A new kind of transformation tuesday, transforming from amputation of my left lower leg and foot to walking with my prosthesis/artificial limb . This has been much more challenging than I thought it would be. I took for granted, having two legs and feet and being fully mobile and functional. When that was taken away I had to learn how to adapt, #live and #thrive. We can allow our circumstances to crush and defeat us or, “rise, take up my mat (or prosthetic leg) and walk.
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, And broke their chains in pieces.
Psalms 107:13-14 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/psa.107.13-14.NKJV
Which promises of God are for me?
Let’s start with these promises as written in the word of God
By Faith Alone…
We accept by faith that the sacred Scriptures we identify as the Holy Bible are the inspired (God-breathed), infallible (never failing), and inerrant (without error) Word of God. Once we accept this truth, there is an enormous amount of value to be gained from its pages. It tells us of the grand story of God’s self-revelation to the world. More specifically, it tells us how we, God’s creation, can be restored to an eternal relationship with God through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
As a way of communicating to us the ways in which God has worked throughout history and continues to work today to redeem His people back to Himself, the Bible share an incredible number of promises. According to one count, there are 3,573 promises in the Bible. These promises cover the gamut of topics from God’s plan of salvation to assurances we can claim for our daily living.
Which promises are for you? Well, if you’re a believer in Jesus Christ, it’s safe to say that it’s all of them. But, no doubt certain promises resonate with us depending on where we are at a particular point in our lives or in our faith journeys. Here are five promises that resonate with me:
1. The Promise of Salvation
There are many verses in the Bible that give us assurance of eternal salvation. The “Roman Road” is a series of verses in Romans that lay out the way of salvation. Perhaps the most poignant for me is Romans 10:9-10:
“If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.”
Among Evangelical Christians, there is debate on the nuances of salvation, including the measures of God’s action versus ours, the role of repentance and works, and even the work of the Holy Spirit. But to me, these two verses lay it out simply and explicitly…confess Jesus as Lord and believe He’s who He said He is and you are saved.
2. The Promise of Freedom from Sin’s Grip
It’s important to make a distinction between this promise and the promise of salvation because we have to understand that our salvation is not dependent upon our behavior. Sure, we believe our behavior will change as a result of our salvation, but there is nothing to indicate that we must have victory over our own sin to be saved. That comes as part of the process of growth as a believer. The older I get, the more I recognize how pervasive sin is in the world and yes, in the lives of believers. That’s why it’s important that we embrace the promise that the Holy Spirit can and will help us in our struggles with sin. Perhaps the best passage to understand this promise is I Corinthians 10:13:
“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful, and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape so that you are able to bear it.”
3. The Promise of His Provision
Compared to most of the rest of the world, we enjoy lives of comfort and luxury. But that doesn’t remove anxiety about our needs. The loss of a job, an economic decline, a divorce, or any other number of circumstances can cause us to worry about how we will support ourselves and our families. Matthew 6:25-26 provides this promise:
“This is why I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?”
Most of us struggle with fear…fear of failure, fear of the unknown, fear of loss, fear of being alone. Joshua 1:9 says, “Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” It’s debated how many times the Bible says some version of “don’t be afraid” in this context; but we know the words “fear not” were spoken as an imperative from the lips of Jesus. So we can be sure it’s a command. The promise of Christ’s return. Perhaps one of the greatest promises in the Bible is the promise of Christ’s return for His people. This is perhaps the greatest reason we can have hope for the future, despite the appearance of a world that’s moving farther and farther away from God. The New Testament is full of references to Christ’s return, referred to in many ways including “the day of the Lord,” “the day of Christ,” “the return of the Lord,” “the revelation of Christ’s glory,” and “the future of our Lord.” Once again, Christ’s own words tell us of this promise in John 14:3:
“If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.”
Perhaps these promises resonate with you as they have with me. We have a God who keeps His promises (2 Corinthians 1:20).
Thinking about the clutter in my life, the stuff we accumulate over time that takes up space. When we amass too much stuff, we can either get more space to keep it all, or learn to declutter and let some stuff go.
Then I was thinking about how much I allow my mind to become cluttered with mental baggage. It is important to let go of all the negative thoughts and emotions that make you feel bogged down. Eliminating unnecessary thoughts, fears and concerns help reduce stress, boost self-esteem and free up mental space. Monitor your thoughts regularly and try to replace your negative thoughts with positive ones.
Taking inventory of our thoughts, feelings and emotions helps us to declutter our minds and brings peace into the midst of chaos and disorder. Praying through such stress filled times helps us to see what is really important and worth hanging onto vs unnecessary clutter, taking up space in our heads.
Time to let go and let God be God
a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
Ecclesiastes 3:6 ESV
For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.
1 Peter 1:23 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1pe.1.23.NLT
Does not my word burn like fire?” says the Lord. “Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashes a rock to pieces?
Jeremiah 23:29 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jer.23.29.NLT
And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.
1 Thessalonians 2:13 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/1th.2.13.ESV
But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.
1 Corinthians 14:24-25 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/1co.14.24-25.ESV
and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
Ephesians 6:17 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/eph.6.17.ESV
There is a living and active power in God’s word that penetrates our heart and our thoughts and transforms us by renewing our minds and delivering us from immorality and lustful desires that the enemy will use to destroy us from the inside out (proverbs ch. 5).
Sexual immorality in all of its genres; adultery (marital unfaithfulness) formication (sex between unmarried people) homosexuality (sex between those of the same gender) , etc; all draw on a man’s human nature and natural lusts and desires for sexual pleasure and release. But God’s design and plan is for a man to have his wife.
However, we live in a fallen world that is not subject to the will of God, nor can be, because the will of God is only discerned by those who have “ears to hear” the word of God. The world is under the sway (influence) of the god of this world, Satan. This is why the law as written in the Old Testament was given; to tell people what they already know on the inside, in their conscience, what the righteous requirements are. From the beginning; from the fall of Adam, until the coming of Jesus Christ, the Messiah and Savior of the world, mankind turned away from his Creator.
When Adam disobeyed God, the fall of man commenced, only to be destroyed when Jesus Christ died on the cross, as the Lamb of God; the atonement and propitiation for our sins. When Jesus uttered the words “IT IS FINISHED” the vail of the tent of the Tabernacle was torn on two, symbolizing the end of sin, death, the law and Satan!
The entire New Testament is the record and testimony of what the Old Testament prophesied of and prepared God’s people for. The world, still under the control of the devil, until the day comes when Christ returns and calls the church, the body of Christ, home and the remaining prophecies of Revelation, Daniel, Ezekiel, etc are fulfilled in Israel and in the Church.
Until then, may His kingdom come and His will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven
The key elements of bitterness are unresolved anger, the inability to grieve, and a lack of control: Unresolved anger – Ephesians 4:26 says that we can be angry without sinning. But when anger is unresolved and allowed to stick with us, it turns into bitterness.
Bad things happen to all of us; things like injustice, unfairness, being misunderstood and/or taken advantage of, etc. But the Bible tells us that vengeance belongs to God, and he will repay. It is tempting to take matters into my own hands and get even. The thoughts of such action on my part are overwhelming at times. But I must give it over to God, if I am to walk in peace and be free of feelings and emotions that can take root and grow into sinful behavior. Anger can breed bitterness and wrath, and overtake my better judgement. I don’t have to be controlled by my emotions, when I walk in the spirit.
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.
Ephesians 4:26-27 ESV
So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Corinthians 12:7-9 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/2co.12.7-9.ESV
Where do demons and temptations exist? Can they be lurking on the internet? Social media? Truth be told, everywhere we travel (walk) demons exist and can lure us away by enticing us with whatever the enemy can use to gnaw at our conscience and our soul.
The key to overcoming such temptation is found in consecrating ourselves daily before God, on the inside where He sees and knows us, in the secret place of our own heart and soul. Here is where the battles of good and evil are won. My fiesh is no match for the devil and his tricky schemes to trip me up. Therefore I must turn to the One who defeated Satan once for all time. When I do this, I will be filled with and walk in the Spirit and no longer be prey to the foolish works of darkness. But the choice is always mine; live in the flesh and reap from the flesh, or live in the Spirit and reap from the Spirit.
And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Romans 13:11-14 NKJV
How many times do we look to our past sins and transgressions, thinking how bad we are.
“Oh, God could never forgive me for the horrible things I’ve done?
Yet the constant theme of scripture is redemption through the forgiveness of our sins. When we look to Christ and His finished work on the cross, and believe in His name, he blots out the guilty stain of our iniquities, casting them as far as the East is from the West, and remembers them no more.
We must do the same; forgive ourselves instead of hanging onto all of that baggage, and never bring it up again!
And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
Jeremiah 31:34 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/jer.31.34.ESV
“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
Hebrews 10:16-18 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/heb.10.16-18.ESV
Living As Light 