'finding good in everyday life'
I want my life’s words…
… to encourage people to what they can become
…to be a source of empowerment for them to see change
…to offer hope in their life for better
…to help them see their God-given worth
I don’t want my life’s words taking on a condemnatory role offering shame, pain or guilt for all the should’ve, could’ve or didn’t dos.
I will watch my words carefully so my life only speaks life to others.
For we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way, but the Lord has laid on Him the guilt and iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6
Yes, we’ve all wandered off into other pastures looking for the greener grass supposedly on the other side of the fence. We’ve headed off in our own direction to what appeared good at the time and ended up in a briar patch of prickers and thorns and bitter weeds and cockle burs. Now our feet hurt from walking on the burs; our hands hurt from trying to pick the prickers out and our stomachs hurt and we’re hungry from trying to eat bitter weeds.
Is God mad at us for doing this? Is He up in heaven trying to make us pay for our mistakes and foolish decisions?
NO!
Jesus Himself took away all our sin and iniquity and guilt. He was our scapegoat. He took away all our blame. We no longer have to look for a scapegoat or for someone to blame when things go wrong in our lives. Turn and look to Jesus. He already saw your need and took the blame for you. He is your scapegoat. He can bear it. You and I cannot. He is the humble Lamb of God, yet He is the all-powerful risen Savior who took back what we gave to the devil in in the Garden of Eden when man gave in to temptation.
Now we have been restored to fellowship with God Himself…our creator, the Creator of all the heavens and all the earth…The One who made Niagara Falls, The One who dug Grand Canyon, The One who directs the mighty Amazon River. We are restored to Him. We do not need to fear. God is with us if we are with Him. Turn to God and He will turn to you. Hide yourself in God from the trials in your life. He will cover you with His wings and under His wings shall you trust.
He will put His healing balm and salve on your wounds so you will be healed body, soul and spirit.
Say, “God help me today.”
He will say, “I’ve been waiting for you to ask Me.”
Today I was privileged to watch part of the ceremony for Hungary’s National Day in Budapest. Hungary was founded August 20th 1000AD by St. Stephen. As they sang their national anthem the guardsmen slowly, reverently raised their flag up the tall gray pole. The rain was coming down steadily, but that stopped no one from joining in the celebration of their freedom. The band played and the people sang while the guards watched as the flag was unfurled. Umbrellas of every size and color dotted the crowds who watched from the grounds. The verdant grass contrasted its green life against the red, white and green color stripes of Hungary’s flag.
Freedom. What a privilege. What a responsibility.
As I thought about their freedom and the freedom sought in many lands around the world today that freedom is available to anyone, anywhere, anytime. God said, “Whom the Son sets free is free indeed!”
Yes, we can have that freedom if we choose and if we cultivate it. Freedom begins not in a certain land or place; it begins first in our heart. It begins with a simple choice. “I believe.” Our greatest bondages are in our mind and Jesus came to free us of everyone of them—big or small. God said He would give us a new mind and a new heart when we come to Him, but now we must keep it renewed daily, sometimes minute by minute, as our greatest enemy, the devil, tries to take over our thoughts and bring us back into his bondage. Jesus gives us freedom no matter where we live and no matter what circumstance we find ourselves in. He is our great deliverer. This is our privilege in Christ.
It is also our responsibility, because we and we alone have control over our minds. God will not force us to think a certain way and the devil is constantly barraging our minds with thoughts of hate, anger, destruction, doubt, fear, guilt, inferiority, unworthiness, but God said we are to bring those thoughts to Him and cast them down. In other words, flatly refuse to think on them. Yes we do have a choice, to think on the bad and the negative, or to think on the good and the positive. We choose. God wants to help us. We tend to think we’re helpless and too far gone. No, that too is a lie. Jesus is there to help us and gives us His power to overcome those thoughts.
If we are free in our minds we can be free in our bodies. Freedom does begin first on the inside. I believe all men and women really do want to be free, but there is a cost. True freedom is found only in Jesus Christ, and He paid the cost that we couldn’t. All He says we need to do is believe and follow Him.
And His truth shall make you free!
Mrs. Goodfinder 