How to walk in victory

‘But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ’. 1 Corinthians 15:57

More than anything else in life, a Christian needs to walk in victory.  But sometimes victory seems to akin to a mirage in the desert, especially when you are going through tough times.  However, God is not asking you to create your own victory nor struggle alone in the wilderness. 

I reckon God is asking us to stay close to him. He wants to pour words of love into each of our hearts and sing songs of love over each of our lives.  

But how do we do we hear him when everything else in the world screams for our attention? 

I believe we need to ask the Holy Spirit to give us ears to hear his voice and eyes to see his presence in our lives.  We also need to be intentional about worshiping Jesus and spending time with him in prayer.  And it’s about recognising that we need Jesus to stand up for us when we can’t stand up for ourselves. 

When we walk with Jesus in our everyday lives, then we walk in victory everyday.

God's Masterpiece

 “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10

I’m not an artist but I really admire works of art and the creativity behind them. 

When you think about it, a painting doesn’t have to actually do anything to earn the love of the artist. The artist doesn’t love it because it receives a special award or earns him money in an auction. No, the artist loves the painting because he created it with his own hands exactly the way he wanted it.

You are God’s greatest masterpiece and you are loved with a passion. All you need to do is remember how loved you are and how free you are to walk in that love.

Christian Disciplines and Why you don't have to do any of them.

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him” Colossians 2:6

Have you ever heard the term ‘Christian Disciplines’?  Christian disciplines usually refer to a list of things you have to do to maintain your Christian walk and to me it all sounds pretty boring. 

In my opinion, the Christian life should be anything but boring.  At the risk of being controversial, I will say that that a Christian doesn’t have to do a single thing in their walk with God.

We don’t have to read the Bible but we get to read words which are both God inspired and breathed.

We don’t have to go to church but we get to gather with other believers and celebrate Jesus together.

We don’t have to pray but we get to talk to our Daddy God and hear his voice.

We don’t have to worship Jesus but we get to lift his name on high.

We don’t have to do anything but we get to do everything.  And I reckon it makes our Daddy God’s heart sing when we come to him by choice and not because we feel we have to do it.

The Shepherd who loves his sheep

And when he has found it (the sheep), he lays it on his [own] shoulders, rejoicing.  Luke 15:5

Do you ever feel like that you have made too many mistakes or are too much of a sinner for Jesus to even look at you?  I have a suspicion that we all feel like that from time to time.  

One of the stories Jesus told to demonstrate God’s love for the world, was the story of a sheep that got lost and a shepherd who loved him.  When the shepherd realised the sheep was gone, he dropped everything to search for it.  Then, when he found the sheep, he picked it up carried it home.  The little sheep didn’t have to beat his chest or beg for forgiveness...he just had to rest on the shoulders of the shepherd.  And not only that, the shepherd was so happy when he returned home with his found sheep, he had a party.

Next time you feel lost, remember Jesus our loving Shepherd is not only carrying you but he is also celebrating you.