The Real Me (Part Two - My BIRTHDAY!)

I am a child of the King.  I have been adopted by the Most High. I am loved. I am blessed.   I am protected.  I am forgiven.  I have peace.  I have joy.  I have patience.  I have faith.  I have self-control.  I think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely.  I dwell in the shadow of His wings.  I know mercy.  I know grace.  (Read Gal 5:22, Phil 4:8, Eph 2:8-9, and the Psalms.)

This is the REAL me. My spiritual birthday came 10 years and 5 months after my physical one.  Most of my life has been a battle when the flesh would win. I wasn't properly equipped for war.  But one day nearly a decade ago, that started to change.  I began to see more victories.  I began to plug into the Power.  I dumped my fleshly weaponry and started using God's.  I truly rested in His sovereign care and I've been there ever since.

Oh, I still fight battles.  I still have much to learn about leaning on God.  But He is victorious.

(Father God, thank you for the day I accepted Christ as my Saviour.  Thank you for the day that I rested fully in you.  Thank you for providing your Spirit so freely.  Keep this part of me ever in front of the other part of me.  I look forward to the day you call us to your side either by death or by trumpet.  Make straight my paths.  In Jesus name I pray.  Amen.)

The Real Me (Part One - It's My Birthday!)

I have lied.  I have stolen.  I have yearned for things so earnestly that it consumed my every thought.  I have profaned the sabbath.  I have failed to obey and honor my parents both as a child and an adult.  I have accused my neighbor of untrue things.  I have used the name of God with irreverence and as profanity.  I have served myself as superior and sought other gods before Him.  I have committed adultery.  Out of ten simple rules, I have broken all but one at some point or another.  (Read Exodus 20: 1-17)

This is the fleshly me.  This is the one that was physically born today multiple decades ago.  (I'll spare you the exact details of how long ago it was.)  I know my heart is deceitful.  I know it will lie to me.  I know.  I know it leads to all those things listed above. It even tries to convince me that I'm a good person, that I don't need anything.

However, there's another part of me that knows there is a Creator.  There is Someone who loves me and desires to be with me.  There is Someone who cares when I do things that harm me.  There is Someone who wants only the best for me and He knows what the best is because He designed me.  We all know this.

(Father God, I know you are here.  I pray you will lead according to your purpose and will.  Thank you.  In Jesus Name I pray, amen.)

Encouraged

Yes, today God encouraged me through the two blogs that I follow a bit fanatically. Both had awesome answered prayers. (Thank you, LORD.)

Well, my birthday approaches. If you have a December - February birthday in Oklahoma you'll know what that means. You can plan a party but expect rain or snow if you do! As a child I would be so excited that I was having a party. Yes! No! If it was cold enough, it would snow and no one would venture out on the hazardous roads. If it wasn't cold enough, it would rain so much the creek near our house would flood and no one could get in (or out). After a while I just quit trying. I really don't remember if I ever actually pulled off a party or not. I'm sure there had to be at least one.

Somewhere along the line, God finally got it into my head that just like my birthday plans, I can plan my life but if it doesn't fit into what He has planned for me (Jeremiah 29:11) it might be washed out or frozen over. Have you ever read that verse with the surrounding ones? (Jeremiah 29:10-13) Wow, God is great!