abandoned to Christ.

Hello again, dear precious sisters of mine! I'm sorry for getting this out so late, but I've been busy doing what Darlene suggested on her post today.

I've had wonderful praise and quiet time, shorter than I'd like, but my time with God is His time with me...and His determination of how long it should be, I'm sure, is far better than mine!

Since this is my first post for "Live Well", I'd like to begin with why I love it so much. It's because our sister Darlene has based this wonderful weight loss program on Christ and being fully surrendered to Him first (Matthew 6:33). And I'm so grateful to God for her, because this is what I've always been looking for!

I know with this weight loss program, I will not only lose the weight necessary to lead a healthy life, honoring to our gracious Father God, but I will keep it off since it's not founded on me and what I prefer to look like so I can feel better about myself. It's all about Christ and His life shining through our mortal bodies. And everything in this world is temporary, but all things with God are everlasting!

Therefore, while I may be a gourmand, and choose to settle things with food: whether I'm happy and want to celebrate, bored and want something "fun" to do, or troubled and sad and want something to make me feel better, I am resolved to dieting God's way, just as I am resolved to do all things in my life.

So, instead of eating and eating and eating all day (which I LOVE to do), I decided to concentrate on having "One Pure and Holy Passion" (click on the link to watch the video) by doing all the things my darling husband requested I accomplish today! Get repair calls in and clean out our "junk" room. And who worked alongside me? My two wonderful teenage boys!

You see, my sister-in-law and two of her four kiddos are coming to visit us in a couple days and I needed to get our "junk" (bedroom) cleaned out and made ready to be used as it's supposed to be!

Here's what it comes down to dearly beloved sisters: "Who or What do you prefer?" I'd love to say that with every breath I prefer Jesus, but that would be a lie. My greatest passion and desire in life is for that statement to be true. But unfortunately, there are too many times I prefer my feelings, what others might think of me, and my thoughts and ways above anyone else's, including God's. That's when the Holy Spirit of God reminds me:

"For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ."
~ Galatians 1:10 (emphasis added)

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
~ Galatians 2:20

Last time I checked, a dead person doesn't have any of their own desires, opinions, thoughts or ways...needless to say, they don't care what others think of them either! So if I'm truly crucified with Christ and I no longer live, shouldn't I "live" as if I am?

Now let's return to my question, "Who or what do you prefer?" Below is my answer in a song I wrote a couple of years ago:

Although I fail often, my goal in life is to "Live Well". Not according to the world's standards and certainly not according to my own. But according to God's standards, for only in Christ Jesus can any of us truly live well!

By the way, I had my yearly physical yesterday and found out that I've lost 7 lbs since my last visit a couple of months ago!!! May God receive all glory and praise, for every victory is in Christ Jesus our Lord!

Living well with my Jesus,

Beloved sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, I come to you today in great humility and gratitude as I consider the Cross. During my quiet time this morning with our great and awesome God, I couldn't help but be baffled and utterly grateful for His choosing me, as it is written:

"You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He may give it to you."
~ John 15:16

"If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you."
~ John 15:19 (emphasis added)

With sober eyes, I see myself. I see myself as I am without Christ. I am an arrogant and prideful woman who presumes I am qualified to sit in the seat of the Judge and speak condemnations or praise for those I deem worthy or not. How often my prideful heart, so easily deceived gives birth to criticism and judgments without knowledge nor wisdom. There are so many other sins I am aware of and seek to crucify, but I believe my pride and arrogance is the greatest of them all. For pride is what separates any sinner from knowing Christ and living in holy and reverent fear of our Lord, who is the God Almighty.

Charles Spurgeon pretty much nailed what's in my heart today when he wrote:

"I believe in the doctrine of election, because I am quite certain that, if God had not chosen me, I should never have chosen Him; and I am sure He chose me before I was born, or else He never would have chosen me afterwards; and He must have elected me for reasons unknown to me, for I never could find any reason in myself why He should have looked upon me with special love."
~ Charles Spurgeon, "A Defense of Calvinism,"
www.spurgeon.org/calvins.htm

Sisters, I am bewildered at God's choosing me to be His child. To be called a child of God is beyond my comprehension, for I know all to well who I am. And in the light of God's pure glory, I can't seem to understand the reason, but I am grateful beyond any words.

May we all always be in awe of our salvation. May we never forget our wonder of the fact that God would desire an intimate relationship with us sinners that He would sacrifice His one and only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have eternal life.

And in the light of this glorious truth, may we all live in humility, considering others better than ourselves, and always speak well of others - especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. If this can not be done, it would be better that we do not speak at all. As often is the case for me. (1 Peter 4:10-11)

"but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so."
~ James 3:8-10

Lord God, may it never be again of me. May the meditations of my heart and the words of my mouth be pleasing to You alone, my Rock and my Redeemer. Help me to never grieve Your heart again with the overflow of my arrogance. Forgive me Father for allowing the deceptive belief that I supposed I was anything that I could so judge. You Lord alone are the Judge, the righteous Judge. I humble myself before Your presence and bow before You with holy reverence, awe and immense gratitude for your calling. May Your name alone, forever be praised! All glory and honor be given the name of Jesus! Amen.

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