Duty or Delight Weeks 3 and 4

SOOOO....
My auto post did not work last week! SO, I am combining two weeks.

Weeks three and four were the turning point in this study for me. What I mean by that is that these two weeks were the point where this study began to take root.

In week three we explored the confidence booster I Am Promised. Of the six promises we dove into, two were extra special to me.

First, was in the very beginning of our homework.

God is our faithfulness. Particularly this quote from page 63

"His blood is our only hope for security before a holy God. We cannot keep God's righteous requirements no matter how hard we try."

Have you ever tallied up your Christian "Scorecard"? Oh come on, you know

church attendance - check

prayer - check

Read (or glanced at my Bible) - check

These are good things! Necessary things for a growing Christian. BUT...

They have NOTHING to do with our eternal security. Nothing. Hear me out.

Only the blood of Jesus changes our eternity.

We can keep a near perfect "scorecard" our entire life, and spend eternity in hell.

If you have not acknowledged Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, friend...eternity is not going to be pleasant.

I cannot and you cannot keep a perfect scorecard. Our good deeds and well meaning intentions do not mean a hill of beans without Jesus Christ being Lord and Savior of our lives.

John 3:16 is for you. God so loved YOU that He gave His only Son so YOU will not not perish...but have everlasting LIFE. Jesus died for you.

Remember all those scorecard items? Church attendance, prayer, Bible Reading..

In my life those good things are now a delight. God uses each of them to teach me something, to challenge me, to chip away at the parts of me that do not represent Him well.

The second promise that really spoke to me in week three was number 6:

God is Our Inheritance and We are His.

It was such a tender reminder that we can ALWAYS know where we stand with God. You don't have to wonder if He likes you today. :) He is crazy about you.

Personally, this was a good reminder to keep my focus on eternity. In a world where so much value is placed on what you have or what you are achieving, I needed the reminder that God's opinion of me is not based on this world's view of success. He gently reminded me that my goal in life is to glorify Him with every breath and every step I take. When I take my last breath, I want to do so knowing my daughters, my family knows Jesus as Savior.

He is my inheritance, and He is more than enough.

Question Number 1: What promise meant the most to you and why?

During week four our confidence booster was I Am Supplied. We were given six areas where we could trigger more of the Holy Spirit's power in our lives.

This week. Oh, this week of homework. At times I had to close my book and walk away because what we were asked to do was H.A.R.D. but as I came back and pushed through...

God brought freedom.

If you did not finish this week's homework, let me encourage you to go back! Press on and through it! There is freedom waiting for you!

I will share one phrase from the 4th trigger "Inspect your crops often" that just made me say "YES" out loud in my car! It is found at the end of a series of statements on page 98.

SIN is duty, but repentance is delight

Isn't that truth?!

Sin is oppressive! We know when we are allowing sin to govern us. To DRIVE us. It is cruel. It lies.

Sin tells us that repentance (turning from) will be horrible. That what we will have to "give up" is worth the separation from God. Unconfessed sin keeps us from LIFE.

But God sent Jesus so we could have LIFE. Abundant Life! A delightful life.

Repentance can become a delight. Is it hard? Well....if you completed your homework you know that it can be hard!

But honestly, it is so worth it. Why?

Because after surrender and repentance comes transformation.

God loves us too much to allow us to stay in the condition we are in! When we come to Him with a sincere repentant heart, He begins a work of transformation in us. Talk about a makeover. :)

The God who created this universe, wants to transform our hearts so we can adequately reflect His glory.

And...

He is delighted to do so.

Question #2: This is a personal question...Are you holding back? Are you hesitant to finish that portion of your homework that asked us to go face down in repentance? If so....why?

Question #3: How have the first four weeks been for you? HONEST answers only! :)

Thanks for taking this journey with us! I have enjoyed your e-mails...and I believe you will encourage each other so comment!