Month: December 2019

Control vs. Choice

Posted on by DFHcoaching

God is a god of choice, not control.  He owns everything, yet, he NEVER insists that we worship and obey him.  He graciously allows us to choose how we will respond to his extreme goodness.  He knows who he is, and is very confident in his self-knowledge.

God pursues us through his incredible offer and opportunity of having a relationship with the Creator of the entire universe, who is all knowing, all powerful, and everywhere present.  He demonstrates through the life and death of Jesus Christ, his Amazing Grace, and allows us to respond to that Grace.

He allows us to choose him, as any intelligent person would.

Satan on the other hand, cannot offer relationship.  Think about it.  Who in their sane mind would want a relationship with the Father of lies, deception, and manipulation?  So instead of relationship, he offers us things.  “All these things will I give thee, if thou will fall down and worship me” Mt. 4:9.

His motive is control.  He desires to remove our choice.

Closing thought.  Be on your guard of those who offer you things in exchange for relationship.  It may not be God.

I Am DianaForHim

#KnowYourAdversary

Calvary Began in the Wilderness

Posted on by DFHcoaching

The victory that Jesus won at Calvary was possible because of his victory in the wilderness at the very beginning of his ministry.

He victory over Satan in the wilderness was won by renouncing and rejecting the lures of the flesh and world.   That victory was accomplished not by his own words, but by declaring the Word of God.

Of course, he was Jesus, and we're not.  So how do we as mere humans reject the lures of the flesh and world?  Let's face it, we like things.   So how do we change what we value and like?

We can’t, but he can.  When we give him our heart, he empowers us to desire what he desires.  The key is giving him our heart.

This is not an easy thing to do.  But when we understand the true value of what Jesus did at Calvary, it puts our dilemma in a posture that we can more easily manage.

Jesus has a right to rule our lives because He owns them.   Our sin separated us from the Father.  Jesus’ blood reunites us with the Father.

When we allow him to have what rightfully belongs to him, he empowers us to change what we value most.  The will of the Father becomes more important to us than anything else.  And when this transformation occurs, we have the ability to renounce and reject the world and our flesh, regardless of how tight it may hold us.

 

The Key?   Give Jesus your heart.