INL August 11, 2006  

SOUNDING OUT:
What Do You Want?

  God bless you in the wonderful name of Jesus Christ who blazed the trail for us so that we could walk in his steps. We have been saved by God’s grace, and we continue to walk therein.

  What would you like to see come to pass in your life? Ephesians 3:20 says that God “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” Philippians 2:12 also encourages us to work out our own salvation (wholeness) with fear and trembling (that is an oriental idiom for reverence and obedience). Our reverence for and obedience to God’s Word allows us to manifest and demonstrate our wholeness to the world.

  We don’t dwell on our shortcomings or the failures of the past, but leading every thought captive to Christ, we think of ourselves as God thinks of us. The only thing that brought us this far was God's grace. That is not about to change. His mercy and His compassion fail not.

Lamentations 3:22,23:
It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

  It is always available to put the past behind and have a fresh start as we move on with God. God purchased our complete redemption through Jesus Christ. His will is to work within us to will and to do of His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). We have the pleasure of His company if we want it. That is called fellowship, and it is never more than a thought away (I John 1:9). Do we think of ourselves as God thinks of us? We are His children, and He thinks only good of us.

Jeremiah 29:11-13:
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
  What end do you expect for you endeavors? God wants a more abundant life for us. He is just waiting for us to rise up and believe the Word of ourselves. We simply walk with Him putting off more of the old man and putting on more of the new man. It can be a continuous action, but that is our choice. Choice not chance directs our lives, so we never give up. We choose God’s Word.

  We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. What are some of the things of God that you have thought about? What have you asked Him to do in your life? What qualities of life from God’s Word do you want to manifest in your lives? Our God can do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think, so what are you waiting for? Enjoy your fellowship, and let ‘er rip!