PRIORITIZING 101

I want to share an easy to understand, but difficult-to-implement concept that is guaranteed to change how, and even when, you conduct your daily activities. 

"Fit my day into my time and attention with the Father, not trying to fit Father into my day"

I wake up with every intention of making room for Father's agenda to rule the day, but all too often life imposes its demands on the day, and I end up giving in to these demands. 

By placing my time and attention on my relationship with Father God, and my fellowship with Jesus throughout the day, I actually get the sense that I have spent my day with purpose, and am honestly content with its outcome.

This investment in our spiritual and mental health doesn't come easy.

The "flesh" - our old corrupt nature without Christ - resists the execution of this concept. So get ready for a fierce bare-knuckle fight to the death.

Our flesh is conditioned to be responsive to the things that are "urgent", not the things that are "important"; the easy, not the difficult; the immediately gratifying, not things that requires self-denial. 

Fitting the day into our time with Father is going to take some discipline on your part. We're going to have to get "medieval" with the flesh, and resolve in ourselves that we refuse to squander another day running on that "hamster wheel"- doing a whole lot of running, but going absolutely nowhere. Never again being satisfied with accomplishing the frivolous, superficial and vain.

The  flesh and the spirit - by feeding one, we starve the other. By doing exactly what the flesh does not want (that is to put the things of God - the important things- first), we deprive it of it's life controlling power.

The flesh is afraid that we will start thinking, acting and talking like our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.

It will die, its control broken! Hallelujah!!

Matthew 6:33 MSG
Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

TRAINING EXERCISE - HUMILITY

Stop Defending Yourself?

The Lord showed me a good way to develop humility.

He told me to stop defending myself when wrongly, or rightly accused, and when I was offended by someone, (especially by someone who is close to me)

This is our opportunity to increase our strenght by becoming weak and gentle. We get elevated by getting lowly.

I found myself eventually no longer feeling hurt or being overwhelmed by the compulsion to counterattack.

It didn't happen overnight,  but it did happen.

By practicing this, we choke out the flesh and its pathetic ego, rendering them powerless.

1 Peter 4:12-13 NIV
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

Not for the faint of heart I know, but if you dare to assault your flesh in this manner, you will never be the same.
That's a promise!

In myself nothing, in Christ everything!

Grace & Peace