Soaring like an Eagle - CROSS PURPOSES 122
Just got home and read my favourite daily devotional, The Word for Today.
In yesterday’s segment Bob & Debbie Gass tell a little story about a man, who, as a boy, was given the reins to drive his dad’s team of horses, while his dad sat alongside him. Anyway, the young lad got bored with the team just plodding down the road so he clucked the reins and they began to trot. The horses took it upon themselves to start galloping to the point where the boy, sensing danger, tried to rein in the runaway team. All the while his dad, sitting beside him, seemed oblivious to what was happening. Finally, when panic set in, the boy turned to his dad in desperation and said, “Here, take the reins, I don’t want to drive any more.”
Bob and Debbie add, ‘Regardless of how old we get or how capable we think we are, there’s always that moment when the only way out is to turn to our Heavenly Father and say, “Here, take the reins, I don’t want to drive any more.” And He will, but you’ve got to give them to Him!’
It’s true what they write, but when I read that yesterday morning, I had this sinking feeling and heard myself call out aloud, “But how do I do that, Lord? How do I give You the reins?” “I’m holding the reins on things I no longer want to, but try as I may, I can’t let go. How do I give You the reins? How?”
There was no answer – until this morning, that is.
In this morning’s devotion Bob and Debbie give us some absolute pearlers. They refer us to Acts 26:20 – “Repent, turn to God, and do the works befitting repentance.” They start the devotion by saying that ‘when God tells us to repent, He gives us the time and grace to do it.’ Then they add, ‘Scripture is an arrow to the heart of that stubborn sin you want to keep holding on to. Sin is always a choice. As long as you prefer the rewards your sin brings, you won’t seek deliverance from it.’
They cite a Christian who writes: ‘I kept trying not to commit a particular sin, praying about it over and over, only to do it again. Finally, I got mad at God and cried out, “Why don’t You help me with this?” He answered, “Because you aren’t disgusted with it yet. You’re still enjoying it.” I protested, “I do not. I hate it.” God replied, “If you hated it enough, you’d quit it.” In that moment, I realised that I enjoyed the rewards of my sin more than the rewards of obedience. I also discovered something else; I couldn’t hate sin enough by the power of my own fleshly will to come to repentance. I stood helpless in corruption. Repentance is a gift of love which comes from God. And until that love is allowed to work in us touching and exposing those carefully guarded areas, we cannot change.’
I’ve never looked at repentance that way before. Repentance, has always been something I thought I had to do. That’s why I could never do it properly, because on my own I’m simply not equipped to do it. Repentance is a GIFT of LOVE which comes from GOD!!! Repentance is a GIFT! Wow, Fred! You’ve got no idea what impact this has had on me this morning. I’m floating – soaring like an eagle.
Bob & Debbie conclude with the exhortation, “So today, ask God for the gift of repentance.”
I tell you my friend, I’ve asking for it by the truck load! Jesus is Lord! And I’ll tell you something else, just between you and me and the Lord. The tears are flowing right now. I haven’t felt this good and so uplifted since that day… when I danced around the billiard table after sealing the letter that set off the chain of events that led to…
God bless you, brother.
In yesterday’s segment Bob & Debbie Gass tell a little story about a man, who, as a boy, was given the reins to drive his dad’s team of horses, while his dad sat alongside him. Anyway, the young lad got bored with the team just plodding down the road so he clucked the reins and they began to trot. The horses took it upon themselves to start galloping to the point where the boy, sensing danger, tried to rein in the runaway team. All the while his dad, sitting beside him, seemed oblivious to what was happening. Finally, when panic set in, the boy turned to his dad in desperation and said, “Here, take the reins, I don’t want to drive any more.”
Bob and Debbie add, ‘Regardless of how old we get or how capable we think we are, there’s always that moment when the only way out is to turn to our Heavenly Father and say, “Here, take the reins, I don’t want to drive any more.” And He will, but you’ve got to give them to Him!’
It’s true what they write, but when I read that yesterday morning, I had this sinking feeling and heard myself call out aloud, “But how do I do that, Lord? How do I give You the reins?” “I’m holding the reins on things I no longer want to, but try as I may, I can’t let go. How do I give You the reins? How?”
There was no answer – until this morning, that is.
In this morning’s devotion Bob and Debbie give us some absolute pearlers. They refer us to Acts 26:20 – “Repent, turn to God, and do the works befitting repentance.” They start the devotion by saying that ‘when God tells us to repent, He gives us the time and grace to do it.’ Then they add, ‘Scripture is an arrow to the heart of that stubborn sin you want to keep holding on to. Sin is always a choice. As long as you prefer the rewards your sin brings, you won’t seek deliverance from it.’
They cite a Christian who writes: ‘I kept trying not to commit a particular sin, praying about it over and over, only to do it again. Finally, I got mad at God and cried out, “Why don’t You help me with this?” He answered, “Because you aren’t disgusted with it yet. You’re still enjoying it.” I protested, “I do not. I hate it.” God replied, “If you hated it enough, you’d quit it.” In that moment, I realised that I enjoyed the rewards of my sin more than the rewards of obedience. I also discovered something else; I couldn’t hate sin enough by the power of my own fleshly will to come to repentance. I stood helpless in corruption. Repentance is a gift of love which comes from God. And until that love is allowed to work in us touching and exposing those carefully guarded areas, we cannot change.’
I’ve never looked at repentance that way before. Repentance, has always been something I thought I had to do. That’s why I could never do it properly, because on my own I’m simply not equipped to do it. Repentance is a GIFT of LOVE which comes from GOD!!! Repentance is a GIFT! Wow, Fred! You’ve got no idea what impact this has had on me this morning. I’m floating – soaring like an eagle.
Bob & Debbie conclude with the exhortation, “So today, ask God for the gift of repentance.”
I tell you my friend, I’ve asking for it by the truck load! Jesus is Lord! And I’ll tell you something else, just between you and me and the Lord. The tears are flowing right now. I haven’t felt this good and so uplifted since that day… when I danced around the billiard table after sealing the letter that set off the chain of events that led to…
God bless you, brother.
posted by PastorFredVeerhuis at 7:59 PM
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