Take Possession

"So Joshua said to the Israelites:

'How long will you wait before you begin

to take possession of the land that the LORD,

the God of your ancestors, 

has given you?'"

Joshua 18:3

"I live in constant guilt, like a cloud of condemnation is always hanging over me.  I want to live for God, but I keep getting sucked back into my old ways.  I can't stay away from the bottle.  I'm drawn to movies I know do not honor God.  I do things I shouldn't do with my boyfriend.  I feel powerless against sin.  What's wrong with me?  I thought Jesus died to give me an abundant life, but this feels like no life at all."

Can you relate?  This is the struggle of many-a-Christian.  They accept Christ as their Savior and sit back, waiting for the change that never comes.  Meanwhile, they continue living as if nothing is different.  I certainly can relate because this was similar to the pattern my own life took after accepting Jesus as my Savior.  For 18 years I lived my life like the rest of the world.  There was no peace. There was no joy.  There was no difference.

In the same way that God gave the Israelites an abundant land, He gave me life and life to the full.  (John 10:10b)  If I don't take hold of it, though, it will never be mine.  It lays subdued before me (Joshua 18:1), ripe for the picking.  What is holding me back?

Fear

What if He asks me to leave my family and live in a third world country?

What if He calls me to do something I can't do?

What if I make a fool of myself?

What if. . . .

The "what ifs" can rule my life, rendering me impotent in God's kingdom.  Fear can paralyze me, keeping me rooted in the same spot as I ponder the options that lay before me.  Either I can hold on to the illusion that I'm controlling my own life, or I can surrender to God and His plan for my life, letting Him direct my footsteps. 

I am often afraid to let go because it seems like the known is better than the unknown; the seen far superior to what I can't see.  If handing the reigns of my life over to God so that He can be in charge of the direction in which I travel means I have no idea what lies around the next bend, I balk.  Why?  Scripture tells me it's because I have no clue of the depth of God's love for me!  (1 John 4:18, Ephesians 3:17-19)

When I truly grasp the immensity of His love, it's never-ending properties and my inability to quench it's fire, I will be able to completely place myself in His hands, trusting Him fully with every part of my life.  With that kind of love, how can I disappoint Him?  With that kind of love, how could He hurt me?  With that kind of love, how could He steer me wrong?

Yes, I can trust God enough to jump into His loving arms knowing that I'll be well-cared for.  I need not worry that I will regret this decision, or that I'll wish I had retained control over my own life.  The reality is, I only fooled myself into thinking I was in control.  

God is sovereign.  He is not a bully, however, and waits for me to willingly give Him domain over my life.  As my Creator, He has full rights to me, but His gentlemanly character won't allow Him to snatch control from my hands.  Instead, He stands at the door and knocks.  It's up to me to let Him in.  (Revelation 3:20)

Jesus has offered me an abundant life, but fear often keeps me from fully surrendering to the plan God's love makes possible for me.  (Ephesians 2:10)

Worth

I sat in the crowded room at the conference soaking in all the good teachings I was hearing, but nagged by a feeling of unease.  Just under the surface lay a kind of dread; a sense that at any moment someone was going to tap me on the shoulder and ask, "What are you doing here?  You don't belong.  You need to go."

These feelings of unworthiness plagued me for years, holding me back from truly grasping hold of the plan God had for my life.  It was hard for me to answer His call because I didn't believe I was good enough to do anything worthwhile for Him.  Who did I think I was, anyway?  I would often think.

The reality is that I am not worthy. (1 Corinthians 15:9-11) That much was true.  The part that I had wrong was that my fitness or merit has anything to do with my place in God's kingdom.  Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was enough to make me right with God. (Philippians 3:9, 2 Corinthians 5:21) His blood covers all my sins, giving me full rights to His kingdom.  

The grace of God has made possible my adoption as a wholly loved child; something that can never be taken away from me. (1 John 3:1,Romans 8:38-39) There is nothing I can do to earn such an unspeakable gift. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Instead, I must humbly accept it, knowing the burden of fulfillment lies completely on Christ's shoulders.

Jesus has offered me an abundant life, but feelings of unworthiness and guilt often keeps me from fully grasping the gift of salvation that is offered by grace through faith.

Apathy

She lived in squalor.  Her life consisted of scrounging around each day to find the bare basics required for survival.  Winter temperatures brought suffering as she struggled to stay warm.    When offered clean, dry, warm shelter, she refused it, choosing instead to stick with what was familiar.

I can be just like this homeless woman who'd rather stay in the camp she and a few others built in a small stand of trees than to live with a roof over her head and face the responsibilities such a life would require her to uphold.  It's easy to be comfortable with the mediocrity of where I am than to grasp hold of the abundant of what seems just beyond my reach.

God issued a warning to the church of Laodicea that applies to today's believers as well.  He said, "You say, 'I am rich.  I have everything I want.  I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.  So I advise you to buy gold from me--gold that has been purified by fire.  Then you will be rich.  Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.  I correct and discipline everyone I love.  So be diligent and turn from your indifference."  (Revelation 3:17-19 NLT)

When I carry an attitude of apathy, feeling comfortable right where I am, I am failing to grasp hold of the purpose for which God has created me!  It reminds me of when I played tennis in high school.  The coach would often tell me to stay in the ready position, keeping my weight forward on my toes so that when my opponent hit the ball, I'd be able to respond quickly.  When I stayed back on my heels, my reaction time was hampered.

It's the same with me in my walk with Christ.  If I hang back, preferring to stay where I am, I'm not showing Him that I'm ready to go wherever He leads me.  I don't realize that the place where I feel so at ease is not God's best for me.  He's got something so much better but I have to trust Him enough to go forward into the unknown.  

Jesus has offered me an abundant life, but my attitude of apathy often keeps me from walking forward by faith into the life God has planned for me to live.

In the same way that the Israelites failed to step forward and claim the land God had subdued for them, I often do the same with the abundant life He's promised to me.  Fear, feelings of unworthiness and an attitude of apathy often hold me back.  Instead, I must remember the power of God's love that has saved me, the grace that makes the abundant life possible for me, and the faith that will propel me into God's best.  With these tools firmly in my grasp, I can step forward and take possession of the life God is freely offering to me.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can take hold of all the good God has planned for this day.

When do I feel like I don't belong in God's kingdom?

How do I sit back, content with the anemic life to which I've grown accustomed?  

Live to God

"The death he died,

he died to sin once for all;

but the life he lives,

he lives to God.

In the same way,

count yourselves dead to sin

but alive to God

in Christ Jesus."

Romans 6:10-11

"You've got a lot of choices.  If getting out of bed in the morning is a chore and you're not smiling on a regular basis, try another choice."  U.S. Geologist Steven Woodhull

"Good for the body is the work of the body, and good for the soul is the work of the soul, and good for either is the work of the other."  Henry David Thoreau

"Your future depends on many things, but mostly on you." Humorist and Cartoonist Frank Tyger

Whether I live my life with the goal of happiness, for the sake of work, or based on my own ability and resources, I do live my life for something.  There is a catalyst that starts my engine every morning, driving me to live my life in a certain way.  

It could be that I'm searching for a sense of satisfaction and self-worth that comes with a job well done; a task finished to the best of my ability.  I long to take a step back, admiring my work and beaming with the sense of pleasure that comes with seeing the finished project.

On the other hand, I could be searching for meaning in the humdrum things of life.  I yearn for the satisfaction that comes with dissecting philosophies and gaining a deeper understanding of life.  The quest to know why I'm here and what is my purpose gets my motor running.

Maybe I simply want to experience love that is not based upon my performance.  I search high and low, going after relationships, trying to fill that hole that exists inside of me.  The pursuit to find someone who completes me drives my life.

There are many things to which I can live.  What will deliver true satisfaction and contentment?  To find the answer, I must look to my Creator.  He made all things, and only He understands what truly makes me tick.

Dead to Sin

I am surrounded by opportunities to live my life to please myself.  Messages flood my consciousness telling me that I deserve the best life has to offer, I have worked hard and have earned a certain lifestyle, or I need this or that in order to reach true satisfaction.

All of these messages play to my inner sin nature; my self-centered tendency to look out for myself and my own well-being above all other things.  

As a follower of Christ, this sin nature was nailed to the cross.  When Jesus died to sin, I died to sin along with Him.  As the Apostle Paul said in Romans 6:2, "We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"

I am surrounded by opportunities to give into this sin nature, but I don't need to let myself go through those openings.  Sin is no long my master.  Instead, I can choose to think in a way that pleases God, to speak in a way that is delights my Master, to act in a way that honors Him.  

But it is deeper than just me trying to think, speak and act in a God-honoring way.  Oswald Chambers put it best when he said, "Any strand of our own energy will blur the life of Jesus." Christ did the work of crucifying my sin on the cross with Him, but I must let go of the hold my sin has on me.  I must release the desire to gratify my sinful nature, my self, and surrender it fully to God.

It's more than just dying to sin.  There must be something to replace the void left when I give my dead sinful nature over to God.  What will fill in my empty shell of a body?  What will fuel my drive to please God?

Alive to God

My daughter attempted to make filled chocolate candies one time.  As she formed the empty shell and prepared to squirt the filling inside, it seemed virtually impossible to keep from crushing the delicate candies.  Without the inner support the filling provided, the empty shell was very fragile.

When I submit my desire to please myself over to God, I am left with an empty shell, much like the candy my daughter made.  This emptying of myself leaves room for God's Spirit to take up more of the space inside of me, producing His fruit, shining His light, and spreading His love to all those who come in contact with me.  Without God's Spirit, I am weak and fragile, incapable of withstanding any pressure or accomplishing any God-honoring task.

Oswald Chambers explained the process of yielding to His Spirit, or allowing Him to fill me,  this way.  "The weakest saint can experience the power of the Deity of the son of God if once he is willing to 'let go.'  We have to keep letting go, and slowly and surely the great full life of God will invade us in every part, and men will take knowledge of us that we have been with Jesus." 

Letting God's Spirit fill my being means more of Jesus is showing.  And when more of Jesus is showing, more of His attributes will be evident to those observing my life.  When they ask, "I've noticed you're not as impatient as you used to be.  How did you become so tolerant?"  Then I can point to Jesus and explain that it's Him that they're seeing, not me.  Maybe they would like to experience His Hand in their life, as well!

Once I let go of an area of sin, I open up a space in which God's Spirit can dwell, shining His light into a dark world.  I no longer live to please myself but now I live to please my Father.


Losing my life means letting go of my right to myself and letting God have dominion over me.  Then I am truly alive to God.

Under Grace

I remember the crushing hurt of an estranged friendship.  The pain of the separation weighed heavily upon me.  After time went on, God showed me that I wasn't the only hurting party.  He revealed the ways that I had wounded my friend.  I remember the sweet relief as I asked her for forgiveness and she graciously accepted my apology and assured me that she had forgiven me long ago.  God healed our friendship with his loving grace.

In the same way, God has pardoned my sin and rebellion against Him.  Through Jesus' blood shed on the cross, my broken relationship with God is reestablished through this forgiveness of my sins.  Since the time Jesus said, "It is finished," as He gave up His Spirit to death,  my sins have been forgiven.  It is up to me, however, whether or not I accept the freedom from this sin that came with the gift of salvation.  

Not only does the gift of grace offer life eternal, but freedom from the heavy yoke of having to prove my loyalty to God by following the law.  Instead, I am free to obey God out of love for Him and a willingness to please Him.  I no longer have to try to be good enough.  Jesus already accomplished that task for me.

Jesus reassured His sheep who felt weighed down by the burden placed on their shoulders by the Jewish leaders. These hypocritical "church people" expected them to dress a certain way, speak in a particular manner, follow specific rituals and basically jump through hoops that they had held up.  People were taught that it was their actions that justified them to God; that obedience would save them from death.  The message of Jesus, however, changed everything.  

Jesus said to them, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."  (Matthew 11:28-30)

Are you exhausted from the effort of trying to prove yourself to God and others?  Do you tire from the task of living up to standards you or others have have placed for yourself?  Are you weary of holding up the mask of "acceptable Christian living"?

Accept the complete gift of grace God has offered through faith in Jesus Christ and learn at His feet.  He is a patient teacher who will show us how He wants us to live free from the constraints of others' judgement, free from the guilt of our sin, free from the condemnation my transgressions deserve.  

Living under grace means receiving the forgiveness of my sins, but it also means living free from the burden of trying to be good enough.  My relationship with God has already been repaired. . . . now it's time to freely develop that bond. 

What makes me tick?   The temptation to live to satisfy my own desires is strong, but it doesn't have to master me.  Instead, I can live to please God and remember to fully embrace the grace God lavishes upon me.  Then I will be free to live to God, and in doing so. . .I will find what truly satisfies!


As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will fully appreciate the grace God has so freely offered.


How do I withhold grace from others because I have not truly accepted it for myself?


In what areas of my life do I struggle against temptation?