Loose him and Let him go

In John 11: 38-44, John writes of Jesus calling forth Lazarus from the dead. I have read this scripture many times and each time God speaks to me in a different way about what He is sharing in His word here. There were a couple of things going on as John writes this story but I want to concentrate on the "loosening".

Jesus freed Lazarus from a physical death in the loosening. But He also frees us from a spiritual death. We read in verse 44: "And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. . ." When I read that, the word "bound" jumped off the page.

My mind started thinking: "Bound? Bondage? What binds me?"

What keeps me from receiving all that there is from God? 

Is it unbelief? 

Is it the pressure of the world?

Is it the trials and tribulations in my life?

Jesus can release us from this bondage. Yep, He can! 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." Did you read that? A new creation - old things gone - that means release from bondage!

And He said it again here John 10:10 "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." The devil is the one trying to keep us in bondage. Trying to make us second guess everything we do or think. Jesus has brought us forth from the grave of spiritual death so that we might enjoy life in HIM and have that joyful life MORE abundantly. Now you can't beat that!

Galatians 5:1 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage."  Read that again! Stand in FREEDOM -Freedom from condemnation from the world, from your friends!

Are you in a difficult trial? Do you feel as though you are in bondage? Jesus can set you free!

Here are the words from an old song we use to sing "He Set Me Free"


Once like a bird in prison I dwelt,
no freedom from my sorrow I felt
But Jesus came and listened to me,
glory to God, He set me free!
Chorus:
He set me free, yes, He set me free,
He broke the bonds of prison for me
I'm glory bound my Jesus to see,
glory to God, He set me free!

I am a singing it as I type it - you should hear me - it sounds so purdy :)

God bless you today! You no longer have to live in bondage - He came to set you FREE!

Huffing and Puffing

I am reading Unglued by Lysa TerKeurst and learning a lot about ways to control those moments in my life when I become "unglued". This morning as I was reflecting over some of what I have read I went back to Chapter 1 and was rereading one of the many situations she had on becoming unglued. She wrote: "I headed upstairs in a huff to give the girls a piece of my mind."

Well the first time I read this I was so into the situation that she was about to describe that I did not pay close attention to the word "huff" but as I was re-reading this a.m. it just popped off the page. I think I have more "huff" moments than I do "unglued". I don't always come totally apart which is how I translate "unglued"  - but I am more often in a "huff" - which for me is more like frustration - but big time frustration. Does that make any sense at all?

I had a huffing moment this morning. As I walked into the bedroom my husband's jeans and shirts that I thought he had put away were still where they were yesterday. Since I am 5'4" tall and he is 6'3" tall and the top rack of the closest is 7' tall, my reasoning is that it is so much easier for him to hang his clothes than me, right? Not always so - so I did some huffing this morning. I didn't become unglued but I was having a strong urge :) so I "huffed". 

I am reminded of the childhood story The Three Little Pigs. The big bad wolf played havoc on their lives and he roamed around "huffing and puffing" until he blew down 2 of the 3 houses. So you see you do not have to become totally unglued to do damage to the ones around you. Lots of huffing and puffing can do the same thing. 

I need to remember this scripture all the time: "May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and Redeemer." Psalm 19:14 

I think that totally excludes any kind of "Huffing and Puffing"!

Morning Talks With God

I shared a couple of weeks ago how God woke me up at 4 a.m. to have a little talk :) Well we had another good discussion this morning in the shower! I am so glad that there is no exact place that I have to go to to have a little talk with my Lord.

I woke up feeling anxious. My heart was racing because there are lots of things that I have to do today. I am so excited about a ladies bible study that we will begin this afternoon so I am  nervous and ANXIOUS! How many of you can relate to that feeling?

He brought to mind a scripture that has really resonated with me and Charlie - Philippians 4:6-7: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

My heart was saying I want everything to be perfect but He said you do not have to be perfect because I am perfect in you. Wow - that let off a lot of pressure! Why should I think I could do this better than God? I know all of this but I need to be reminded of it on a regular basis - He is control.

He brought another scripture to mind: "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord "plans to prosper you, and not to harm you,  plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11. So if He has the plan I just need to follow it - less stress for me - right?

He also reminded me that if He is going to be able to do anything for me I have to be empty of "self" so that HE can do a good work in me. Did you pick up on that - - - so HE can do the work - not me!

Love, love, love the fact that I can sit back and let Him do the driving!  Remember the old Greyhound Bus slogan [if you do that would make you really old-like me :) ]"Leave the driving to us" that is what He wants us to do. The key to all of it is that I have to come to the end of myself, I have to die to self. It ain't easy but - what a relief!