journalizing

I vividly remember a moment in time when I consciously made the decision to step into the abominable sin. little did I know that in order to fulfill my desires and flesh, I would be giving up a lifetime of serving Christ and living in God's will. every time I would set my heart on committing that sin, the Holy Spirit would convict but I chose to quench His voice. over time it became easier to ignore until that still, small voice was drowned out by my pride, the flesh and sinful desires.

it took me being hurt just a fraction of how God, His Son and the Holy Spirit had been hurt by my disobedience to wake me up to my current location of being away from Them. only then could I truly repent. as my soul was pierced with that knowledge, I knew that God was the only one who could remove me from my situation. it was as if He had caught me with my hand in the cookie jar. Busted!

though my sin has been paid for on the cross, it is a constant reminder of where one's flesh, and the need to satisfy it, can go apart from God. a very humble reminder of how the Saviour loves me and wants me to be as far away from it as possible.

where I struggle the most

My Mind...
the devil consistently regurgitates past experiences in hopes of either luring me back or to just turn away even for a moment from my Saviour's face. it is at those times I lean more firmly on the Saviour from whom I obtain strength to resist. Praise God!

My Pride...
I am fully aware this was the stone that started the downward spiral. the devil knew exactly where to lodge the best offense and I listened. God has effectively been working on my pride. even from sources other that the Bible. the book Humility was only the jumping off point. pride centers around I and what I can do. God is in no need of an I in His work. He only needs willing vessels who realize that He does not necessarily need them, but has chosen to use them. if only to give glory and praise to Him once He has worked.

it is finished

once, by one man's pen;
twice: God ends sin.

I came up with this riddle based on a verse out of the Book of Revelation. it was presented to a fellow believer in the hopes of picking his brain. also in hopes that he might be able to see what God gave me. little did I know that it would be used to teach me a truth.

see God is working on my pride. not an easy lesson but one still vital and quite necessary for my Christian growth. many times the wound is deep as pride is centered around the “I”. this lesson was important on many levels but I will stick with the truth I gleaned.

Once – Adam, first human/man.
By one man's pen – sin, enslavement, bondage to self.
Twice – second Adam or Christ.
God ends sin – John 19:30 “It is finished”.

honestly I never thought that my riddle would be so deep, but God knew I needed a different lesson than the one I originally viewed. God used it as a tool to open my eyes, via the believer, so I could learn more about Him. isn't that just one of the coolest things about God? He uses fellow Christians to open our eyes to His knowledge. Praise God He does and praise God He has ended sin!

cast your crowns

II Perter 1:11
“For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”

so to conclude; if we seek the Found, in thus Abound and find ourself on solid Ground in Christ we have the promise that once in Heaven our “entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly.” God is pleased every time one of His comes home. but those who have chosen to serve Him, and not self, those who learn to live the Found list, is more welcomed as they have already been talking with God down here on earth. it's as if a best friend is coming home to stay forever. those who live the Found list here also have more crowns, rewards, in heaven to cast at Jesus' feet. now how do we accomplish this task? John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” more of Him, less of me. everyday He must gain more of a square footage on my heart and I must submit more of it to Him.

if I obtain but one thing in life, let it be said that I was Spirit led.

cross reference verse: II Timothy 4:7 & 8.

ground

II Peter 1:10
“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make sure your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall;”

now that the lost is Found, and in thus we Abound, God tells us we now have solid Ground. here's the good part! God will not only save us and guide us through this life, but will also keep us grounded daily while we walk! Hallelujah! the verse says, "for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall." WOW, I would say that God is pretty powerful to make that claim. I'm glad He made it and not me as I know my weaknesses. good thing about my weaknesses is that God knows them as well.

cross reference verses: Romans 8:13-15, Romans 6:18, I Corinthians 6:17, II John 9 and James 1:27.

abound

II Peter 1:8 & 9
“For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.”

now those things that are Found can only Abound they will make us fruitful for our Lord. How do we become fruitful? only by submitting to God and allow Him to mold us into what He wants out lives to become. hard to do as He has given each of us a will. but once we relinquish our will to Him then truly He can, and will, work. and oh how He works! the Almighty God that formed our planet, created every human both past and present, and will one day return in glory wants to actually walk with us daily. He wants to guide our footsteps. hold our hands and walk us through this life. and be there at every turn. truly a loving God would be that interested in this speck of a human. truly an awesome God would be that interested in each speck He creates.

cross reference verses: I Thessalonians 3:12 & 13, Colossians 2:6 & 7, and Romans 6:10-14.

found

II Peter 1:5-7
“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to you faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.”

these are the attributes every Christian should posses or be “found”. sadly they are not. God has given every child of His the Holy Spirit in which we are thus enabled to obtain these virtues. it can only be through His power. our human flesh is not only unabled to achieve alone but also cannot as the devil knows our weaknesses and is can easily stop us. Christ's blood covers not just our sins but gives each of us the strength to be accepted to the Father.

cross reference verses: Romans 5:3-5 and Galatians 5:22 & 23.