We have all been called to take the good news of the gospel to a dying world. To set the captives free. We all are Mary. We carry the life of Jesus within us.
Jesus came not to condemn us but to give us life. Not only eternal life but life here on earth. We all are deceived. We believe the lies that we are not enough. That Jesus is not enough to fill our deepest longing for love and acceptance. Have you ever felt no one understands you. And if they really knew you they wouldn't love you?
Jesus came also to set the captives free. We all are enslaved to darkness and to the lies that our minds tell us. We are brought into the glorious light and beauty of who we are in Christ. Our Father knows what we need. Everything we need for life and godliness is for us in Christ. All we have to do is ask. Often I ask God for a greater love for God and others. We are forgiven. He delights for us to ask Him for such things.
God, Jesus knows the worst about us but yet He longs for a loving relationship with us. There is no fear to have intimate relationship with Him. Where He knows our thoughts, our intentions. I have been so fearful for Jesus and others to know my thoughts. There have been times I have loved others so little. I have been judgmental and felt such anger that I would be embarrassed to even tell you. I want to share His love and forgiveness for you in the depths of despair because of such thoughts as these.
We have a loving Father who is renewing our mind, daily. Jesus works in us moment by moment. The Father is giving us the very mind of Jesus. We have a new heart. His love for us and others lives in us. We can learn to forsake our selfishness and receive His gift of love. I have felt such love for others that I cannot contain it. It is not I who live, but Christ who lives in me. We are told that none are good, no not one, only God. We can do good and speak good to others but our hearts can be cold, unloving, and selfish. Full of fear.
We can beat ourselves up, in our minds, as I have done at times. Feeling empty and unworthily. But we are so loved. Jesus makes us valuable. More valuable that we can imagine by His very life and love for us. I have struggled knowing how to be loved in such a perfect, wonderful, glorious love that only God can love. I know I do not deserve such love and grace that I have received from God and even others. No one can fill our hearts with the unconditional, radical, powerful love. Only God can meet the deepest longing we all have to be loved and known completely.
Learning to be loved is a humble thing. Seeing how beautiful we are to Jesus and knowing the security of being a child of the living God brings hope, breaks the chains that bind us.
It is pride that does not know how to receive undeserved love. We try to earn Gods love by ministry, doing good deeds, working, but if we do the most wonderful things but do not have love we are but clanging symbols. I have felt that I have wasted so much of my life. Jesus says that the first will be last and the last will wear a crown. His grace is so free and powerful in the life of the believer. I don't believe any pain or life that is given to Him is wasted. He is a redeemer. He will restore the years the locus have eaten.
I have known God as long as I can remember. I don't think any of us will get to the end of our lives and feel that we have done enough or deserve the unmatchless grace of God. Paul said he had kept the faith and finished the race. His trust was in Christ and not himself. Paul knew his tendencies toward pride and his sin. He knew even his best works were but filthy rags. His only hope was in Jesus. May we do the same. He is our Rock and our foundation.
Christ uses the sick, the messed up, the failures, the weak to speak of this undeserved love of Christ. So may we embrace our brokenness and our weakness. No matter your suffering or your story Christ has purpose in it all. You may not can see how God is using it, but trust it all has purpose. He promises to use it all for our good and His glory.
So my Christmas message to you is...Love Came Down...
God may unravel us, to help us trust in Him alone. His love is that jealous. As I was beginning to grasp the truth of this love in my heart, that God has for us, I just had to be held by Him.
I have learned not to pull up my bootstraps but to be weak. To be with Jesus. There are many days I do the hard thing. Just take the first step of faith. I prayed God would be my strength and He was. We are told that the joy of the Lord is our strength and it is. We lose strength when we lose trust in ourselves. Learning to pray and desire Gods will in my life has been a process for me. Slowly, but steadily I have come to see my control and fear in living life without being controlling. Love can be risky. Fear of rejection and failure can be painful. Learning to say no from a person who thinks they have to have the approval of others can be hard...
Breath of Heaven...Hold me together
As I pray for God to be in control of me and my heart, He turns my heart like a rudder on a fishing boat. He guides me daily and gives me the strength to do His will. He gives me the grace I need to come to the throne of grace with boldness and confidence confessing my worse sin, knowing I am so forgiven and loved beyond measure. Satan tells us we do not love God and He does not loves us. Learn the lies of the devil.
Let Gods love wash over you once again and receive the freedom to walk one more day in Gods love and forgiveness.
I pray for God to create in me a clean heart. A free heart. One that is free from guilt and shame. One that forgives others and accepts the grace I need for each and everyday to know I am forgiven as if I never sinned. A repentant heart is one filled with joy, love, peace and strength, filled with the desire to share the truth of the gospel. He sees the privilege of being a fisher of men. Telling of Gods wondrous love and grace and freedom to set the captive, the oppressed, the weak free! Living to encourage those who have lost hope. To keep the faith and know it is God who holds on to us and will never let us go.
LOVE CAME DOWN
TO SET THE CAPTIVE FREE!
If we could but remember...
God is good all the time and all the time God is good!
God is faithful to write His story on our hearts.
He has us all on a beautiful journey to see His love, His faithfulness, to sinners like you and me.
We would but yet have peace of mind and a heart full of rest.
If we could but remember...
God is good all the time and all the time God is good!
God is faithful to write His story on our hearts.
He has us all on a beautiful journey to see His love, His faithfulness, to sinners like you and me.
We would but yet have peace of mind and a heart full of rest.
