Laying hold of Christ

God's will for your life ... Are you ever concerned with being sure you are fulfilling it?

I think on this often, "What does He will for me today?"  Not in the complete sense necessarily, but I wonder, "How will what I do today—my choice, effect the whole picture.

I've been reading Philippians and in it I read these words by Paul, "...but I press on so that I may lay hold of that which also I was laid hold for by Christ Jesus."  Then he goes on to say, "Breathern, I do not regard myself as having hold of it yet, but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal of the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." 

Many of us have problems with "laying hold of that which also we were laid hold for."  Why?  We have a problem with moving forward.  Some of us get stuck, and even more of us get stuck in the past.

Being stuck makes it hard for us to move.  God reveals what He wills in stages.  As we obey He gives more.  It is in the doing that God reveals more to us.  Therefore when we are stuck the process is slowed or halted, making it nearly impossible for us to move forward.

God has given each of us a "free will" so He isn't going to make us obey.  He gives us a choice.  Keeping this in mind we need to learn how to release ourselves.  Some of us must even learn to forgive ourselves so that we can reach forward to what lies ahead.

How do we release so that we can move?  We must

• confess our sins to God
• stop condemning ourselves
• forgive ourselves
• forgive others {giving them room to err}
• learn
• move forward

God has laid hold of each one of us for His unique purpose.  A purpose that He desires to come to pass using you and me.

Remember—all of us have done some things in our past that we're not proud about, but don't dwell on it.  Don't stay wallowed in the memory or the sin.  Learn from the situation and the circumstances.  Let the lesson you learn cause you to grow.

Grow in your knowledge of who God is by spending intimate moments with Him.  Talk to Him about everything, regardless of how trivial it may seem to you.  Pray about everything regardless of how unimportant it may seem.  And find time to read His Word.  These steps will give you the insight, discernment and wisdom to know how to move forward.

Then expect. Expect a fuller more satisfied life once you make up your mind to move forward.

"Lay hold of Christ for that which He laid hold of you."

Let's pray:

Dear Lord, we thank you for giving us Your Word to show us how to live.  Sometimes Lord we as Christians can get in a funk and stay there, especially when we know we have let you down.  Help us remember Your Words, "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us."  Then helps us get up so we can move on with moving forward.  In Jesus name amen.

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Today is Monday, that means I'm GIVING THANKS to Him publicly—in community with them, and sharing it with you.

The List {200-217} ... counting my way toward 1000 of His gifts!

~ air condition & ice ... ice cold drinks

~ McDonald's vanilla ice cream cones

~ Amy Bayliss recipe & Hippy Chicks recipe

~ watching NBA finals w/hubby & son {Yeah Dallas!}

~ God's comfort

~ My mother

~ our family togetherness

~ early morning rising & late night settling

~ laughter from children playing games

~ echoes of father & sons discussions

~ good night hugs & kisses

~ many letters & drawing from young children

~ daughter giving mother a thinking of you card, just because :)

~ ceiling fans

~ cold showers

~ buying fruit & honey from the side of a country road

~ Sunday evening rides to the country, with my hubby, windows down, wind blowing in my hair

::: problems with blog button this morning