Unconscience of himself!!

“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭1:1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Devin led us this morning. He had a good word about not pursuing God for your own character and change but rather for God alone. We've been talking a lot this year about seeking God FIRST and our goal is to completely grasp what that means in ALL aspects of our walk with God. It's tough and it takes meditation, prayer and time to let that kind of word saturate our souls and make us understand the call. The call to be set apart!  

Let's not pursue God so that we can become Holy , even though that sounds right , let's pursue Him to know Him and allow His Spirit and Word to change us and use us for HIS Glory!!!

 

2017 Wessel Family Scripture & Word

2017 Scripture - Matthew 6:33 - Seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness and all of these things will be added unto you." 

2017 Word - PURSUE

Life sure is busy and can numb us to the reality and the opportunity of " something bigger and more " in life so one way we try to be intentional is to choose a scripture and a word for the year for our family.

Because of our season of change and our experience of waiting and seeking clarity from God this verse jumped out at us.  We had so many moments of being redirected as we would naturally lean toward seeking God's plan instead of His face.  Ya know what I mean?  We had the tendancy to seek answers and not Who God is and in those moments we were constantly being corrected to just know Him and by knowing Him and His ways everything else becomes clear and will be made known. 

It's not easy, it takes discipline and I have a feeling we will always struggle with doing it our way, but this scripture and word will serve as a good reminder this year and hopefully every year to follow in all of our lives that pursuing God is the way to all that you need.  

This song has resonated with us during this season - 

Before I bring my need

I will bring my heart

Before I lift my cares

I will lift my arms

I wanna know You

I wanna find You

In every season

In every moment

Before I speak a word

Let me hear Your voice

I wanna seek You First 

I wanna keep You First

https://youtu.be/RbWQV3OiRqA

 

 

Rigorous Honesty

“For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭8:21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

We have this tendancy to hide our true self because we are afraid of rejection.  We daub spiritual make-up on ourselves to appear presentable to God and others.  This is an exhausting way to live. It's a double life and so far from true authenticity. Yet we justify it as a means to survival in this mean,  not so impressed world. 

An open prayer saturated with rigorous honesty that calls us out of hiding, to quit trying so hard to be impressive , to acknowledge our total dependence on God and the reality of our sin - will cause defenses to fall and masks to drop as we embrace instinct humility.  

Let it be.   

We've committed this year to drench  every prayer with RIGOROUS HONESTY so that we can be who we really are and then be transformed into who God wants us to be. 

Let's be real. 

 

  

Crucified with Christ

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2:20‬ ‭NIV‬

My head is going in a million different directions with this verse this morning because I've come to understand that God is not calling me to drop all of who I am to be His, He's actually calling all of who I am to be His.  Does that make sense? He doesn't want to de-program my individuality,  but instead delight in it and use me as I am to be a light to the world. This truth makes me feel hope that  while He calls me to "die" He's not saying    That he wants me to be a robot but rather alive and uniquely me in Him!!!

Also... to get back to the "million directions" (lol), this verse reminds me that it's a call to my own personal cross and that adversity and betrayal and hardships find me there, take me there  but in them it launches me into a deeper faith experience and understanding.   

Oswald Chambers said " If we do not resolutely sacrifice the natural , the supernatural can never become natural in us."  I had to read that a lot of times, but I get it!  And I want that!!!  

I am crucified with Christ it is no longer I that lives but Christ in me.  

 

Loved, Liked & Cherished

““Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭49:15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

If the question were put to you "do you honestly believe God loves you?" , you would probably answer "yes",  because the Bible says God is love and that He loved the world and gave His son....however how about like, does He like you?

Is God fond of you?  Does He cherish you?  That thought warms my heart, that idea brings a sense of security and strength...if only I can believe that He does.  

If I can believe that he cherishes me it will bring a relaxed breath to my lungs, a sweep of energy to my weary bones and even a compassion and tenderness towards myself for the days ahead.  What a gift. 

We can relate to this action as parents ourselves....we look at Devin, Livia and Kadin and we love them with all our hearts and we adore them with every fiber of our being and we like who they are and who they are becoming and we cherish every little bitty thing about the way they roll.

Let's rest in that truth a bit today.... and be loved, liked and cherished.