"Take a Breath!"

 "Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you." (John 13:33 KJV) 

  "For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God's Spirit. And person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people." (Romans 2:28-29 NLT)

 For the record, God's mercy makes all things new; new hopes and dreams, new ways to see the road that is placed before you, and new understanding of what forgiveness is all about! As John says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9 NKJV)

 Now, if He has done this, we then must learn what it means to be forgiven by God! That requires a new heart, a heart that is truly loyal and thankful towards God; a heart that is willing to listen, believe, and apply, all that God tells us to do. Is it really that easy? I wish I could say that it is, but one thing makes it seem easier then dwelling upon the past: "His mercies are new every morning!" 

 Having said that, let me try and say what I believe Jesus is telling His disciples; because even though it is that which He told the Jews, the application and their reason for seeking Him will be totally different. The main point of what He says involves His glory; that which He previously spoke about. There is only One that is able to do what needs to be done, and that is He: "The Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End!" 

 When this deed will be done, those that crucified Him will be seeking to destroy Him; those who love Him, will be longing to be with Him. This is the basic premise of the fall: Man was wanting to rule his own life! That is where we are today, as man pushes God out, he becomes more and more controlled by his own logic and beliefs. 

 That is a curse unto itself! We cannot seek our own ways, while trying to be close with God! God will not allow it, nor will it do us any good, whatsoever! Last night, there was a video of a woman that was delivered from a alternative lifestyle, who shared about something I believe we all truly know, but for the sake of failing, which means missing the mark, we do not fully commit. 

 The issue is with the sin, whatever that sin might be; our focus should not be on the sin, but on God, who delivered from our sins, each and every one of them! We must love Him with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength; and in so doing, those things we feel as though we cannot change, will be changed by God! It is God that changes us; He places a new heart within us and removes those old habits and sinful desires, by giving us the desire to be closer to Him. 

 I really do want to correct all that has been messed up: But, only God, can make something from nothing, turn ashes into beauty, and bring what's dead back to life; regardless, I will still serve Him...

"Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this? You see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ's authority, knowing that God is watching us." (2 Corinthians 2:15-17 NLT)