Am I the devil’s bait or God’s clay at any given moment? Will I choose to stay in bondage or to be set free indeed?
“God kindly revealed to me my need to settle down and trust in the gospel for my indentity, not in my performance.” (Taken from page 185 in the book, “When To Walk Away” by Pastor Gary Thomas)
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Philippians 1:6
We’re all still a work in progress and we will be until Heaven. Where God leads in our lives is making us into the vessel He wants us to be for His good pleasure. As a result, we learn more about abiding in Christ and how our lives become more and more beautiful.
The life God’s given me is His gift to me. The more He shows me that, the more I love Him and the more I believe and live in the freedom Romans 8:28 provides.
Again, I am so grateful to God for Ann’s love, patience and support. She is absolutely the wife God knew I needed. I grow more in love with her daily.
I was driving back from taking Annie to work today (3-8-23) when I felt the Holy Spirit asking me if I will follow Him no matter what. It was a sweet time of reflection and comfort because I realized (with tears of His joy now living in me) He knew I belonged to Him and that I needed to be His all along. There was to be no other Life for me.
31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Luke 22:31-32
Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:8
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5
Jesus: Mark, what if I (Jesus) allow you to have to use food stamps and be on welfare; to go through heavy family issues; to give up your understanding for My peace; to walk through shame; to want to give up many times; to feel what it is like to not measure up to others; to have disabling pain and health issues that prevent you from working so Annie has to go to work; to be misunderstood; to envy others; to feel deep frustration, unforgiveness, depression, jealousy and bitterness, along with all the rest that lies ahead so I can use your life to touch others who need My Love so they too can be saved by coming to know the powerful, delivering reality of Romans 8:28? Will you still follow Me?
Yes, Lord, I will. I now know there is no other Life for me than the secure, peaceful, carefree, resting, joyful Life You have for me. And now I know the greatest need I have is to be Yours. Thank You for loving me and for encouraging me to follow You all these years, Lord.
65 And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”
66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”
68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
John 6:65-68
Thanking and praising God in all things,
Note: While we may not agree with everything a particular church or Christian group teaches or believes, there are times when we can be blessed by something outside the realm of our current understanding of God.