Nothing's more beautiful!

Tonight, at New Life church, I worshipped my God, seeking His face with all that I am and all that I have. Yet, as much as I continued giving my all for Him, I felt (and knew) there was something in the way of our relationship.

Now believe me, when you are in that place of worship, and you can feel His presence, nothing is worth keeping if it's hindering you from love.

He told me what it was. I decided I was getting rid of whatever was enabling me to stay in that place. It's not that He doesn't love me and want me to have something that's good, it's that He knows what's better and tries to give it to me.

He came (and keeps coming) as far as He can until it crosses with our free will.

Picture this:
It's Christmas. You are sitting on the couch next to your favorite brother and your best friend. Your Daddy comes into the room, and you run to His arms, screaming with joy! He picks you up and holds you tight. You can feel the rhythm of His heart beating against your chest. He sets you down, looks you in the eye and tells you He's going to get you a present real quick. You stand there waiting, as your bestest, favoritest Daddy goes out to the garage to get your gift. You are holding a sweet, beautiful card in one hand that was given you by Jesus and Holy, and in the other hand you have an old shredded blanket that has significant sentimental value, as that was the first thing you remember getting from your Daddy. You stand there waiting, and your Daddy comes back in, carrying a huge, wonderful gift. He brings it in, smiling. You hold out your arms to receive, and He says to you: "You won't be able to hold this unless your drop the other things you're holding." Obviously, what do you do?

That's up to you. This card is beautiful, and you don't want to stop looking at it, because you think that would seem ungrateful. You don't want to put down the blanket, because you have never been without it and you don't know if you'll be able to live without it as your source of identity. Plus, you really like both of these items, and don't see a need to let them go.

Why can't Daddy just give me the gift? He wants to, and I want Him to, so, what's keeping Him from that?

The gift is big. Really big. He knows that if He drops it on you now, it's hurt you rather than please you. He wants you to take it, but knows that you can't until you drop everything you now own.

It's not cruel, it's loving. He knows what He has is better than what you have. He knows what is inside the package.

Do you trust Him enough to be empty? Do you trust Him enough to wait? Do you trust Him with your future? All of it? Even if it's painful His way?

Don't think too hard. Just say yes! Right here, right now, whatever is keeping you from the entirety of Him is NOT worth it at all! No matter how wonderful it is, He is more wonderful! No matter how wholesome it is, He is more wholesome! No matter how much you think it will hurt to let it go, He is the bestest Healer! No matter how beautiful it is, He is the MOST beautiful!

Nothing's more worth your time, energy and passion, than our AMAZING, LOVING, BEAUTIFUL Daddy!!!!!

Nothing but the Blood Of Jesus

So often we take communion and ask God to cleanse us of our sins, but never truly focus on what that blood and bread actually means.  

Matthew 26: 27-28 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.  For this is my blood OF THE NEW COVENANT, WHICH IS SHED FOR MANY FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS!!!

For the Jewish people it was a tradition of betrothal to drink wine from a cup and share it with the betrothed.  It was the final seal of the covenant.  When they both drank from the cup they were setting themselves apart.  They were agreeing to someday be married.  When we take communion it is so much more than just drinking some grape juice.  We are remembering the sacrifice that Christ made for the church, His bride.  We are sealing the covenant.  We are agreeing to be set apart.  His blood is the "blood of the new covenant".  The blood that makes everything right, between God and man.

Colossians 1:13-14 "He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins."

So he delivered us from the power of darkness and didn't only bring us into the power of his love, but the Kingdom of the Son of His love.  We have redemption through HIS BLOOD!!  We are forgiven because He was slain.  

Colossians 1:19-22  For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.  And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight.

He CHOSE to reconcile us to Himself.  He chose to give us peace through His blood.  Through His blood He gave us a way to enter into His presence.  He didn't die to just give us life and love and peace and to let us enter into His kingdom.  He died so that we might receive the adoption as His kids!!  God sent His Son so that His lost kids could come home.    

"The Son of God became the Son of man, so the sons of man could become sons of God." ~Some awesome preacher once

Galatians 4:4-7 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.  And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Romans 8:14-17  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

"His blood is enough to break every chain, oh, His blood is enough to break every chain.  His blood is enough to break every chain, His blood is enough to break every chain."

There is so much power through the cross of Christ.  Power to forgive, to redeem, to adopt, to heal.  So much power in Christ.  Without Him I am nothing.  I just need Him more and more every day.  I am so incredibly blessed to be called a child of God.  in Christ we are forgiven, redeemed, adopted, healed, and loved. He invites us to walk with Him, He invites us into His presence all because of the sacrifice of His Son.  The Holy and spotless Lamb.  

 "He didn't die just to save us from our sins, He died to restore us to who we were created to be because we were never created to be sinners."