Living Free - January 29, 2016
Today's Scripture
"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you." - Romans 12:1-2 MSG
Thoughts for Today
We all have daily choices to make. Rather than being led blindly by our desires, we must recognize the source of our desire. What force is pushing us in a certain direction? Is our desire or attraction idolatrous? Is it more important to us than trusting God? Armed with this understanding, we are empowered to discipline our desires rather than be a prisoner to them.
Today's scripture calls us to take everything we do, all the choices we face, and lay them before God as an offering. When you think about it, this really is not a sacrifice—because God loves us and has the best plan for us. As we fix our attention on Him and what He wants, He promises to bring the best out of us and develop well-formed maturity in us. His plan is always the best one. His timing is always perfect.
Consider this …
You have a choice. Will you continue to do things your way? To let the world around you shape you? Or will you give God your whole heart? Lean on Him for understanding. Turn to Him for strength. And trust Him. He loves you with a love we cannot begin to comprehend. Unconditional love. Because of that, you can trust His plan for your life.
Perhaps you are facing a decision in your life right now. You know what is right, but your heart is pulling you another way. Turn to God, as Tammy does, and say, "Lord, help me to see things as they are and not as my heart tells me they are."
Father, forgive me for the times I've chosen my way instead of yours. As I am facing this decision, give me wisdom. Help me to trust you with all my heart and choose Your way. In Jesus' name …
These thoughts were drawn from . . .Lessons Learned: Moving from Homosexuality to Holiness by Tammy Webb-Witholt. This group study offers biblical tools, along with an abundance of hope, to anyone struggling with homosexuality. It is also a great group for anyone desiring a deeper walk with God. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups, and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study.
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