I have been crucified with Christ

So much to say. I must be honest with you that I am in a mood. I have written and rewritten this post so many times and yesterday....when it was finally time to get it finished..... I was visited by a SEVERE STOMACH ACHE, my painting randomly fell in the sun room...breaking all my pretties, and my Internet completely shut down. Seriously. I then stomped my feet into the living room and shouted....."YOU WILL FLEE FROM THIS HOUSE SATAN IN JESUS NAME! I WILL WRITE THIS POST AND YOU CAN'T STOP ME! WE WIN, YOU DON'T". Ha! Then I might have done a karate chop and a high kick in the air....ninja like....but we will just let God enjoy that vision! ha! Always a moment when you are thankful you are not married and can just yell at the top of your lungs randomly. I was furious last night. But all the more determined to get this word out.

This current study God has brought me has gotten under my skin so bad that I just had to put myself on the flow before I began to write and beg for Him to write through me because I could easily write this one on my own......well the parts where I want to shake some of you out there trying to be "in" and "of" the world all at the same time. .......or flirting with the idea of it.

See, my nature is to tell you to "PICK A DANG SIDE ALREADY AND BE BOLD FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE"!!!!....mainly due to Rev 3.14ish....."These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth". .............but that could be a whole other post and screaming at you to be bold does not really always have the desired outcome that I see in my head. So I am just gonna write what the Lord says to.

I am not here to please you but to please Him.

I have grown extremely sensitive and out right offended, at times, these 2 week on what Father has opened my eyes to.....heck, you that are sittin right in the sin I am about to talk about will be offended.......both believer and non-believer alike. If so, take it up with God because I will be using scripture the entire time and no "world view" or "world acceptance" will ever, EVER TRUMP the WORD OF GOD. but always remember that He can RESTORE ANYTHING AND ANYONE.....current sin, past sin. Don't forget that.

Just warning you on this one.

I have been up and down the pages of Galatians 2 weeks now reading and rereading every word. I have heard the book being called the ...."Declaration of Independence" for true believers in Christ. I like that title. Bold! When Paul wrote to the Galatians, he was strait up unhappy with them. They had been taught truth and we now being easily deceived by false prophets and others coming in to tell them what to believe. They were turning from their faith.........sound familiar to anybody.....sound current to our day and time.....

Paul says in verse 6 of chapter 1.... Of course during this time the Jewish people were telling the Gentiles that to be saved they had to follow Jewish customs and all that mess. At this point Salvation was free to all......old Jewish law no long mattered and Christ's death allowed all mankind the ability to know Him personally. That we know. My focus is on how much this letter lines up with so many Christians today. How so many of us struggle with following God with our whole hearts or just saying we follow Him but our hearts belong to the ways of our society.

Sex

Living together with boyfriend/girlfriend

Living together with fiance before the wedding

Seduction

Affairs/Adultery

Lust

These are the things I have been so offended by lately. Now, those of you active in any of these things I have listed...hear me out and what God's word has to say before you click off because I have made you uncomfortable....we all get uncomfortable with our own sin when studying God's word. Convection is what pulls us to Christ for forgiveness....so hear me out.

I lived without cable for years. And when I got it a few months ago I was thrilled with all the choices I had before me. However, the more and more I have cable and all the choices.......the more and more offended I become. The more annoyed I become. I can hardly watch a movie or show on tv that does not involve sex, extra-marital affairs and the glory of how cool that is, couples living together (engaged or not engaged) and play house....something that people say " it is very healthy", people having emotional and physical affairs that lead to obsession of some kind, constant self gratification and all other sins that bring such glory and joy to the evil and ever destroying satan.

and I'M SICK OF IT!

I want to scream out ............

stand firm child of God.......girl wanting to please everyone else......stand firm and don't pick up that yoke of slavery and put it around your neck. Refuse to pick it up! YOU DON'T HAVE TO PICK IT UP.

Those that don't know God don't have a clue that they are caring a million yokes on their necks. Then I remember that the word of God says..."the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God". 2 Cor 4:4

Those that do not know God as their personal Savior are not held to the same standards as those of us that are called His children. The Holy Spirit does not dwell in them and therefore they are ruled by the morals THEY think are ok. Not by what the Word of God says. We all understand that right? So what is good for them is NOT good for us. That might be bad news to some but for many that is a big fat AMEN! So I am burdened for the non-believer and annoyed as all get-out at the believer choosing the god of this age instead of THE ONE AND ONLY GOD!

All these things that are on my nerves right now will always be around. I know that. They were a hot topic in bible days and they are still a hot topic. What is bothering me is not the unbelievers but the believers that claim Christ and in the same breath live their sin so out loud that their testimony is covered and not seen by the outside world because of their actions. And if the testimony is seen....even a peek of it....those around don't believe it....because they only see the sin that is so of the world and assume that this "Christian walk" is all a load of crap. Why the heck would they listen to you..........your just like them......except that you proclaim to be something different. And the word "Christian" that so many of us hold is highest regard is trashed and made a fool of because you don't really want what God gives.

So I am really frustrated because every where I look I am seeing everything that leads to my captivity. Everything that drags me back to the beginning and everything that causes my testimony to be false....should I choose to take my eyes off Christ and live it all my way.

I am heartbroken for the believer laying in bed at night next to a man that is not her husband and a man God did not pick for her, living a life that He did not ok. I'm heartbroken and angry. I'm angry that they demand God's blessing while never once trying to live out what He requires of us. I'm heartbroken for the woman that struggles back and forth with God's truth because SHE KNOWS IT.....but doesn't trust Him to give her the courage to walk away. I'm sad for the person that is left so empty every time their sin of choice is over and they are left there alone wondering how the heck they ever go into this mess. I'm mad that God is cursed and blamed day in and day out by believers expecting EVERYTHING GOOD from Him and not ever giving Him anything GOOD. Mad that they are never willing to offer a true sacrifice of praise or even sacrifice a desire...(sin) they have to God. I'm mad that I hold the sanctity of marriage in such high esteem and long for the day I am involved in the covenant of marriage.........and believers are choosing to violate and disgrace what God created all for their own selfish desires. I am angry and furious at satan and how he attacks, attacks, and attacks and angry that we never bother putting on the armour of God and fighting back.

WE ARE FREE IN CHRIST PEOPLE........but freedom is a privilege. We are not free to just disobey Christ or practice every single type of Immorality but we are FREE to SERVE a GOD THAT GAVE EVERYTHING FOR US! That is the freedom we have....

They will know the truth and the truth will set them free.........free....or we as believers will know the truth and still choose to do it our own way....and we will NEVER be FREE. We will continue to cry ourselves to sleep at night because we know our God is good but we can't seem to get to Him. We feel He is so far way and we have done so much ugliness for Him to even care to look down on us.

Enslaved. Captured by the enemy. Believers, in the one true God that sent His son to die for them, enslaved. Living the way we want because sometimes it is just flat out easier than really seeking God....and how dare He ask us to give up things..... that make us FEEL So GOOD.... to please Him. Seriously....Thank goodness he doesn't use that same selfish attitude when He deals with us.

Our struggles with daily/minute by minute temptations are just going to be part of our walk. That is what Galatians is talking about. BUT THE AMAZING THING IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO BE IN THE CORNER CRYING......WE DON'T HAVE TO BE IN A SITUATION THAT IS UNHEALTHY FOR US! Beautiful thing about it is that we have a choice. We have the choice to be lead by the Spirit or be lead by flesh.

continued..........The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God......

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other" Gal 5.16-26


The last part puts me in tears....."Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires..........KEEP STEP WITH THE SPIRIT"! I don't know about you but after the list of sins and it says...I WARN YOU.....those three words put me in check instantly because I have NO interest in pushing God's buttons to see what happens when I continue after the "warn you". And why would I. I am free. You are free. He is for us not against us. So my question is........Believer, why are you not living free? Why are you still hanging on to crap? Why are you still cherishing what could destroy you more that what could give you great JOY AND LIFE? Why is it too hard for you to call our Father's name? Why is it you don't really believe that He can take you over, turn you up and down, refresh your insides till they are bright and shiny, and create in you a NEW BEING?

He did it for me. He changed my thinking and habits.......and things that I thought were ok but in reality were worldly....not godly. He made me a completely different person and I praise Him for that because this Caroline is soooooooo way better than any Caroline I could try to create. But I know you won't believe me till He does it to you..............so I dare you to ask Him and see what happens. I leave you with this last passage from Galatians.............

Oh Father..................I don't even know where to start. My heart is so heavy for the believer that thinks life will not get any better than where it is now. Father you do not only convict us of our sin but you CLEANSE US OF OUR SIN! I know you do. I know you do. What beauty you create in us when we finally say to you......."GOD I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE! I KNOW YOU. I BELONG TO YOU BUT THERE IS NOT A TRACE OF YOU IN MY ACTIONS AND LIFE STYLE.........I'm tired, I need you to rescue me from this mess I have created.....I need you to save me". Oh God you are so tender to love us before, during, and after our seasons of pure stupidity and selfishness. Even in the sins that we commit against ourselves.........YOU MAKE US WHITE AS SNOW! But you do not play when it comes to sin. You are not ok with your children out right disobeying what you sent your son to give us. So I pray deep conviction on our hearts when we start looking left too long or start flirting with the idea of something that does not have your name written on it! I pray for the girls...ladies that you have asked me to pray for the last 2 weeks.....Oh how I ask you to break their chains and set them free. Oh how i desire for them to be able to stand up and say BOLDLY......


.....and mean it with EVERYTHING THEY HAVE! I NO LONGER LIVE BUT CHRIST LIVES IN ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SAVE US! Create in us pure hearts. Open our eyes to see wonderful things in your law.........and help us to stop fighting you on the very things that will LIBERATE US! To you and only you do I give my praise. Now change a life tonight in Jesus Name! For I give you all glory and honor and praise for what you are about to do. YOU ARE WORTHY!

amen