Today’s Dare: Believe you are no longer of this world. ( page 71)
“If we are to be surrendered to God in a way that is described as worship, we must lay it all down new and fresh every morning. And when God requires something that is difficult, we are to ask for his help, not jump off the altar!” From the Faith Dare.
Ok. This dare couldn’t be timed more perfectly for me! Just this morning, I had already decided to get back on track with my eating/exercise. I had gotten sloppy with it, after a time on steroids for a medical condition. The steroids did me in, left me discouraged, and clearly off track in the eating area.
Have you ever been on them? It’s not joke, you could eat ten houses!
It makes me sad to think how many years I struggled with self focus because I felt bad about my weight, when God’s power was always there to give me all the self-control and strength I needed to be sane in this practical area. And, it makes me sad how I just don’t do things that are healthy for me…just because…I don’t want to.
Yikes! who do I think I am? Owner of my self? Yikes!
enough…I am putting on my walking shoes, and stepping the dare out this morning, on the pavement of my neighborhood. My body is not my own. I am a steward of this body that belongs to the Most High God. I have to make sure I am taking care of this temple.
I dare you to reconsider how you do what you want, when you want, just because you want! 🙂
“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life, your sleeping, eating, going to work, and walking around life, and place it before God as an offering.” Romans 12:1
“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Col 1:17
Leave a comment!
Tell a friend! Get someone else to look upward rather than spiraling down in emotion! Yes!
Let’s Live Up!
Debbie
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 I am not my own I was bought at a price. Oh my what a price!! At the cross He was willing to pay for me with the price of His own precious blood. How greaty He must of loved me to bear my sins in His body on the cross. Therefore what does it say I must do “honor God with my body” When I don’t and do as I want I am acting as a thief taking that which does not belong to me. I must use my body to glorify God, the One to whom it belongs. Hugh challenge…because it must not just be for this morning during my devotional time but into my everyday life. I must stop being usual and become UNUSUAL!
Oh, Christy I like that…must stop being “usual” and become unusual! Yes! Well, I just got back from my 50 minute walk. I had to get back up and start today. My body is not mine, it needs upkeep…and as I saw the yards that were so beautifully kept up, I got really convicted. People take care of properties that cost alot here in Northern, CA, but our lives, bodies included…cost the cross, and I have spent years being haphazard with the precious gift of the “tent” to serve the Father with. One day at a time….50 min. today, protein shake in hand…here we go!
this Faith stuff is practical, isn’t it?
Yes, Debbie. I can sympathize with you. I was on 60 mg of Prednisone per day, for 5 months…(almost) unheard of as far as dosage.
It was a physical, psychological & spiritual nightmare. A blessing in disguise.
I was prescribed Prednisone for medical reasons- to protect the infant growing inside me, yet soon after, a Stanford doctor suggested I end the pregnancy because of the needed dosage; I chose to continue treatment.
Not only did I end up with diabetes from the Pred., a dehisced C-section for 2 months (steroids slow down wound-healing), the weaning off Spiraled into a suicidal depression coupled with Post Traumatic Stress. Not to mention- I gained 25 pounds AFTER my baby’s delivery!
One doesn’t realize that God is All you need until God is all you have to hang on to …..luckily I had my faith.
Although I wouldn’t wish depression/pharmaceudical side effects on my worst enemy, it has helped me grow in so many ways.
We all know that It is in these moments of despair that Faith is tested. Weakened and strengthened.
I wanted to die. Yet I knew my body was a temple which belonged to Him.
Coming so close to death, I took a major step. I had to start somewhere. The physical was the only thing I (felt) I had control of. Taking physical steps for my body would help with the psychological. I needed the serotonin and anti-depressants weren’t working quickly enough during crisis mode.
I still suffer bouts of depression and have accepted that it will always be a part of me. I have gotten my physical and psychological selves into shape these past years, however using your metaphor of Lawn Maintenance, I will be reminded daily as I walk out my front door- to nourish the seeds of my soul. And take time for (daily) sabbath….Not just on Sundays.
~Kerrie
Practical yes, but as one lady in my group said it is not as easy as it appears, remember when you said “don’t be afraid of hard” well it is much easier to live a life of being complacent, dictionary says self-satisfied. One of the enemies most usefull tools. Must look and live up to not get caught in its net…thanks for the encouragement
Today I was challenged with impatience over dumb things. The lady helping me at the store, had no idea what she was doing, took forever. I felt frustrated and just when I almost said something snotty I thought…Ok, I am not of this world. I have Jesus living in me. This lady is probably new, live loved, live light…and I did. Once she was done with the long transaction, she actually said, Thank you for being patient, I am new and the system is not working. I know it’s probably frustrating, so thanks a lot.
I left knowing I lived loved towards this woman.
Thanks for comments. And, Kerrie, that was my dosage as well, 60 mg. I felt like it was going to make me crazy 🙂 But, strangely the appetite and weight fluctuations didn’t happen until AFTER I was off. But, it is a testing of what God has been teaching me for a year. I am not my own. Ugh! Learn it, Debbie, Learn it!!!!:) I usually give up if tested too much in this area, and God is calling me to Live Up in Faith.
He holds all things together! Col 1:17
Christy’s comment about being “unusual” reminded me of Beth Moore’s teaching of So Long Insecurity. Beth taught 6 statements that describe a secure woman. The last statement was that she is “Exceptional in life.” When she allows Christ to overtake her, she becomes the exception to the rules of this world in her actions, reactions, feelings, etc. Those two words resonate in me with today’s dare, no longer of this world. I have been challenged today to completely surrender my current circumstance to the God whom I belong to and who lavishly loves me as my spiritual act of worship. By faith I will be unusual and exceptional in this trial by how much of it I submit to God, not by how strong I can be through it.
I love on page 75, where you talk about a “living” sacrifice capable of crawling off the altar at any time. I laughed out loud while reading that this morning – I just pictured myself jumping off the altar because things in my life were a little tough. I have crawled off the altar many, many times. I’m so grateful I have a new day every morning, a new start of totally surrendering to God and doing something about the fat that has been hanging around much too long. Thanks for your encouragement and inspirations.
Debbie, Thanks for yet another great truth…
Indeed, I see myself jumping on and off the alter many times a day. Hummm… does that count as my daily exercise?
It has been good so far, this dare. I feel as though I am more aware of taking time to stop and listen to what the Lord wants me to say, do or not say or do. I am learning that I have a choice of what to believe. I have experienced peace in the middle of trials. I like this place where I am.
Yet today, I am being challenged. It was bound to happen. The enemy doesn’t want to have me strengthen my faith. The world wants to creep in today. “Nothing for myself? All for Him?” I am having trouble with total sacrifice. As a mom, I feel as though I have already sacrificed all of me. Some days it is right and I am at peace. Not so today! I am resentful. I sacrifice and the kids can be unappreciative and rude and thoughtless. I get angry and want to just run from it all. How can they be so ungrateful when I do so much and love them so much?????
And gently, the Lord said to me, “I know how you feel. I have done so much and my children are ungrateful, too. They fight with each other and pick at and poke at each other. They continually disobey my commands and are rude to Me, to Jesus Who gave His life for them. I know just how you feel! But remember, Mary, that you all are learning and growing. I don’t expect you to get it right all of the time. I want persistence in our relationship not perfection in your behavior.”
Today, I am not so much struggling with the snack portion of the dare. I have been trying to eat healthier for the last two years. Even choose a healthy snack if I need one. But do I need one or just want one? Good question. Today, I am questioning if God wants me to have the snack. This morning I needed to go to the grocery store. Ryan was at basketball camp, Sean went to the store. I made my list. The last item said “What else, Lord?” I wanted to get the food He wanted me to get.
It drives me crazy when my kids do something without asking. It should be no different with me and the Lord. He has planned my day. If I want to follow His plan, I need to ask what He wants me to do. As the day goes on, something triggers the selfish part of me and I just don’t want to give of myself any more. No one appreciates what I do! Again, He gently said, “Mary, you are not sacrificing for them. You are sacrificing for Me! I appreciate what you do out of your love for Me and for them. If they never appreciate you, know that I always will when you genuinely sacrifice yourself out of your love for Me.”
He will refresh and renew me when I needed it. It probably will never feel like it happens when I think it should. But it will always be at the right time. I can do it with His help if I ask Him and receive from Him the wisdom to continue on, giving Him my first and my best out of my love for the love He has for me.
So, live as a foreigner in this world, my fellow princesses! Enjoy what your King has planned for you. Give Him your whole self today. What have you got to lose? Anxiety, stress, anger! Not bad!!!!!