen."
Have yourself an amazing GOoD Friday!
You see, I had already given Him my heart. I had already decided that doing life my way was bringing me struggle after struggle and filling me with bitterness, anger, animosity and I didn't like it one bit. I had already committed to allow Him to lead me wherever He wanted to take me. And I knew that He had led us to that church. So while my flesh wanted to get up and walk out I would stay put. Later, I would ask God to give me a sign that that was the church where He wanted us. Time and time again He would show me that He wanted us at that church. I didn't understand why at that time but I was allowing Him to lead me. Today I know that had I given in to my flesh and walked out of that church, that I would not be where I am in my spiritual walk with my LORD! I would've allowed the enemy to steal the rewards that lay ahead, had I not sought God's counsel. I'm so thankful that I chose back then to accept His help in pushing through to continue on that difficult journey that He wanted us to tread. The uncomfortable feeling was coming from hearing God's truth. God was trying to remove the false truths and half-truths of the world that I had accepted as real truths. He was beginning to replace them with HIS complete truths. It was painful. Hence, the phrase: the truth hurts. Yes, the truth did hurt me. Oh but guess what else it did???
THE TRUTH SET ME FREE!!!!!
That is God's passion! He wants to set you FREE!!! HIS truths will set you free! You will begin to realize How much He loves you and adores you! You will realize that all that He desires is to have a relationship with you. He desires for you to put Him at the center of your life because He knows the right way for you to go! He knows how to keep you from harm. He knows how to lead you into better things. He is for you, not against you! He has plans to prosper you, to give you hope and a future! His ways are greater! His ways are higher! If you have not accepted Him as Lord over your life, I highly encourage you to do so today. Ask Him into your heart. Repent of all of your sins. Give Him full access to your heart. Don't try to hide the ugly or dirty things that you have done or are still doing. He already knows. Just release it all to Him.
My family and I are now in our fourth year of regular attendance at this church. However, at the very beginning of last year, I made a commitment to God. I committed that I would live in complete surrender. No more praying for something and then trying to answer my own prayers. No more of me trying to tell Him when to do something or how to do it. Nope. None of that! Last year, I spent so much time listening to Him and less time talking. He told me to do things and I obeyed. I wouldn't question it. I didn't try to understand it. I simply acted in complete obedience. In the fall of last year, breakthroughs started happening in my life, in my own family. Things that I had been praying for, He began to answer. My husband started attending Wednesday night services. Our oldest daughters accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior. God has brought us many new friendships. And most recently, just last week my husband and our second daughter decided to get baptized! I had the honor of being baptized with them on stage and it was the greatest gift and blessing! I don't know where God is leading our family, but I can now genuinely say that we are all in! We will continue to thank Him for His greatest gift, for His greatest sacrifice, by laying down our own lives just as Jesus laid down His life on that Cross. Father, let your will be done! In Jesus's name. Amen.
One last thing, because His passion has now become my passion, I would like to give you this opportunity. If you have not accepted Jesus as Lord over your life, if you have not submitted to His will over your life then I encourage you to say this out loud to Him:
"Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. I have messed up big time in my life. And I need you. I ask for your forgiveness. I need you to help me live a better life with you at the center. Take over, Lord. Take the wheel. I give you full access. I accept you as Lord over my life. Direct me. Guide me. Take me wherever you desire to take me. In your name I pray. Amen."
Have yourself an amazing GOoD Friday!
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