As humans, we come into this world wrecked, flawed and incomplete.  We are lacking something and we know it.  We were originally created to be holy, but something happened.  We fell, Adam and Eve were convinced that God did not know all, that they could do better.  Therefore we will never be what God intended for us to be until he returns.  On that glorious day we will be transformed into what we were meant to be.  Until then we have to learn to navigate this cruel world the way God would want us to. 


We always seem to get sidetracked.  We all seem to have a case of spiritual ADD.  We are always looking for the next big thing, what the world tells us will make us happy and complete.  The truth is only God can fulfill that need in us and only He can accomplish His great work in us.  Anything else is just a pitiful excuse.   


He formed us with a desire.  He made us to crave that is only met by him.  There is nothing in this world that will fulfill it but God.  At some point in everyone's life we are presented with a choice, come to Jesus and follow him or continue to try and make on our own.  It is sad but most of us will choose the latter, thinking that we can do it on our own.  We continue in our own selfish, self-destructing ways spiraling down farther towards the enlightenment that always seems to escape us.  When we turn from that and turn to Christ as our savior and accept what he did for us on the cross, we begin the process that takes us to what God intended us to be.  We are unable to attain such perfection on earth and we definitely cannot do it ourselves, but once we are saved we begin to see our destructive natures for what they are and begin to desire a change.  That is when Gods' Holy Spirit begins to move in us, we start to yearn for Him and what He can do in our lives. 


Once God moved in my life, I no longer desired what moved me before.  All I wanted was his will for my life.  Yet still in my sinful nature, I thought I knew what God would want for my life.  I was still listening to the worlds' view.  The world views God through human eyes, we cannot understand his ways.  Psalm 46:10 says:


" Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." 


We must learn to listen for God.  His voice isn't always a roar, many times it is a whisper.  It also does not always come when we want it to, that is where patience comes in.  We live in a world that values speediness and instant gratification.  The God we serve does not move that way, He moves on his timetable, not ours.  He will move when everything is in place, not a moment before.  He will often wait for us to yield to his will before he moves in a situation, other times he has plans that supersede ours.  In those instances we must learn through prayer and study that Gods' will is always better than ours, and it will be done.  We must change our thoughts and actions to be more like His and less like the worlds....

Beauty for ashes....

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Romans 12:1-2


These verses mean so much to me.  I love them dearly.  They explain beautifully what we are called to do.  Just because we live on this earth, we do not have to bow to it or its dark prince.  The Bible states very clearly in many places that we are supposed to live like Christ.  He is to be our example.  Even though we can never be perfect, we have the opportunity to let the Holy Spirit renew, remake, and remodel our minds.  Listen closely to that.  Re means again, it indicates repetition.  Essentially meaning we, through Gods' spirit are able to make our minds new again!  That means that no matter who you are or what you have done, you have a chance at freedom in Christ.  You cannot do it yourself, but if you trust in God and put forth the effort, you will have something beautiful.  Isaiah called it beauty for ashes and that is a fitting description.  That is really all we are able to bring to God.  All the scraps of humanity and good deeds we do look like ashes next to the Holiness of God.  But then a miracle happened, God found beauty in those ashes.  Not because of anything we did or could do, but because of who he is.  Thats why he sent his Son, God made flesh, to walk this world and experience it.  He wants to grant us beauty, wholeness, and forgiveness.  It is free for us to recieve and there is nothing we can do to earn it.  It is by grace and faith that we recieve it.  When we begin to be renewed, all the other stuff that is so difficult for us comes.  Not immediately but gradually, as we invite Him into our lives daily and present our bodies a living sacrifice.  It is hard and we are going to stumble, but its at those times that we look up and see our redeemer waiting, with his outstreched hands.....

"To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified."  Isaiah 61:3