the reason for it all.

As another year of Thanksgiving has come, I know that we all sit and ponder what we are truly thankful for. I don't think that enough hours in the day could sincerely explain all that I'm thankful for. The Lord has done so much for me...it's all too much to even say. As I was reading my Daily Light and thinking about all the things He has done for me, I couldn't help but to think about the cross. It's power, it's strength. The cross is the entire reason my life is even possible. It is what has allowed me to plow on in hope, in the faith, and in the love of Christ. The cross is the reason for everything in my life. It's true!

Because Jesus CHOSE to willingly die on the cross for me, I have become victorious over sin. Not because of me, but because of Him. Due to His death on the cross, I am able to overcome the chains of bondage that I used to sit in. Have you ever truly thought about that? The bondage of sin? When I think about the chains of bondage, I mostly think about someone whose arms and legs are locked into stocks or chains, that are nailed or cemented to the ground. You can't move at all. Whether you try to break your arms and legs free by yourself you know that you'll fail. What can help you break out of that? Well, something huge and supernatural. Obviously the one main thing is the key that unlocks those chains to set you free. That's Jesus. He is the key..the only hope and answer to unlock us or free us from our bondage.

I can't begin to tell you the heavy weight of yuck I used to feel while in bondage to sin. It was as if I was never joyful. Clouds of darkness always loomed about. It was like my heart was constantly taking a beating and every thought in my mind was either evil, dark, or sinful. Ugh! I don't know about you, but I am SO THANKFUL the Lord decided to set me free from those chains! It's all the power of the cross. Jesus took those sins and nailed them to the cross at Calvary. What precious truth. What a beautiful picture of my life. It's all because of the cross.

What is there in the past life that I could want now? Nothing! Jesus has done and given me more than enough. I am so blessed and so thankful for it all. Everything that I need I have right here. It's incredible. I would never want to rewind the time back two years ago, or five years ago to relive it. Those times I don't even want to remember.

While reading my Daily Light tonight the Lord gave me this verse:
"When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now haing been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life." Romans 6:20-22

It totally struck something in my heart. It's so true! I was an ENEMY of righteousness. Can you believe it? What a sorrowful life that was. I can't live without the righteousness and holiness of the Lord anymore! Also, what did I have back then that I could want, now that I'm ashamed of it all? Pshhhhh nothing! There's a reason I am ashamed of it all! haha! The Lord has done that in my heart. His death on the cross has allowed me to HATE the things the world loves. It has allowed me to look back upon my sinfulness in the past, my relationship with the world, and be ashamed. I was destined for hell. I was on my way to death for the rest of my life. Due to the love of Jesus, His choice to go to the cross, I am FREE FROM BONDAGE!

I just love those words :) Free from bondage. It's like I want to climb a huge mountain and then just scream on the top of my lungs for all the world to hear, "JESUS SAVED ME! I AM FREE FROM BONDAGE!" It's so dang precious! It's so sweet! I can't get over it. Instead of hell, where I should have gone, Jesus wanted something better for me. Eternal life in heaven was what He had in mind.

Boy, am I thankful. Why can't people see that? The Lord wants something so much better for them than what they have going for themselves. Yet they go on about their daily routines, the affairs of the world, not thinking or caring about any of it. Sometimes, I too do that. It's so sad.

My earnest prayer is that the Lord would pour the love and forgiveness He displayed on the cross, into my own life. I so pray that I would love others unconditionally and forgive them. Yea sounds so cliche and stupid. But it's easier said than done, especially for those in our lives who are hard to love. Yet, that's the power of Christ. It's the power of the cross.

With the cross, with Jesus..everything and anything is possible. I have seen freedom from alcohol, sexual immorality, unforgiveness, bitterness, hurt, hate, dependency...the list goes on and on. And those are all attributes of my LIFE! Well, the former life.

What joy I have knowing that my former life is GONE. In the past, never around. It's completely over. This new life, this precious beautiful life because of the blood of Jesus has allowed me to be set free. It has allowed me to have a reserved place in heaven. Ah! Sometimes I just get too excited thinking about it.

To think, that the God of this universe would pursue me all the days of my life..loving me, reaching out to me, forgiving me..even when I was in open rebellion and sin.

I challenge you to look at your life daily to see what/who you're living for. Who or what are you living for? The Bible reiterates over and over again, "Keep yourself from idols". Idols aren't just carved images. They're people, thoughts, emotions, places, material items, addictions. They can be just about anything we put in front of God. I truly challenge you to look at how you live your life hour by hour.

Each day is a gift. I wake up blessed that the Lord has chosen to allow me another day on this earth. He hasn't allowed it to be good so that I can have fun. He's allowed it because it's another opportunity to glorify Him in every area of my day. Many times I take this for granted. I go about my day and then when it's time for bed I'll think, 'man, where did it go? did I even use it, AT ALL, to glorify God?' It's humbling.

My prayer is that I especially, and you, would wake each morning with Him. I pray that we would SERIOUSLY consider our hours, our minutes, that they would be devoted and dedicated to our Jesus. If you think about that and say 'really? i have a life too' then are you even truly walking in the truth? Is God truly on your side? As followers and slaves of Jesus, we ought to be yearning for Him every minute of every hour of every day. We ought to be seeking holiness for our lives, and wanting to glorify Him in our daily lives. I will be so blessed and thankful if He chooses for me to wake up again tomorrow. I just know that it's because He wants me to be the faithful steward to bring His good news to those around me.

I hear this said from a friend of mine very recently: It isn't God's business to make you happy, it's His business to make you holy.

Friends, it's time we stop seeking the Lord when we want something or when we need something. We need to be seeking the Lord, on our faces, daily in adoration, praise, thanksgiving. He is not our doorman or bellhop, He is the Almighty GOD, the Ruler of the world. He has the power to take our lives away or to build them up to something glorious for Him. What would you rather have?

On this Thanksgiving, I am praising Him more and more for His love and forgiveness in my life. It astounds me. My only hurt, my only sadness is that I have not used my hours and days to the best that I could. My hurt is that He will come back for His church and say "Child, you could have done so much more."

My earnest prayer is that my hours and minutes would be devoted, dedicated and well spent praising Him, honoring Him and glorifying Him. He is so deserving.

May your heart be steadfast on Him as well. Let us not forget the true reason we are here on this earth. The cross has given us reason to live, reason to go on, reason to be set free from the death and sin of the world. Why would we want to live for anyone or anything else? Jesus' death on the cross is the reason for all that we are.

May we be most thankful for HIM. It is to Christ we owe it all, folks. We are nothing. He is everything.