Praise report! Yesterday, that glorious day of rest, I experienced my first day of victory. With God's help I stayed within my calorie and saturated fat gram limits (1,500 and 15) and, though I have declared weekends as rest zones on the exercise front, I went on a short hike at Henry Horton State Park with my husband at sunset. I hope the spirit of good physical health will bleed into more activities like this!
Since I have a list of sin strongholds I am handing over to the Lord in this new season of growth (I am only documenting health habits and time management in this blog), I wish to remind you and underscore for myself this morning that sin does not cast itself out, neither is it intimidated by the flesh. I can stare into the mirror with a self-loathing that frightens even me and turn right around and find out that I can no sooner free myself from my sin strongholds than I can bench-press a Buick. Ain't gonna happen.
Here's the good news: Jesus can do it! He wants to! Abiding in Christ, literally breathing His spirit in like a smoker on oxygen, all throughout the day and night, is the strength behind our prayers. When you feel weak, cry out to the Lord. We know that abiding in the Holy Spirit, literally living in Christ's shadow, is the answer versus rote religious practices or self-will, because we have tried them all. Here's what the Bible says about such efforts: "These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they produce no help in conquering a person's evil desires." (Col. 2:23, NLT)
Placing your heart, mind, will, and emotions into the hands of the living God, literally "SELLING OUT" to Christ is the answer. ("Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God." - Colossians 3:1-3, NLT). Along the way, commit your strongholds to God. Pray for His help. I hope the following scriptures give you strength as you face your own giants today.
"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand." Psa. 37:23, NLT.
"Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you." Psa 37:5, NLT.
"He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds." Titus 2:14
Since I have a list of sin strongholds I am handing over to the Lord in this new season of growth (I am only documenting health habits and time management in this blog), I wish to remind you and underscore for myself this morning that sin does not cast itself out, neither is it intimidated by the flesh. I can stare into the mirror with a self-loathing that frightens even me and turn right around and find out that I can no sooner free myself from my sin strongholds than I can bench-press a Buick. Ain't gonna happen.
Here's the good news: Jesus can do it! He wants to! Abiding in Christ, literally breathing His spirit in like a smoker on oxygen, all throughout the day and night, is the strength behind our prayers. When you feel weak, cry out to the Lord. We know that abiding in the Holy Spirit, literally living in Christ's shadow, is the answer versus rote religious practices or self-will, because we have tried them all. Here's what the Bible says about such efforts: "These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they produce no help in conquering a person's evil desires." (Col. 2:23, NLT)
Placing your heart, mind, will, and emotions into the hands of the living God, literally "SELLING OUT" to Christ is the answer. ("Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God." - Colossians 3:1-3, NLT). Along the way, commit your strongholds to God. Pray for His help. I hope the following scriptures give you strength as you face your own giants today.
"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand." Psa. 37:23, NLT.
"Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you." Psa 37:5, NLT.
"He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds." Titus 2:14
No comments:
Post a Comment