Running Your Race on Cold Windy Days預覽

So we understand that trials, tests, and dry times are a part of living on this planet and that they are either brought to us as a part of God’s training process or allowed by God for the same purpose. Isn’t that a relief? God’s got this! We are not forgotten or forsaken we are loved and redeemed! We are a work in process, the process of being made to look like Jesus, think like Jesus, and live like Jesus. All glory to God! Jesus lives in us, as us, through us, to others He sends to us!!! It is time to rest in faith and to accept what comes as all part of a plan created in the heart of our Father long, long ago. “For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works which He prepared for us to walk in before the foundations of the earth.” (Ephesians 2:10)

Jesus sure had His ups and downs as He walked among us as a man who was our model and our Lord and Savior. He was tempted in all the ways that we are and understands us perfectly! (Hebrews 4:15,16) Our Lord was no esthetic sort of ghostlike semi-man He was a real man, fully man and fully God. And yes He was tempted as we are in every way and He understands even to the extent of knowing our thought-life temptations, Rather than exempting Himself from our temptations He embraced them for us.

Sure it’s a mystery how God did that but because it’s mysterious doesn’t mean it’s not true. Own it. We never need to try to hide anything from Jesus. He gets us because He lived as we live, among all the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil. The only difference is He never gave in to them. But we never have to give in either. We can refuse and resist. The power of sin no longer has dominion over us, “He who Christ sets free is free indeed.” As a muscle needs exercise to grow our freedom in faith also needs to be exercised.

I have found that the best defense against the “blahs” is a strong offense nurtured in intimacy with Jesus in His Spirit and His Word. We need to know what the weapons of our warfare are. (II Corinthians 10:3-6 and Romans 6:11-14) and our position in Christ! It is His power in us that we need to tap into.

How about you? Offense or defense? Over many years of struggle to stay in the middle of the “Narrow path” I have found that it works best for me to try to stay closest to the Lord daily. It just seems that the discipline of the “First Hour” helps me to get each day off to a good start.