More than a Conqueror

  

Did you realize that when you ask God to change you and to make you more like Jesus he takes you at your word?  Did you also realize that when you pray prayers like that its gonna get ugly REAL quick!!   I have seen aspects of myself that have scared and humbled me like I have never been before.   I have sat at my table where I have my quiet time with God and have literally felt the war for my soul.  Events have occurred that have exposed this nasty bitterness in my soul.  I have, with tear streaming down my face, pleaded with God to take it.  I could FEEL myself getting pulled into bitterness and I was scared because I don’t want to end up bitter and angry and full of pride.    I don’t know if ANYONE ELSE can relate to what I am writing now, but I want to just be real with you guys in hopes that someone out there gets encouraged, someone finds Hope in Jesus from reading these few words.  

“NO!  In all these things we are MORE THAN CONQUERORS through him who loves us!  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons neither the present nor the future, nor any power, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!”  Romans 8:37-39

I heard a message this morning called “Shake it Off”  (David Ham, tscnyc.org  LISTEN TO IT!)    Here’s what I took away from it……..Crudy stuff happens in life!  Paul the Apostle was going through all sorts of mess……arrest, imprisonment, beaten, chained to a boat, shipwrecked….THEN was bitten by a snake while he was trying to something nice for everyone by lighting a fire so folks wouldn’t be cold.  WHAT!?  But Paul simply shook the snake off his hand into the fire and went about his business.  The poison of the snake didn’t affect him.  He didn’t get sick or die.  He kept serving the folks and loving Jesus.  He didn’t allow the weight of his difficulties to diminish the light of Jesus in his heart.  He kept moving forward.  AAAAAAMMMMMMEEEEEENNNN!!!!!!   

Lets shake off the snakes that are trying to destroy us!  The weight of sin, the mistakes, the attacks of the enemy to get us off the course that God has set out for us.

Tomorrow my husband is going in for surgery.  He has a detached retina.  He is an artist and a crafts man,  He needs his eyes!  THAT’S A SNAKE BITE!    We have a choice to make though.  Do we wallow?  Do we sit down and die?  Or do we shake off the snake and keep moving forward!  God has provided miraculously for the surgery, and has provided so that I can be with him and he can recover from home.  He was going to have to travel alone and be gone from home for 2 weeks alone recovering.  The details that God has ordered in this have shown me that He is in control, that he wasn’t shocked or surprised that this issue has occurred.  AMEN!  No matter what happens we will worship Jesus because he is worthy and He deserved the praise! 

Let me leave you with this

“Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God!”  Romans 12: 1-2

I read the following portion of scripture the other day and it made me weep with joy!  If we endure and not turn back, if we run with patience this will be us one day!!!!

“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, SALVATION BELONGS TO OUR GOD WHO SITS ON THE THRONE AND TO THE LAMB!”  Revelation 7:9-10

Its all about Jesus!  It will always be about Jesus!  AMEN!!!!!!!! 

If you don’t know Jesus as your Lord and savior, I PLEAD and IMPLORE with you!  Stop the fight!  Stop running here, there and everywhere looking for answers, because I promise you!  You won’t find them!  Jesus is the way!  Jesus in the truth!  Jesus is the life!  He died and cruel and painful death willingly and gladly so that he could welcome you and I into his kingdom.  He loves you!  And he is coming again soon!