NOT AVIS

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

“…we are always challenging ourselves and one another to "try harder." We seem to believe success in the Christian life (however we define success) is basically up to us: our commitment, our discipline, and our zeal, with some help from God along the way. We give lip service to the attitude of the Apostle Paul, "But by the grace of God I am what I am" (1 Corinthians 15:10), but our unspoken motto is, "God helps those who help themselves."

Yet the realization that my daily relationship with God is based on the infinite merit of Christ instead of my own performance is a very freeing and joyous experience.

As many of you have heard me say many times, the difference between living for God and living for anything else is that when we live for anything else we do so to gain acceptance. When we live for God we do so because we are already accepted. Real freedom (the freedom that only the Gospel grants) is living for something because we already have favor instead of living for something in order to gain favor. - Tullian Tchividjian

This past Sunday I spoke that FREEDOM is our DESTINY (Galatians 5:13 -GOD has called us to FREEDOM).

Trouble is many of us allow our “performance based” mentality seep into our relationship with CHRIST and sadly inhibit our FREEDOM.  

Tullian is right.  

We should make our choices based on GOD’s favor and His wonderful love for us; in appreciation for the CROSS, GRACE and GOD’s love. Yet unfortunately far too many times and days we are consumed with trying to live up to GODLY expectations; to gain GOD’s favor and acceptance by “trying harder.”

We are not AVIS my friends.

We aren’t called to “try harder”.  We could try and try and try and not move the needle one iota toward being more acceptable to GOD.

Isaiah 64:6

When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags.

Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.

Tough truth.  But truth nonetheless.

What we often fail to realize is that GOD simply wants us to commune with Him, walk with Him, befriend Him, and cherish our time with Him. He wants us to trust Him, lean on Him, value Him and honor Him.  

And none of that is truly possible when we are feeling like we have to impress Him.  

He loves us the way we are.  He sent His Son to die when we were “the way we are”.

Charles Stanley says it this way...

God's love for us does not vary in quality or quantity. It will never end or even diminish. No circumstance–or our own actions–can cause the Lord to stop loving us.

Bottom line is, GOD just wants us to walk in His grace unencumbered by the “pressure of performance.”

Matthew 11:28

…Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.

So step into the FREEDOM that is yours today.

Stop trying to impress GOD with your efforts.  Stop pushing to “be noticed”.  Stop the “trying harder” thing.  He already knows everything about you, every hair on your head, every mistake you’ve made or about to make and He is faithful.

He will always love you.

Jeremiah 31:3

God told them, “I’ve never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love, and more love!

I love you all.

Freedom Church

 

Pastor GDelaney