#redeemedandreformedposts

You see, God wants your attention to be focused on the present. He wants you to look straight ahead, because what He has for you is not behind you, but in front of you. Reminding yourself of your past mistakes does nothing for today. It doesn’t help you. People get so stuck looking back at the storms they’ve weathered that they don’t notice where their ship is headed. They look at their flaws and faults when they should be looking forward at the greatness that God has planned for them. They’re too focused on what the enemy is up to, and not focused on what God is doing in their lives right now!

Looking back is the same thing as dropping anchor. It is choosing to sit still, to be stagnant. To do nothing. Don’t drop anchor when God is telling you to open up the sails. Don’t let yourself focus on the negative when the positive is just within reach. Your best days are not to be left in the past. 

Faith is the light that shines in through the tunnel. It is the compass that points north when you get off course. Faith is what you have left when everything else seems so far away. It isn’t always easy to have faith, but it is always necessary. Faith is what gives us as Christians the strength to carry on despite our circumstances.

Faith is easy to find when you have calm waters and clear skies. It’s when the clouds come in that Christians begin to struggle with their faith. It is when the water begins to get choppy and the wind starts blowing that faith starts to falter.

What wonderful, reassuring words. The Father delights in us! In David’s case, he had just been through a terrible time of testing. Saul had put a bounty on his head and David was running for his life. But God came roaring in to rescue him and David could say, “The reason God delivered me from all my enemies is because I am precious to him. My God delights in me!”

These thoughts are echoed throughout the Word: “The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy” (Psalm 147:11). And again, “For the Lord takes pleasure in His people” (149:4).

I can try to convince you of God’s delight in you by telling you, “You are precious to the Lord!” You may think, “Well, that’s a lovely thought. How sweet.” But this truth is more than a lovely thought. It is the very key to your deliverance from every battle that rages in your soul, the secret to entering into the rest God has promised you. And until you lay hold of it and it becomes a foundational truth in your heart, you will not be able to withstand what is ahead in this wicked time.

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned” (Isaiah 43:1-2).

Simple enough, right?

Too often, we don’t see growth in ourselves and actually say things like, “I’m just an impatient person,” or, “I just can’t get along with certain people.” No, the truth of the matter is that when we have that mindset, we’re just choosing to walk in the flesh. In our human existence, we are the opposite of the Fruit of the Spirit. 

Seeking God and asking Him to help us grow in exhibiting His Fruit will challenge us because we are choosing to deny our flesh and feed our spirit instead. We will start being placed in situations that allow the Holy Spirit to develop His Fruit within us. According to Pastor Rick Warren, “Every problem is a character-building opportunity.” It is no joke to withhold from our flesh what it wants. Because…

Our flesh wants to get even, but the Spirit calls us to love and extend kindness.

Our flesh wants to entertain sinful thoughts, but the Spirit calls us to walk in self-control.

Our flesh wants to dictate with moodiness, but the Spirit calls us to walk in joy and peace.

What if, going forward, we truly lived out Romans 13:14 that tells us to clothe ourselves with Jesus and to not even think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh? Every day we put on Jesus, obey the Spirit’s leading and basically ignore our flesh. It’s all about where we look and what we look to for satisfaction.

As we give the Spirit more control of our lives, He begins to do in and through us what only He can do—to shape us and grow us to look like Jesus. We are literally being transformed and when we do, we can see our own growth as we go through life following Jesus. 

Instead of avoiding change, our prayer should be, “God, do in me whatever you need to do so that I will exhibit your Fruit.” We must quit running from growth and thinking we can’t change. We can change because we have the power of the Holy Spirit propelling us toward it. The Fruit of the Spirit becomes part of us when we walk in obedience to the Spirit. 

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. - Romans 13:14

With all of your heart, soul, mind, and the full extent of your being? What would happen in your life and the lives of those around you if you started praying dangerous prayers?

Do you dare to find out?

King Saul falsely accused David of treason and sent his full forces after David in repeated attempts to take his life. With all his heart, David wanted to please God. He fought against his anger in order to protect and show honor to the king. Yet knowing that his motives weren’t always perfect, David surrendered his heart before God and prayed one of the most vulnerable, transparent, and dangerous prayers you’ll ever hear. Wanting to honor God in every aspect of his being, David prayed, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Ps. 139:23–24).

Not only is this prayer difficult to pray, but it’s even more challenging to apply and live out. Because if you have the courage to pray it, then you’ll need to exercise the courage to live what God shows you in reply. So don’t pray it if you don’t mean it.

Be forewarned, this prayer has the potential to convict you. To correct you. To redirect your life. To change the way you see yourself. To change how others see you.

Maybe you’re still thinking this is no big deal. Maybe you’re wondering why you should ask God to search your heart when he already knows all that’s inside you. You know what’s in there.

He knows what’s in there. So why ask something so obvious?

This is where it’s tricky. On the surface, it seems like we would know our own hearts. Right? I know my motives. I know what’s most important. I know why I do what I do. Besides, you might tell yourself, I’ve got a good heart. I’m not trying to hurt people. I want to do what’s right. My heart is good. I’m praying, aren’t I?

But God’s Word actually reveals the exact opposite. It might be a shock when you hear it the first time, but Jeremiah tells us some straight-up truth. Jeremiah was the son of a Levitical priest born around 650 BC. During the reign of King Josiah, God raised up this young prophet to take God’s Word to Israel and the nations. Jeremiah flat out says you—along with me and everybody else—don’t have a good heart. In fact, not only is your heart not good, but your heart is wicked and sinful in all its ways. The prophet said, “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” (Jer. 17:9 NLT).

Without Christ, your heart is deceitful. The closer we get to Jesus, the more we have to face our shortcomings. Pride. Selfishness. Lust. Addiction. A critical spirit.

Praying this dangerous prayer can open a channel of communication to God. Instead of simply asking God to do something for you, ask him to reveal something in you. This moment of truth with God may not change you instantly, but it will help you to recognize your spiritual need and redirect your life.

That’s why this prayer of David’s is crazy dangerous.

“Search my heart, Lord.”

'Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.' - Psalms 139:23-24

'The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? ' - Jeremiah 17:9

'If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ' - 1 John 1:9

Love has four definitions in Greek.

1. Agape - Unconditional Love

2. Storge - Family Love

3. Eros - Romantic Love

4. Philia - Friendly/Brotherly Love

Only in the union of Marriage these 4 come together.

You have to Love your spouse unconditionally.

This scared union creates a bond and you love her as a family and you both stand up for each other and be there for each other.

Physical intimacy is a way of expressing your love and it creates a bond between you both.

And most importantly, you treat her as a friend and you understand her, support her and make her happy.

Have you ever experienced loss, or grief? A time when what you were hoping for didn’t happen? When you didn’t see the miracle you were so fervently praying for?

Through these situations, when our trust could be shaken, we learn that trust in God cannot be based on circumstances alone. Trust can’t be based on what we can see, but in who God is. We may not feel God’s presence, but Psalm 125 assures us: “the Lord surrounds his people, both now and forevermore.” (NIV)