A though that has been top of mind recently is a line from a song by the Sidewalk Prophets (You Love Me Anyway):
Still you call me to walk
On the edge of this world
To spread my dreams and fly
But the future’s so far
My heart is so frail
I think I’d rather stay inside
It was the “edge of this world” line that really drills me to the core. I find that if I am strong in my walk with the Lord, and on the narrow path, then I feel like I am on the edge of this world. Not really accepted or belonging to it.
When I am off the path, I feel more comfortable with this world. I feel it is a little piece of truth I have uncovered for myself and hope to pass along to others that haven’t yet.
My devotional this morning had scripture from Luke: it stated “deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him.” (Luke 9:23)
Deny ourselves is what jumped out to me. It is certainly a foreign concept to this world and not something you hear very often. Deny ourselves what? I think it is part of the key to why it feels so good to live a disciplined life: controlled, measured, and simple.
Simplicity: another word that I don’t really think means the same thing today or at least is not thought of/used the same way. The devotional also had a prayer that I think I am going to use daily. It really sums up well the gift we have been given and what we should be attuned to each day.
Dear Lord, thank You for making me a citizen of heaven freely by Your grace. I do not deserve this privilege, but I thank You for it. I sincerely desire to live each day in conformity to Your will. help me to avoid earthly minded decisions and “set [my] affection on things above.” May I commit all my ways to You. Use my life as You see fit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
My hope is that in reading/saying this prayer each day it will help attune me to God’s will in these last days and the appropriate perspective that I should have on my life and the things of this world.
I hope sharing this has help you in some way.
God Bless!
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If you have not asked Christ into your life, the essential gospel is that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and that He was raised on the third day (1 Cor. 15:3-4). Believing this is the only qualification for salvation. We are sinners in need of a savior. Jesus died for our sins, and to prove that His death was sufficient for us, God raised Him from the dead on the third day. Believing in our heart that God raised Him from the dead is our assurance that He will raise us, too.
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, (1 Cor. 15:3-4).