ALL THINGS JESUS...

Is exactly what I desire for this section of my blog- To reflect Him and only Him.

He is "the way, and the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through Him." John 14:6 

I am praying that with each post, you see Jesus in a real, authentic, transparent, and bold form. I don't want you to read me.  I want you to read Christ-to read scripture that is "breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16 

Real life transparency for a moment: day to day life can be messy- whether it's a food mess of baby food or peanut butter and jelly-whether it's a fun kid mess of finger paints and toys (our current favorite mess right now)-whether it's a mess of a marriage or a mess of family-whether it's a mess of your own self be being "crucified with Christ" and realizing "it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me....Galations2:20a-whether it's a mess of being broken down so the Lord can mold and shape in order to eventually build back up-whatever kind of mess it is, no matter what took place yesterday-"His mercies are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:23

Jesus is near. Jesus is good. Jesus is faithful. He is "your God in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing." Zephaniah 3:17

Praise the Lord for his faithfulness and steadfastness in our lives. Praise the Lord for his goodness and grace even when we don't deserve it. Praise the Lord for who He is and what He has done and what He is going to do!

Something that I read few weekends ago was incredibly convicting therefore I couldn't wait to share with others. Its content deals with being a living sacrifice. The ESV study bible states that as Christians, we are to give ourselves entirely to Christ, our whole self, both our body and soul belong to God-"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." Romans 12:1

In my day to day life, am I living as a living sacrifice? Am I giving all of who I am to all of who Christ is? Am I willing to let go of everything and everyone for the furtherance of Him? Here is what Helen Roseveare shares about being a living sacrifice from her book Living Sacrifice: Willing to be Whittled as an Arrow...

To be a living sacrifice will involve all my time. God wants me to live every minute for Him in accordance with His will and purpose...No time can be considered as my own, 

or as "off-duty" or "free."....

To be a living sacrifice will involve all my possessions...All should be available for the furtherance of His Kingdom. My money is His...He has the right to direct the spending of each penny...I must consider that I own nothing. All is God's and what I have, I have on trust from Him, to be used as he wishes. 

To be a living sacrifice will involve all of myself. My will and my emotions, my health and vitality, my thinking and activities all are to be available to God, to be employed as He chooses, to reveal Himself to others, Should He see that someone would be helped to know Him through my being ill, I accept ill health and weakness. I have no right to demand what we call good health...All rights are His-to direct my living so that he can most clearly reveal Himself through me. God has the right, then, to choose my job, and where I work, to choose my companions and my friends...

To be a living sacrifice will involve all my love...I relinquish the right to choose whom I will love and how, giving the Lord the right to choose for me...Whether I have a life partner or not is wholly His to decide, and I accept gladly His best will for my life. I must bring all the areas of my affections to the Lord his His control, for here; above all else, I need to sacrifice 

my right to choose for myself....

I need to be so utterly God't that He can use me or hide me, as He chooses, as an arrow in His hand or in His quiver. I will ask no questions: I relinquish all rights to Him who desires my supreme good. 

He knows best.

After this was read our loud to me, I was weeping, trying to weep quietly because I was in a room full of girls and didn't want to bust out into the ugly cry, ha, but whoa did this rock me. Convicted me to my core. It dug deep. 

 I long for my life to be living sacrifice, but most days I fail. 

 I hold on and I hold on tight. 

Yet, in the daily failings, those failings come with daily confessions... "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9 

 I come confessing and pleading for forgiveness and restoration. Praise the Lord for repentance and for forgiveness!

So today, I'm praying that I let go, that I let my life be a living sacrifice!