All I Want...

Are you tired of fighting and sore from your wounds? Are you tired of being knocked down every time you try to get up? Does it take all your strength just to draw your next breath? Are you confused as to whether your life has purpose or not? Do you sit in darkness and wonder why you were even born? Do you feel like no one sees you or hears you? Most of all, do you wonder where God is? Why does He not answer your cries for help? Does He not care?

Do you believe that if you are a good person life will treat you fair? Do you believe that if you do everything God ask of you, you will not suffer? Do you think that God would allow innocent people to suffer? Do you think God is fair?

If you are alive you will suffer pain. None the less know this TRUTH: life is difficult, harsh, and painful. It happens to everyone. It will happen to you if not already. Makes no difference how good you are or how bad you are.

In our suffering we have become as a wounded warrior lying in wait, our wound open, not knowing if healing will come. If we are wounded in battle, we don't ask why. It's a known truth of war. If we go through suffering in life we should not ask why, it's a know truth of life. Then the question should not be why, but who! Who will heal me and bring me back to my feet? Who is the Great Healer? Who is in control?

When we can come to the rationalization and accept the fact that life has suffering and we are not immune to it, then we can move through it without needing to know "Why me?"

Isn't it amazing that in terms of the world when we surrender we lose and give up possessions and freedom? Yet can you imagine having to admit defeat, surrendering to the king and expecting death as your punishment for your rebellion, but the king dose just the opposite; he gives you gifts and makes you a joint heir with his only son to his kingdom?

If you are tired of being controlled by your flesh, your natural senses, addictions, depression, any type of ungodly life style, or you wish to have a closer walk with God, you must change! God will not do it without your participation. You must DESIRE change, you must be DETERMINED to change, and you must DISCIPLINE yourself to change.

So if we have the desire to know, then how do we exercise that desire? Through faith! Through faith we have accepted God's promise that we are saved because of the sacrifice and payment made by Christ on the cross. It's not a blind faith, it is a faith, a confidence, a knowing inside of me that all that God has done and all that God says He will accomplish, has and will happen. It is that faith, that confidence, that knowing inside of me that convinces me that the Bible is God's Holy word and He promises me that if I accept the sacrifice of Jesus on my behalf I am saved. ( Romans 10:9 ) He Promises me that if I search for Him with all my heart I will find Him ( Jeremiah 29:13 ) and if I ask Him He will give to me all that I need. ( Luke 11:9-10 )

Now through that faith we must determine to be obedient to God's word, to fulfill that desire that was placed in our heart when we accepted Christ and the new life He has for us.

What does it mean when we determine to be obedient to God's word? It means we have thought, reasoned, and disputed with ourselves about what God expects of us and the new life He has to show us. It means we have settled the dispute, we have concluded and decided to take God up on His promise for a new life right now, at this very moment, We are determined to be obedient to His word.

How can we be obedient? By the power of the Holy Spirit through discipline. Remember the Holy Spirit is our helper. (John 14:16-17 ) He will be our trainer, our mentor, and our coach. He will train us to control the natural desires and thoughts of our mind through the power, knowledge, and wisdom given to Him by God the Father. Through a series of spiritual disciplines and exercises the Holy Spirit will bring us to a closer communion with Jesus and our Father God.

Remember, these disciplines are meant to bring us to a closer relationship with God, disciplines DO NOT bring salvation, only our acceptance of what Christ accomplished on the cross on our behalf brings us salvation!