Worst enemy

Sunday’s Monday

This week has been full of joy, in that I attended a super Brother Night Meeting and enjoyed a very powerful service at Mathis Chapel Baptist Church, Catawba, N.C. Both Pat and I are healthy and blessed, couldn’t ask for more.

Who am I? Truthfully! Who am I? Do I really believe that I am who God say’s that I am “or” am I my own worst enemy? I used to tell this true story of when I drove from home in Claremont, NC to my job in Charlotte, NC, about 50 miles one way and I used this time to tell God what was on my heart. One morning around 5:30am I was driving and talking to God, when He brought to my remembrance an attitude that I had copped the day prior and my excuse was one that I had used jokingly for years, “you know that I am my own worst enemy.” To which I felt God say, I know, I have witnessed your hilarity for quite some time hoping you would get it, but since you don’t, here it is, this is no joke, you are your own worst enemy! Man did that take the wind right out of me, my mind hasn’t been the same since that morning. Several mornings later God and I was talking, and God revealed a lot of stuff that I was doing right but with the wrong motives and my reasons were usually compensating a lack which I felt. In the religious book of Paul Loftin, I wasn’t good enough, I didn’t know enough of the bible, I wasn’t praying enough, and these just names a few, as there was never enough spiritual anything in my life. Ergo I compensated the lack that I felt with religious meetings, social gatherings, church work and anything else that would show my spirituality. You know! I was living life like 75% of the church goers today. This is all wrong according to God’s word, in Philippians 1:6 (NLT), And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Our new journey should be a labor of love as we strive to know and understand the innermost desires of Jesus. We (God and I) have to remove my fleshly feelings and my carnal thinking from the equation of God’s work and simply trust Him. After all God chose and loves me enough to make a way as found in, Romans 3:24 (NLT), Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. Jesus has done all that needs to be completed for me to enter the gates of heaven and I need not earn anything. However, because I am a child of God, I desire to please Him out of my love and adoration. The bible tells me in Philippians 4:4 (NLT), Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Here is where the rubber meets the road of my subject, who am I. I am a follower of Jesus, striving to become a more passionate follower with each passing day. I can only accomplish this through study of His word, spending time with Him and joining forces with like followers. After all there can be no greater reason for gathering than that of Matthew 18:20 (NLT), For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” I am exactly who God created me to be at this stage of my growth! There is nothing to cause shame before like believers as long as, I am in close relationship with Jesus. Rather than worry about what others think of me, ask Jesus what He thinks and where you’re at in your spiritual growth. It is important to tattoo GOD LOVES ME on my brain and concentrate continually on being thankful for that. A little secret that I’ve learned over the years is “a thankful heart can hold no malice! Keep in mind that this includes even me, especially me and there is no reason to doubt my worth. I am by His choice, a child of God, He loves me unconditionally and I became one of my own best friends some 20 years ago, in talking with God and working through His grace. Romans 15:13 (NLT), I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

HAVE A BLESSED WEEK BY BEING A BLESSING TO OTHERS!

COMMENTS WELCOME…pal249@hotmail.com…04/08/2018