Hey Friends!
As I mentioned in my post yesterday, I've decided to start blogging again. :) Each day (Lord willing) I'll post my 'Start a Day Blessing' from my Facebook page, along with some additional thoughts related to that day's blessing.
Here's today's blessing:
Start a Day Blessing: May God help you identify the idols in your life - those things that hold you captive, have too much power over you, and keep you from soul freedom. May you give God the glory He deserves. May you ascribe to Him the power you once gave to others. May you thank Him for the future the enemy has threatened to steal from you. May you walk forward with abundant grace, divine peace, and overwhelming joy because you're profoundly rich in Christ. Shake the shackles off your feet and praise Him! He's set you free! Have a great day today!
In John 10:10 Jesus reminds us that our enemy's whole purpose is to steal from us, and Jesus' whole purpose is to make us whole, lacking nothing, filled to overflowing with more of Him (my paraphrase). He invites us into a divine and intimate fellowship with Him so we'll begin to see things from a heavenly perspective. We get to feast at His table, to be nourished in His presence, and to learn things we'd otherwise never understand apart from Him. In fact, He actually confides in--tells secrets to--those who love and fear Him. He's our Source of life and no one and nothing can compare to Him.
So why do we allow so many things in this life to compete with Him? And what does it say about God when He describes Himself as a 'jealous God'? Does that make Him small and petty? Absolutely not. Read what Kyle Idleman writes in his fantastic book, 'gods at war':
"God is jealous for your heart, not because he is petty or insecure, but because He loves you. the reason why God has such a huge problem with idolatry is that His love for you is all-consuming. He loves you too much to share you...In the Bible, the words 'jealous' and 'zealous' are interchangeable; we think of zeal as intense enthusiasm. That idea captures why God is so possessive about us: He is, as He says, a consuming fire of passion for us." (pp.44, 45).
If there's something in your life that causes you great angst, something that disrupts your peace, stop in your tracks and do a little soul searching. Underneath your frustration you may find an idol; something that holds more power over you than it should. What's so beautiful about this process is that with repentance comes times of refreshing.
God wants you free. So be free! Walk in freedom. Do the happy dance. And refuse to let anything have power over you, because Christ's power IN YOU sets you free to live life healed and whole.
Have a great day today!