Now That's Love

"'This is the covenant I will make with

the people of Israel after that time,'

declares the LORD.

'I will put my law in their minds

and write it on their hearts.

I will be their God,

and they will be my people.

No longer will they teach their neighbor,

or say to one another,

"Know the Lord,"

because they will all know me,

from the least of them to the greatest.'

declares the LORD.

'For I will forgive their wickedness 

and will remember their sins no more.'"

Jeremiah 31:33-34

They did everything wrong, yet God loved them enough to offer a new way, a radical, more personal covenant with His people.  The law was originally written on stone tablets, meant only for the people of Israel to follow, yet destined to remind them of how flawed they were, how thoroughly unable they were to stick to it at all times.  Even though God loved them perfectly, they strayed as any flawed human would, forsaking His original covenant.

Then came the Man who paved a new way, offering intimacy through God by faith, not by birthright, not by futile effort in obedience to the law and forgiveness found only through animal sacrifice.  And this fresh promise made relationship with God possible for all, no matter the background, or nationality, despite the problem of sin.  Everyone is invited.  How does this new covenant change everything?

Internal Compass.  Without Jesus, I need to try to figure out which way to go, how to live to please God, dependent upon my ability to pay attention to the letter of the law, watching my p's and q's.  Apart from my Savior, I need to live with the constant guilt of failure to meet His standard, dreading the end when I must stand before Him and give an account of my life, knowing how far I fall short (Hebrews 9:27).

With Jesus,however, I have the benefit of God's Spirit dwelling within to lead me down paths of righteousness for His namesake.  He convicts my heart when I'm headed in the wrong direction, letting me know I've strayed outside of His will, not so He can punish me but because my waywardness will hurt me.  I am securely bound to Him by grace, not by works, so I can't earn my way into His family nor can I lose my place through my failures and foolish mistakes.  I am thoroughly forgiven and empowered by the Spirit to live in a way that honors Him. Now the only sacrifices I make are the sacrifices of praise to God that come from a grateful heart (Hebrews 13:15).  I am a part of a living temple and my offerings of a life fully committed to Him are accepted by God through faith in Jesus, the always acceptable One (1 Peter 2:5, Romans 12:1).

The second covenant makes it possible for me to live in forgiveness as a well-loved child and to please Him by following the lead of His indwelling Spirit like an internal compass.

Direct Influence.  God has always been the one to initiate a relationship between the people He created and Himself.  For instance, He called Abram, sending him on a journey to an unknown destination and giving Him the designation of the father of many nations (Genesis 12:1, 17:2-4).  Abram's only choice was in believing or not.  And he chose to trust God enough to do what He said to do.    

In this new and improved covenant, God takes it a step further and teaches me directly, giving me understanding and insight as I read His Word or sit in His presence (1 John 2:27,1 Corinthians 2:13).  He even opens my heart to Him, giving me an awareness of the wretchedness of my own sin so that I will turn from it and accept His gift of salvation through faith in Jesus (Romans 2:4, 2 Corinthians 7:10, Acts 5:31).  And even the faith I use to trust in Him as my Savior comes from Him (Ephesians 2:8).  In other words, I am saved by faith from beginning to end, from first to last; it's all a work of His direct influence upon me (Romans 1:17).

The second covenant makes it possible for me to be directly influenced by God through faith in Jesus.

Forgiveness.  Under the original covenant, forgiveness was temporarily granted through the sacrifice of animals according to God's explicit instructions (Exodus 29:10-14,Leviticus 17:11).  As His people approached the temple on a regular basis, required to bring sacrifices in order to atone for their sins, they were always aware of how far they fell short of God's standard.  Their sin was always before them (Isaiah 59:12, Psalm 51:3).

Under the new covenant, Jesus gave His life as the final, permanent, complete sacrifice given once for all (Hebrews 10:10).  Those who fall under grace through faith in Jesus, find themselves with a clean slate for all time, and are presented to God as one who is pure and clean (Colossians 1:22).  Jesus' righteousness becomes mine by faith so that I'm secure in the knowledge that I'll be judged according to His perfection instead of my shortcomings (Philippians 3:9).  Through faith in Christ I am made new and the sin that has plagued me now becomes as far removed from me as the east is from the west (2 Corinthians 5:17, Psalm 103:12).  

The second covenant makes it possible for me to walk in complete and permanent forgiveness, despite my inability to earn such a benefit.

The first covenant gave the people of Israel a taste of God's goodness.  But it wasn't until Jesus that all of His children learned of His great love through the gift of His Son.  Through faith in Jesus I can now find guidance and direct influence through His indwelling Spirit and the freedom of living in permanent and complete forgiveness.  Through Christ, I have all of this and more, despite my unworthiness of such a gift.  Now that's love, that He loves even the likes of me (1 John 4:10, Romans 5:8)!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to believe Him at His word:  I'm forgiven in Christ!

When do I feel branded by my failures, forgetting that God has removed my sin from me by faith in Jesus?  I'm no longer identified by my sin.

How do I walk through life like I'm weighed down by my sin instead of accepting the forgiveness that comes through faith in Jesus?

Foundational Truths

"'For I know the plans I have for you,'

declares the LORD,

'plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future.

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me,

and I will listen to you

You will seek me and find me 

when you seek me with all your heart.

I will be found by you,' declares the LORD,

'and will bring you back from captivity.  

I will gather you from all the nations and places 

where I have banished you,'

declares the LORD,

'and will bring you back to the place from which

I carried you into exile.'"

Jeremiah 29:11-14

There are some things I need to know about God and the way He operates, especially when going through the bittersweet time of discipline, hardship and/or trials (James 1:2-4, Hebrews 12:4-11).  These foundational truths will help me to press on.

Temporary.  It may seem the hard times last forever, that there is no end in sight.  It makes it challenging to endure when I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Will I ever emerge again into the sunlight?  Am I destined to dwell in this darkness forever?  I despair.  Then I remember that I'm a child of God, bought by the blood of the Son, securely placed in His arms as His most precious possession (1 John 3:1,1 Peter 1:18-20,James 1:18).  He is testing my faith, refining my character, sanctifying me into the image of Jesus (1 Peter 1:7, Psalm 66:10, Romans 8:29).

Therefore, I can confidently proclaim that it is all for my good and His glory, this trouble I face.  But there is even more good news.  It will not last forever.  There will be an end.  Not only is it for my good, but it is temporary.  Knowing there will be an end, even if I cannot detect it, can help me to carry on.

This difficult time I presently face as a child of God is temporary by nature.

Restoration.  I can feel ripped off.  So many things seem to have been taken away from me.  My health.  My financial security.  My youth.  My loved ones.  I've given up a lot to follow Christ, yes, but sometimes I lose things of which I never intended to let go.  In order to whittle down my life to the necessary and to reveal His best for me, God sometimes takes away that which has become a problem, takes up too much space, or has grown into an idol that overshadows God in importance.

It's easy to lament what is gone, acting like Lot's wife, looking back with longing to what I'm leaving behind.  In reality, though, what I'm gaining is far more valuable.  And like the woman of long ago who failed to see how God was rescuing her from the harmful influence of Sodom, I often mourn for what was my undoing.  I must seek a godly perspective that allows me to see the good that God is giving me to replace what He has merciful removed.

If I'm healthy, I may forget I'm dependent upon God's mercy and instead rely on my regimen of diet, exercise and clean living.  If I'm financially secure I may not depend upon my Father who desires to be my sole Provider, instead relying on my bank account.  When I'm young I feel invincible, failing to treasure each moment as a gift of God and instead take tomorrow for granted while wasting today.  While God may take away what has become an idol in my life, He replaces it with something of far greater value.

As a child of God, I can trust Him to restore all I've lost as I walk the narrow path that leads to life.

Homecoming.  God wanted His people who were enduring 70 years of exile in a foreign country that He would gather them back to the Promised Land.  It must have spurred them on to think that they were not destined to live in such a forsaken place forever.  One day, they would return to their beloved homes, united under His headship once again.  

Today, many of God's beloved people are wandering into foreign lands. He faithfully goes after those lost ones, gathering them unto Himself where they will become part of His family. The picture of Jesus as a Good Shepherd who doesn't rest until all of His sheep are safely in the fold is a powerful reminder of His great love for us (John 10:16, Luke 15:1-7).  He died in order to make it possible for all peoples to be united by faith in Him (John 11:52).  And not only do we have the hope of eternity together, but God designed us to live life together in the hear and now.  He placed us firmly within a network of other believers so we can draw strength from each other, encourage one another and constantly lift each other up in prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:11, James 5:16).  While heaven's homecoming will be a glorious day, I can experience a taste of that simply by living authentically within His Body today.

My heavenly homecoming can spur me on but my present troubles are not mine to bear alone, as God has given me a family with which to share my joys and sorrows (Galatians 6:2, Romans 12:15).

It is not easy to endure hardship as a child of God.  But there are certain truths I can keep in mind as I walk this rocky path.  I can remember that these present difficulties are only temporary, what has been removed will somehow be restored, and I have a family to lean on, both now and when I'm called to my heavenly home.  With these foundational truths laying the groundwork for my faith, I will be able to press on toward the finish line (Philippians 3:14).

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to build my life on His promises.

When do I build upon a different foundation?

How am I discouraged by today's difficulties?        

The Sure Hope

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the LORD.

'They are plans for good and not for disaster,

to give you a future and a hope.

In those days when you pray,

I will listen.

If you look for me wholeheartedly,

you will find me.'"

Jeremiah 29:11-13 NLT

Things couldn't get much worse.  The nation of Judah, God's chosen people, were in captivity, exiled from their beloved land, carried off by the Babylonians to live as foreigners in their strange land.  But God had not forgotten them.  As far away as they were from the temple, as distant as they felt from His presence, they were still on His mind.

He has not forgotten me, either.  No matter how far away I feel, how much on the fringes, how homeless and hopeless, desperate in my suffering or exiled in my sin, I am still on God's mind.  Here is the sure hope I have in Christ.

Good Plan.  It's nice to know God has a plan, although sometimes I may wonder when I look at my life.  It may seem like a series of unconnected, haphazard events that have no bearing on the arc of my life.  But He has a blueprint for my life that will bring about good for me and glory for Himself.  Even though I take many missteps and get off-track, His plan works around my weakness, superseding my humanness so that He always prevails.

I was recently talking to an older friend who was telling me about her long, productive life.  As she gave me a birds-eye view, I could see a pattern.  God had begun preparing her at a young age for the difficult task of later caring for her mother and then her husband as they progressed through the stages of dementia.  She trained in the field of nursing, entering into the specialty of caring for the memory-impaired, working for years in that line of work long before she knew her loved ones would be touched by such tragedy.  Yet she never considered there was a master plan let alone an Architect behind her decisions.  She saw it as just a series of random events that happened to work out in a positive way.

In reality, God has such a plan as this for each life, whether it is acknowledged or not.  Thus, I can look forward with hope to the good things He has in store for me.  When I take a close look, desiring to see His handiwork, I will see His mark.  If He went so far as to sacrifice His own Son in order to save me from eternal separation from Him, won't He do whatever it takes to give me the life He created for me (Romans 8:32)?  Is there anything or anyone, including myself, that can stop His plan from unfolding?  I think not.

I have the hope of God's good plan that is designed for my good and His glory.

Attentive.  It's hard to imagine or even fathom.  God is so big, so awesome, so majestic, why would He even bother with the likes of me?  With all that He has on His plate, keeping the planets aligned and the stars from crashing into each other, each heart beating and every complicated system running, how is He even able to pay attention to what is going on with my insignificant life?  Yet He does.

If God had a refrigerator, my picture would be proudly displayed there.  He delights in me, tickled by my very existence (Zephaniah 3:17).  There's nothing I have to do to prove my worth or to capture His eye.  I already have His undivided attention because I was created for His purposes.  The very fact that He made me in His own image gives me unimaginable worth.  It causes Him to rejoice over me!  Therefore, when I cry out to Him, He hears, even if I can't imagine such a thing.  When I share my heart with Him, He treasures such intimacy, even if He feels very far away at the moment.  When I speak, He listens, even if I feel abandoned.

I have the assurance of God's attentive and compassionate nature.

Approachable.  He is holy (Isaiah 6:3, Psalm 77:13).  Hallowed is His very name (Matthew 6:9).  Consecrated is His divine nature.  My sin makes coming near to Him impossible (Isaiah 59:2).  I feel dirty and ashamed to even think about reaching out to Him.  I mean, who do I think I am, anyway?  To approach God himself?  Forget it, it's just not proper.

It's good to understand God's holy nature and to stand in awe of Him, yet Jesus changed everything.  When He gave His life on the cross as a ransom for my sin, His blood covers my filthiness when I trust my life to Him, making me appear as white as snow (Isaiah 1:18).  Because of this imputed righteousness that comes by faith in Him, I can unashamedly come to God whenever I wish (2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 4:16).  The heavy curtain that used to shroud the holy of holies that represented God's presence in His temple has been torn, symbolizing God's accessibility through faith in Jesus (Matthew 27:51).  The heart of God is for Him to be part of His peoples' lives.  It is not His desire to exist as an aloof deity who sits high above and never interacts with those He created.  Instead, He desires to be found.  And He made it easy for the common man to find Him if they look with all their heart.

I have complete and total access to God through faith in Jesus.

Even when I'm at my worst, have hit bottom, couldn't get any lower, I have hope.  How?  Because God designed His creation to be infused with it.  Hope is found in His good plan for me, in His attentive nature, and in His approachable Spirit.  Through Jesus, I have a sure hope.  And so, you see, no matter how bad things seem, there is good to be found.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to look for His handiwork in the midst of the mess.

When do I despair, feeling as if there is no hope?

How do I fail to look for God, feeling like He's far away even though He's right there waiting to be found?  

   

Insisting on Dying

"Then I repeated this same message to

King Zedekiah of Judah.

'If you want to live,

submit to the yoke of the king of Babylon and his people.

Why do you insist on dying--you and your people?

Why should you choose

war, famine, and disease,

which the LORD will bring against every nation

that refuses to submit to Babylon's king?'"

Jeremiah 27:12-13

They were doomed to die, to suffer, to withstand punishment due to their unfaithfulness, their evil, selfish ways.  Even though they deserved such treatment, God offered grace and mercy, a way out of the war, famine and disease.  If they wanted life, the people of Judah must surrender.  The Chaldeans were coming.  Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon was descending upon them.  Even though it seemed they had no options, they did.  And they could choose life.

Isn't it the same with me?  With all of mankind?  I am doomed to die, to suffer, to withstand punishment due to my unfaithfulness to God, my evil and selfish ways (Romans 3:23, 6:23).  Even though I deserve such treatment, God offers grace and mercy, a way out of eternal damnation (Romans 5:18).  If I want life, I must surrender to Jesus in order to live.  Judgement is coming (Hebrews 9:27).  Even though it seems I have no options since I am sinful to the core, I do.  And I can choose life through Jesus (John 3:18).  How? 

Repent.  God's plea to His people as they stubbornly refused to listen to His warnings of coming punishment was to repent.  To turn from their ways, their disobedient deeds, to stop doing the wrong He had warned them not to do (Jeremiah 26:13).  To regret the sin that was killing them.  As He pleaded through the prophet Ezekiel, "For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies. . .Therefore, repent and live!" (Ezekiel 18:32).

He still pleads with me through His Son Jesus whom came to make things right again, to fix what sin had destroyed, to restore, to heal, to offer life (Isaiah 61:1-3).  Jesus preached the same message as John the Baptist before Him, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4:17).  Before I can turn toward Jesus, I must turn away from the sin that is killing me.  I must realize the danger in continuing on my present path and be willing to give up my old way of living in order to take on the new way (Matthew 7:13-14).  I must stop my own efforts that are causing me to drown and grasp on to the lifeline Jesus is offering.  Either I choose darkness or Light (John 3:19).  I can't have it both ways (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

If I want to live I must repent, realizing the gravity of my sinful living.

Submit.  Once God's people realized the path of destruction they were on and turned away from the disobedience that was their undoing, God then instructed them to obey, to fully commit to Him, to become faithful to Him as their only hope and their One True God.

It's the same with me today.  In order to be saved I must believe in Jesus as my Savior, submitting to Him as Lord (Romans 10:9).  He did the work that was necessary in taking on the punishment for my sins when dying on the cross, I am to entrust my life to Him in return.  To be all in.  To fully commit my life to Him.  This is what it means to believe, not just to agree in my mind that Jesus is Lord but to actually surrender to Him and make Him King of my life.  Faith without actions to back it up is no faith at all but only words on a page, and I prove I have submitted to Him by doing what He says (James 1:22-25. 2:14-26).

To walk in the Light of Jesus I must let Him lead me down the path of life as my Shepherd (Matthew 7:14, John 10:14) .

Forgiveness.  God is a merciful God.  He knew His people deserved His wrath for their wayward ways.  Yet in His mercy, He offered a way out.  If only they would repent and turn back to Him as their Master, He promised to change His mind about sending the Babylonians to take them into captivity.  There was hope if the people would agree to His terms (Jeremiah 26:13).

While God is merciful and gracious, He is also righteous.  He can't just offer me forgiveness while leaving my sin unpunished.  In the same way a good judge does not let a criminal go free simply out of the goodness of his heart, so the truly righteous Judge cannot look the other way while I walk free from the death sentence my sins deserve (Romans 6:23).  There must be punishment.  There must be blood sacrifice to atone for my sins.  Someone must pay the price.  And that Someone is Jesus.  He paid my fine so that I can walk free in the forgiveness of a holy God.  It is only through the blood of Jesus that I can find pardon from my death sentence, for without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22).

To be presented before God as holy and blameless I must be covered by the blood of Jesus by faith in Him (Ephesians 5:26-27).

I am doomed to die because of my sin, yet Jesus offers life.  How do I choose life?  By turning away from the sin that is killing me and submitting to Jesus as Savior and Lord.  When I do, I'll receive forgiveness by the blood of Jesus.  Why do I insist on dying when life has been freely offered (John 3:18)?

As I begin this day it is my hope that I can choose life instead of the death that comes when I do what comes naturally.

How do I fail to make Jesus Lord of my life?

When am I stubbornly insisting on dying simply by denying Christ?

Don't Listen to Lies

"This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies 

says to his people:

'Do not listen to these prophets when they prophesy to you,

filling you with futile hopes.

They are making up everything they say.

They do not speak for the LORD.

They keep saying to those who despise my word,

"Don't worry!  The LORD says you will have peace!"

And to those who stubbornly follow their own desires, 

they say, "No harm will come your way!"'"

Jeremiah 23:16-17 NLT

There are many false teachers and prophets who claim to be teaching and spreading God's Word.  In reality, however, they are scattering lies. Here are a few examples:

• My happiness and well-being are God's will for me.  God wants me to be happy, healthy and wealthy.
• God's blessing comes in the form of wealth or material goods.  God wants me to be comfortable and to get what I want.  After all, it take money to do ministry in this world.
• I must obey the law (or go to church, dress in nice clothes, not smoke or drink, etc) in order to be saved.  God only saves those who make an effort, only helping those who help themselves.
• God seeks to elevate me in some way.  God wants me to have high self-esteem.
• God is merciful so I need not worry about sin because I am forgiven by the blood of Jesus.  God is not concerned with purity because He understands my weaknesses.

Be careful.  Be wise.  Be shrewd.  I must know God's Word so I can distinguish the lies that are what I want to hear from the Truth that is what I need to hear (2 Timothy 4:3).  

What it Means to Know the Lord

"'But a beautiful cedar palace does not make a great king!

Your father, Josiah, also had plenty to eat and drink.

But he was jut and right in all his dealings.

That is why God blessed him.

He gave justice and help to the poor and needy,

and everything went well for him.

Isn't that what it means to know me?'

says the LORD."

Jeremiah 22:15-16 NLT

What does it mean to know the Lord?  To only seek my own blessing, build my own kingdom, trust Him to meet my own needs?  Or is there more?

What about the lost, those who have been duped into believing this life is all about running after worldly treasures even though they won't last?  Or those who are unknowingly looking in the wrong place for answers?  Or those who are oppressed by the enticing powers of evil in this dark world?

I have the Words of Life, the Good News that will set them free!  I know the goodness of God and the peace and liberty that comes when I enter His fold.  Isn't it His will that I generously share the enlightening message that the lost so desperately need?  To give the Living Water to the thirsty and the Bread of Life to the hungry (John 4:14, 6:35)?  What good is every blessing that comes down to me from God through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ if I never share His Kingdom with others?

This is what it means to know the Lord.

The Illogical Choice

"'Tell all the people,

"This is what the LORD says:

Take your choice of life or death!

Everyone who stays in Jerusalem will die 

from war, famine, or disease,

but those who go out and 

surrender to the Babylonians will live.

Their reward will be life!"'"

Jeremiah 21:8-9 NLT

Doesn't it seem obvious to choose life?  In order to preserve my life, I take the path of least resistance, the one that is safe, the easier.  But God doesn't always lead that way.  Therefore, I must heed His warnings and pay attention even if it goes against my self-preserving instincts.  For He has His own purposes.

Test.  There is much hope for me as one who is saved by grace through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.  I have a priceless inheritance through Christ that can never be tarnished because it is held for me in heaven.  When this life is over I can expect an even better one in my Father's mansion, a special place prepared just for me by my Lord and Savior (John 14:2).  The thought of the good things God has in store for me is what often bolsters my faith during hard times.

And it is these difficulties that prove my faith as real, that purify it and makes it even stronger as I continue to love Jesus even though I don't see Him.  As I follow my good Shepherd even though He leads me into the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4).  As I trust Him enough to do the hard things He has set before me.  And my reward for believing Him at His word, for sticking with Him even when every fiber of my being wants to turn away, for treasuring Jesus more than my very life?  The salvation of my soul (1 Peter 1:3-9, Romans 6:22)!

Trusting Jesus means I'll often be asked to do the illogical as He tests my faith to prove it's authenticity.

Submission.  It goes against my nature to surrender to an enemy.  I want to fight, dig in, preserve my life, my home, my family.  If I were living in ancient Jerusalem, I would be terrified to give myself and my family over to an invading conqueror, giving up control and putting my life and the lives of those I love into the hands of a foreign army.  I would wonder, what will they do with us?  How will they treat us?  What will happen to my home?  Will I ever see it again?  

If I loved God enough to trust Him with my life, however, I would do as He said, surrendering to the enemy and believing that it would turn out as He promised (Jeremiah 21:9).  That things would go better for me in their custody than if I stayed at home where I wanted to be.  Doesn't God do the same today, sending me into situations I would never willingly choose for myself?  Allowing disease to ravage my body?  Permitting heartache to come my way?  I can either resist it, fighting against what God is up to, or I can submit to His sovereign plan, believing His Word that my love for Him will guarantee that it's all for my good (Romans 8:28).

Trusting Jesus means I'll often face the illogical choice, giving me the opportunity to submit to His sovereign plan.

Treasure.  It comes down to my value system.  Do I cherish my life, my health, my body, my stuff, my family the most?  Or is Jesus my greatest treasure?  The news is filled with the horrible choice several college students at Umpqua Community College recently faced:  Life or Jesus.  The victims were reportedly asked if they were Christians, and if they responded in the affirmative, they were shot in the head.  In order to make such a bold pronouncement of faith while staring down the barrel of a gun, one would have to adhere to a kingdom value system in which they loved Jesus more than their very lives.

What do I treasure most of all?  Jesus warned it would be difficult to follow Him.  He said if I want to be His disciple I can't look at things from a human point of view, but from God's.  "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross and follow me.  If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it.  But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it"  (Matthew 16:24).  What good does it do me to gain any advantage I think I have by trying to preserve this temporary life if I lose my very soul for all of eternity?  No, it's much better to gain eternal life by giving it all to Jesus.

Trusting Jesus means I'll be faced with an illogical choice that will reveal what I treasure most.

From the outside looking in, I would appear as a fool.  But from a godly perspective, I am wise to trust Jesus enough to make the irrational decision in obedience to Him.  As I do, my faith is being tested, I'm given the opportunity to submit to God's plan, and I learn what it is I value most.  While I may make what seems to be the illogical choice, as a disciple of Christ, it is the only one that leads to life.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to do as He says even though it seems a foolish step to take.

When do I fail to surrender to God's plan for my life because I am afraid to give up control?

What do I treasure more than Jesus?  Would I be willing to give it up if faced with that choice?