The Finger of God at Work

My blog has been in such a fruitful season these days. I guess it goes to show the reflection of my heart, my self and my spiritual life that doesn't meet the eye but is clear to God. Last night as I was driving I had another life altering epiphany. (These have been coming quite frequently and with fervor nowadays) It's in these moments of solitude with God that he questions me and tests my heart. I love it but I hate it. So anyways, last night he showed me what true freedom means in Christ. Living day by day and finding the true meaning of "following" after Jesus is really just that, a day to day, moment by moment walking in Faith. In this freedom, Christ claims every area of fear and worry, in which I just don't know why I cling on so tightly. I know that I'm taken care of in every way because Christ loves me that much BUT I still have a tendency to (OVER) worry about this thing not getting taken care of to the next bill that hasn't been paid for or that person that needs my help. It's like I can't let go of Worry's hand and I drag him with me through life. Then there's fear that's a demeanor of the enemy that lurks around me. I know Fear and I can already distinguish when Fear is near me. "Jesus I know and Paul I Know but WHO ARE YOU?" (Acts 19:15) kind of a thing. So back to my epiphany about true freedom in Christ. I guess he really enlightened the verse: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt 6:33) in a new light..

There are moments/circumstance/times of my life in the past that I am quite ashamed, guilty and condemned for, not really by people per say but by myself. It's like the prostitute woman in John 8:1-11. I am constantly referred back to this story of this woman over and over, time and time again through devotionals, sermons and prayer times. And the story doesn't change but every time I hear/read/think about this woman my perspectives of myself start to change but the message never does, it goes something like this:

The story starts off with the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who go and find a woman who was "caught IN THE ACT of adultery." (vs 3) They basically drag her out probably half nakedly clothed and bring her into this crowd in front of Jesus, in the exact why they found her. Can you imagine how ashamed, guilty and brutally embarrassed this woman must have been to be thrown like that in the midst of all these "religious" people and right front to be "condemned" by Jesus Christ! my goodness, it gets me everytime! The teachers and Pharisees didn't really have anything against this woman but they just wanted to use her as a means to accuse Jesus saying, ""Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ⁵In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" (vs 5) They kept questioning Him as if they were putting him into a trap but Jesus confidently replies, ""If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." (vs7) A pastor mentioned in a sermon that in those days the oldest person there would be the first to stone a person, the oldest to the youngest, what's amazing is that one by one rocks fell out of the hands of each person until "only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there" (vs 9) And it's at that moment that Jesus straightened up and looks at her with compassion as he looks at me and asks us, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" As we reply, "No one..." and freedom comes through His next reply, "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. (vs11)

"Go now and leave your life of sin."

When Jesus first spoke these words of truth over my life, I immediately departed my life of sins outwardly as well as inwardly and sought to seek after Christ in the things of Him. But there are still moments in my life (now) where the enemy will bring up specific times of my life that still haunt me with guilt, shame and embarrassment at the life I once used to live and the person I once used to be. In the daily, I have to gear my focus and attention to the truth of the matter that, it's only Jesus who can heal me and bring freedom into my life. No matter how hard I try to free myself from the past guilt, shame and condemnation, its that true freedom that comes only when I,

"Seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness,

and all these things shall be added to you" (Matt 6:33)

And when I'm able to look back, from where I am, and see the fingerprints of God at work through my past life to be redeemed through Jesus in my present life as a testimony of how he saves sinners like me, it's then that little by little, one area after another becomes claimed in the Name above all names, Jesus Christ.

"Relying on God has to begin all over again,

Every Day, as if nothing had yet been done"

-C.S. Lewis

-Live Productively