If You Take a Sip It Will Kill You

If You Take a Sip It Will Kill You

Recently I heard Jentzen Franklin say in regard to unforgiveness: “I’m going to drink this poison “unforgiveness” so it can kill me.” I started thinking about my life.  Do I intermittedly take a sip of poison?  Surely as a Christian I am far above  that but truth be known I have been known to take a sip every now and again. What am I learning though if I regress and sip is that I immediately need to spit it out and look to Jesus for strength to overcome destructive thoughts. For a long time I was a closet unforgiveness drinker.  Much like alcohol unforgiveness will destroy you little by little.  Over the years I have learned as Satan brings those hurts to mind not to ruminate on them.  Do I still fight them?  Of course, because Satan never gives up trying to destroy us but over time I’m learning when unforgiveness rears its ugly head to reject it and praise the Lord for the freedom I have in Him.  Satan wants us to be transfixed on the bad times in our life so they will eat up the good times. Jesus came that we may be free from condemnation and walk in His freedom.

Galations 5:1   It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

Father's Day

Father’s Day

Yesterday was Father’s Day.  Reflecting on the day when we went to the Children’s Home Society to meet our daughter for the first time brings tears to my eyes.  As we stood by the crib and gazed at her with full hearts my husband said, “Hey baby this is your daddy.” Oh how my heart swells with joy every time I think of that day.

My heavenly Father knew me as I was being formed in my mother’s womb never taking His eyes off me from the moment of conception. Surely He also said “Hey baby this is your Abba.”  It took me 33 years to realize He is truly my Abba.  When I look back I can see during those 33 years, although I was not aware of it, He kept me in the palm of His hands.   How grateful I am that the Father’s love has lead, guided, and comforted me all these years.  Thank you that now I have ears to hear those words and rejoice that I am His chosen daughter.  There was great expense in our adopting our daughter.  Jesus gave His life to choose me.  There are no words to express how grateful I am to be His chosen child.

Galatians 4 4:7   But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.  Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.

Butterfly

Butterfly    

                            

The other day my friend noticed in her garden a beautiful butterfly flitting from flower to flower.  To her amazement there were holes in each of its wings.  She was so surprised at the grace the butterfly exhibited.  As she related this story, she said there must be a Tidbit about this butterfly.  As I was thinking about the butterfly a few days later the Lord brought to mind the tenacity of this butterfly.  It never majored on its imperfections.  It just went living the life God had planned for it. Each of us has imperfections in our life.  Some are obvious on the outside like the butterfly and some are hidden deeply within our body or soul.  Our Lord never meant for our imperfections to be an excuse for us to avoid the life He planned for us.  As we lean on the Lord, we can draw strength from Him to go forth and walk the path in life He destined for us.  What if as the butterfly emerged from the cocoon it said, “My wings are deformed and it will be too hard to learn to fly” imagine the life it would have missed and the joy others would miss.    Sometimes folks use the imperfections in their life to actually draw into a cocoon rather than appropriate God and face the life He has for them. How thankful we can be that as Jesus looked ahead to the cross, He did not say, “It’s too hard for me.” In His word God says His strength is sufficient.  Next time you feel like your wings are shot with holes remember the holey butterfly.  Just remember we all have holes in our life, but the secret is to overcome them.  Much like the butterfly never forgets Jesus is sufficient.

2 Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”

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