can you imagine an exhausted, wounded and utterly surrounded warrior wanting to prolong the battle that he fights? absolutely not! peace - he struggles against oppression, for peace. he should decidedly rather be at home in the sweet comfort of those he loves.
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the heavenly [places]." Ephesians 6:12
what battle is this i have the audacity to say tires me? exhausts me? utterly overwhelms me? there are those running for their very lives this very moment - in china, in sudan, in iran, in afghanastan, uae, france. there are those who don't dare whisper the name above all names for fear of death. His words are desperately hidden from sight and memorized at length for fear that their book may be seen and taken. there are those who are starved, tortured, beaten, bruised and killed - counted worthy by Him who suffered the same.
no, i sit and battle my wretched pride that overtakes me at near every turn. how fast it grows when it is fed. it is fed here in this comfortable life of mine. no, not that for dinner, this. are you kidding me? no, don't straighten the living room like that, can't you see that the couch cover is crooked? seriously? can't you see that you are in my way of what i want, when i want it and how i want it?
my Christ died for me. before the foundation of the world, Christ chose me. while i was His enemy, Christ loved me.
"Woe to him who strives with his Maker! [Let] the potsherd [strive] with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him who forms it, 'What are you making?' Or shall your handiwork [say], 'He has no hands'?" Isaiah 45:9
WOE - as opposed to blessed.
"God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." James 4:6
RESISTS - opposes
i confess, i am proud. i am filled with pride. it flows from me as easily as i breath. it is our curse. don't you remember? to be like-god. that liar, that cunning, evil liar who from old lied to our mother eve and continues to lie to us. and like sheep led to the slaughter, we follow.
LORD save us! LORD forgive us. LORD change us. LORD, be our LORD and Master.
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do [them]." Ezekiel 36:26-27
i must cling to this promise LORD. it is you who must accomplish your purposes within me. please LORD, i am drowning...
..."And immediately Jesus stretched out [His] hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" Matthew 14:31
catch me Jesus.
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