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Tuesday, January 24, 2012

My Chained Heart

"My heart is chained to the unchainable Jesus."
This statement by Louie Giglio at Passion 2012 has been planted deeply inside my spirit.
Who would think that a statement about being chained could be the
catalyst of freedom,
of life for these dry bones?
But my destiny, my purpose is not chained
to what I was,
what I've done,
my failures,
my losses,
my insufficiency...
NO!
My destiny, my purpose is chained to the
Grace-Giving,
Failure-Forgiving,
Always-Winning,
More than Enough God that I love!
I don't have to try live my life FOR victory...I have the privilege to live my life FROM victory because I am a daughter of the King!
I have chained myself to the unchainable Jesus!

 John15:5 
"...Apart from me, you can do nothing."

So what HAVE you chained yourself to?
addictions,
wrong beliefs,
circumstances,
acts against you,
actions by you,
the past,
the future,
...and the list could go on and on and on...

Let it go! Grab onto His Grace! Move the chain!
Learn to remain....remain in Jesus!

So what WILL you chain yourself to?

Bishop T.D. Jakes speaks to this truth-in his own unique way- in this clip from "Let Them Walk"...see for yourself...

Chain yourself to Freedom.
Chain yourself to Victory.
Chain yourself to Peace.
Chain yourself to Wisdom.
Chain yourself to Truth.
Chain yourself to Love.
Chain yourself to Power.
Chain yourself to Healing.
Chain yourself to Deliverance.
Chain yourself to the Lover of Your Soul.
Let the rest of it WALK!

Chain yourself to the unchainable Jesus!

Tweet/Post this: "My heart is chained to the unchainable Jesus."@louiegiglio #forHisglory

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Heart Ramblings

You.
That's all I really care about.
You.
I want more every time I taste and see Your goodness.
Every time I find You I just can't belive that You would trust me with another piece and portion of Who You are.
I believe You.
I believe that what You have in store, I cannot even begin to imagine.
I believe that You are poised and ready to be all I ever need You to be...
...if I will just surrender.
Really say, "Your will, Your way"
Really step out on faith that moves mountains.
Remaining comfortable,
stagnant living,
shallow giving,
gasping for air breathing,
my agendas seething...
I can live like this NO MORE.
I cannot watch my life whiz by uninterrupted.
I am dizzied by my own lack of action,
My own refusal to let You press pause.
I cannot do this poor excuse of doing anymore.
I cannot be this comfortable living,
parasite Believer.
This Pharisee, pining after rules instead of God's heart,
on a rule following,
attendance taking,
activity going
sugar-high...
Justifying my own agendas because they are outside the boxes around me,
Yet, they are boxes of my own creation, just the same.
They are not His.
No.
He did not create these rules I keep,
This track record I collect and store to display somewhere- a hall that does not exist.
No.
He is a box-breaking God
who desires box-breaking worshippers...
Spilling the messiness of their oil of worship all His feet
And meshing it with  the sacrifice of
Tears
Joy
and Thankfulness
and Awe
and...
and Nearness.
Even when the room comes to a halt...
Even when whispers deafen...
Even when the burn of stares singe the edges of my heart...
Even then...
Press in.
Press in further.
I won't stop until I'm at His feet.
Because that's where it all disappears.
It all fades away as I fall at the feet of the Object of my affection...
This Jesus.
This is it.
He is It.
He is All.
He is Everything.
Yes.
YOU are.
That's what I believe.
This is what I know is Truth:
You are Truth.
And when the world tells me that I am confused,
a distraction to those seeking outward reverence above a life messily sacrificed on Your altar...
THAT is when I will just RUN to Your feet, look You in Your face,
look Truth in the eye,
Feel Truth wrap His arms around me and whisper my name...
Truth sings over me with a voice of rejoicing.
Yes, He delights in holding this messy sinner,
who runs crying,
unworthy,
but BOLDLY approaching the throne of Grace!
He finds joy in my feeble attempts to rightly worship unhindered by this rotten flesh.
Because there is no "right",
Because there is no list of rules
He only asks me to come.
Really.
He just wants me...
even more than I want Him.
What?
I know.
It's crazy.
How can this God want me?
Why would He want this pile of issues and shortcomings?
Because I am His.
Because He knew me before I took a breath.
He formed these moments I am living and called each one into existence.
He's walked each one and laid each moment down,
Packed full with His presence and provision...
If I'll reach out...
If I will see.
If I will look past my own insufficiencies that I have allowed to lay down walls of limits
amidst these moments He has made for me.
My vision is limited by me.
The horizon,
endless,
unlimited potential,
and beauty...
THAT'S what He created.
So,
I want to see.
I want to see past the limits I have bricked up all around me.
I want to see with Spirit eyes...
Blinded to all else.
Because that's when Grace experienced is labeled...
Amazing.
Because what else do you say when a
poor,
destitute,
bitter,
enemy
is freely forgiven,
joyfully welcomed,
given this Love,
and immeasurable riches?
What else do you say when unmerited favor is handed out
to one like me...
...and so lavishly?
What else do you say when the rightful hand of death,
this death sentence I so deserve,
is paid for by Another?
What do you say when this wretched ife is not only forgiven-
it is proclaimed,
declared NOT GUILTY?!?
What can I do but shout,
"GRACE!"
"AMAZING!"
And what else can I offer...
but my life in return?
No.
It's not enough.
No, it is not payment.
Because THAT is a debt I cannot repay.
Jesus already took care of that.
Nope...
It is my offering.
My thanks.
My joy to give.
And I am beginning to understand that is it His joy, Your joy Father, to receive.
In all its messiness,
in all its ridiculous junk...
It is His joy to receive it because...
That's how He loves.
Far beyond what I can understand...
He loves me.
He desires me in the middle of my mess because He has His cleansing blood
ready and waiting,
His robe of righteousness to bestow on me.
And I...
I don't deserve it...
But...
That's how He loves.
Yep.