Leaving the Box Behind!

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, 
you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me."
Matthew 16:24~ 

My box is comfortable, I know where everything is I am content and used to what is around me...
I am talking about my comfort zone, my comfy box that I was okay with staying in. But thank the Lord He knows best!! Even though I was "comfortable" I begin to pray that the Lord would take me out of that zone of comfort. I needed to be kicked out of my box, kicked out of my comfort zone, no longer content and comfortable I needed to be stretched.

It is like going to class every day sitting in your "not assigned" seat that is "your seat". I don't know about you guys but if someone sits in "my seat" I am thinking "UM HELLO thats MY SEAT". That is how life was going for me. I was in a cycle of being comfortable, and content with the Lord, deciding to sit in "my usual seat". Which is a dangerous place to be because if I am not growing in Him then the question is "Where am I growing if not in the Lord?". So God brought me to a point where contentment wasn't enough, more was needed. I wanted to be ACTIVELY seeking to walk in the way of the Lord. It was time for a seat change! Which means I needed to get out of my comfort zone, the Lord needed to kick me out because being left to me I preferred comfort. And that is just what He did!!

My life has changed and Jesus has changed me so much in just the past two years and continues to do so!  His love, grace and correction is continual. This seat change, is definitely difficult at times but the Lord reminds me that He is in control of it all!! Not just one little aspect, He has TOTAL control and despite how I feel I must hold on to TRUTH.  In the moment you may feel like....(fill in the blank)...BUT in reality what matters is what God has said and what is truth despite feelings. The devil will try to get you to focus just on how you feel in any situation because if you stay focused on what you feel like you are not focusing on what God wants for you in that circumstance at that moment.

Matthew 16: 24 tells us that Jesus says we must put aside our selfish interests and pick up the cross and follow Him. Just before this verse Jesus had told the disciples they needed to beware of false teachers, Peter recognizes Jesus as Christ, Jesus tells about his coming death, and satan is rebuked in Peter. This is when Jesus starts to tell the disciples that this road will be costly. First I have to deny myself. Deny myself what? Deny my wants, my desires, deny ME.  I have to take the "me, I, my" out of the equation because it isn't about me it is about the Lord.  Next, I need to pick up my cross. Now the cross was not only a horrible way to die but it brought shame for anyone there. In Hebrews 12:2 It states how Jesus is our example and that he endured the cross, disregarding the shame just for the joy of completing His goal (which made a way for all to be saved). So when we are told to pick up our cross it not just a phrase you brush off but that you must take seriously. The cross was a slow death, and we must die to self continually through our life till we reach our goal that is set before us. Picking up my cross is a daily activity not a one and done. This means for me not being comfortable, not being worried about what others think of my actions, not reacting because of what I feel should have happened, not letting my desires to please myself guide my actions and so much more. It is a process but it is a process that is worth the journey.  Last, Matthew 16:24 says to follow me. You have given up your own way, you are picking up your cross daily and now you will be able to follow Jesus. Jesus took this path and knows it well that is why He can tell us to follow Him. The great thing about that is He won! If we are following the winner we are guaranteed to win!! Jesus not only walked it out, He  invites us to join Him allowing Him to guide you along the way. So, leave your box behind! Is it easy no, but is it worth it YES!

If there is anything I can be praying with you for please do not hesitate to leave a comment or message me at: thelavenderlens@gmail.com


I want to know Jesus more, more than I have ever before. Jesus engulf me with your presence and glory! I want my relationship with you more and before anything else!! You are KING and LORD, I want you to be Lord over every aspect of my life! Thank you Jesus for your sovereign power, your grace, your long-suffering toward me!
AMEN


I Want to Know You More

Running The Race!

             

            Running the Race is not easy. Let's talk literally, I just ran my second 5k a couple of weekends ago and I was proud of how I did. My goal was to not stop and to beat my last time which I did!!! Whoohoo!! BUT let me tell you it was no easy feat! First of all it was 8 o'cock in the morning at 32 degrees, that was a battle in itself! But I really want to talk about how I felt on my way back , getting closer and closer to the finish line. Every step closer to being done was another battle in myself to keep going. My body and mind would say " stop, just take a breather, you are almost done anyways" then I would say to myself "Hey don't stop! God is strong when I am weak! You have gotten this far He will get you the rest! Keep pushing". Then I literally told God " Hey God, all of me right now wants to stop and I feel like I can't keep going so right now help me through this". Okay, Okay, maybe I am the only one that does this and maybe I am just sounding like a crazy person having conversations in their head but none the less I am just being honest about my struggle. By the time I crossed the finished line I was so happy and thankful that the Lord helped me get through .  And afterwards I crashed and went to bed for like three hours! :)
             This brings me to when Paul tells us to "run the race". Because of actually running a race this verse has meant a lot more to me. In Hebrews 12:1b it says " And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us". According to the Websters Dictionary it says endurance is defined as "the ability to withstand hardship or adversity" Wow! Paul doesn't only say run the race but to run it with endurance! I don't know about you but that isn't something that sounds easy or enjoyable! I know for myself, it's wayy easier to find an "easy way out" or to only push when it isn't hard BUT thats not what Paul is saying to do, we are to continue to run even in the hardships. Thankfully Paul doesn't leave us there, he gives a solution how to endure. Hebrews 12:2 says " We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne." Wow what an example!! Paul points to Jesus who went through the race  and finished as a Conqueror! I don't know about you but if I am looking towards a forerunner, I want one that was on the same track as me AND was able to successfully finish! That is was Jesus did, he became our Forerunner (Hebrews 6:20) to lead us in the right path.  Now you may say yea he is our Forerunner but what am I to do with that information, it's still me enduring the race right now. WELL.. Paul doesn't stop there he says in Hebrews 12: 3 "Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won't become weary and give up". Jesus was literally perfect, how many of us can say that, and he was put to death in the most brutal way! Jesus faced trial after trial, being hated by many and then killed for just being true. Wow! That really puts life in perspective, the Bible tells us it will definitely be hard but for Christians we have a perfect Forerunner who knows all of our trials and will help get us through every circumstance. This doesn't mean he takes us out of every hard situation but that he walks through it with you. THAT IS JUST SO EXCITING!! 
              Okay, I am hoping you noticed that I just jumped right into the end of a verse at my introduction of Hebrews, yes this was on purpose. Hebrews 12:1a says " Therefore,  since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strop off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up". Okay that was a lot for the first part of the verse but it very important in our race! First off it tells us basically we Christians have our "Hall of Faith" people in the Bible to look at (you know like Hall of Fame in sports) . Then it says, to drop every weight that slows us down. Now this makes since, because if I am running a race I don't want any extra weight that is going to make me go slower or potentially even stop. THEN it says "especially  the sin that easily trips us up", whoaa Paul I thought you wanted me to throw off the easy things like being too busy or difficult people or anything else not the "pet sin". The "pet sins" are the sins that you keep feeding and going to for comfort, when you keep telling yourself "it's not that big" or "it could be worse". Yea, those sins are to be thrown off, it's not the only thing but Paul says ESPECIALLY the comfortable sins because it very easily just trips you up and makes you stumble and fall. Okay, I hope I haven't lost you yet but Paul is telling us "hey you need to run the race with endurance looking towards Jesus, AND throw off those sins that come easily to you so that you will finish the race strong."

              I hope this was able to help some of you who may be going through your own struggles and trials. God the Father is not going to leave you high and dry but has provided someone ,Jesus, to go before you as an example. And as a Christian we have the Holy Spirit to be our Teacher and Comforter through every situation. If you aren't a Christian, I pray you will be open to God showing you who he is because if you want to know truth he will reveal it to you. If you have any prayer request feel free to leave a comment and I will gladly pray for you.

             God, thank-you so much for this day. I also want to thank you for the trials in my life Lord. In the moments it's never comfortable or easy and most times I just want to give up Lord. But you are stronger than any circumstance and if death couldn't stop your plan for Jesus then I know whatever comes my way that you can stand it. Thank you Father for being true, loving, and faithful! Help me to trust in you  in every battle whether I feel like I am loosing or winning. Jesus, throw off every sin in my life that keeps me from hearing and knowing you more.  Reveal to me all "pet sins" that are a hinderance in my race. Holy Spirit continue to teach me, and allow the Bible to come alive every time I read it.

In Jesus' name
AMEN