Sacrifice

As I was reading Radical by David Platt the Holy Spirit was tugging on my heart about my prayer life. When we live our life solely relying on God and praying when we are struggling, we are living our lives for ourselves and not for Jesus Christ. What are we sacrificing if we just turn to God in our times of need? NOTHING at all. God sacrificed his only Son on the Cross so our slates would be wiped clean and we turn to him only when we struggle? What a slap in the face that is to our beautiful God. I need to pray without ceasing and pray for people in third world countries who haven't even heard the name Jesus, for my unsaved family and friends that they may come to know Jesus and his provisions in their lives, that their hearts may be softened to the Gospel, that they realize that dedicating their lives to Christ and sacrificing for HIS name is better than anything in this world, for my brothers and sisters in Christ who are being persecuted for the sake of sharing God's truth to others. This list could go on forever, but for the sake of time I won't do that. I need spiritual discipline in the area of prayer because I just don't do it, so I made a prayer journal and have been journaling my prayers to God. Hopefully I have enough discipline to continue to do this because it is bringing me closer to the Lord. (pray for spiritual discipline, check) haha, but really if we struggle with prayer we need to pray for God's help in prayer. Just remember that even when everything in our life is hunky dory, doesn't mean that everyone else's is. SO PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!

"Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always." 1 Corinthians 16:11

Jesus, you are all this heart is living for.

Just a couple of days ago, I was reminded just how great God's sovereignty in my life actually is. I know God is sovereign over everything, all the time, always, but I guess out of pride I tend not to see it sometimes. Reason being is I try to think that when something good happens to me, I did something to deserve it or I did it myself. That is ridiculous, I deserve nothing but through God's unbelievable mercy that he lavishes on me every single breath i breathe, I have been given a gift worthy of all of my devotion. That gift is the gift of a Savior whom sacrificed His life in order for me to live mine. I find so much comfort in knowing that God has me in His hands. The maker of this world has a hold on me and that is the most comforting thing I will ever be told.


I was reading a blog somewhere and this is an excerpt of one that is so encouraging:
"Brothers and Sisters, our hope isn't that God will give is whatever we want in this world - it's that He HAS given us everything we could ever want; JESUS CHRIST. We have an eternal home waiting for us - but while we are waiting for that day He is with us through the promised gift of the Holy Spirit, The Comforter."


Dear Heavenly Father, help me to rejoice in the gifts and talents you have given me but also help me to recognize that you are the Source of everything good and are worthy of all glory and honor.


"Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness" Psalm 29:2