Over the past week or so, we have been talking about our dependence upon the Lord and how he works wonders in our lives, not because of anything we do, but because of his unconditional love for us. Just think how life would be if we did not interject our own wants and desires that derail us. Our Free Will causes problems when not in alignment with the Word. Our Free Will hears the voice of the Holy Spirit telling us what to do but ignores it, it falls on deaf ears. Free Will carries consequences. We head off blindly down a trail, not a clearly defined road, and when we look up, we find ourselves in the muck and mire, or according to the King James Version of the Bible, mud and mire.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. Psalm 40:2 NIV
Think of muck and mire being something like quicksand, or a horrible muddy pit at the worst and a muddy hole in the road, at the least. The Lord plucks us out of the pits we fall into – the muck and mire of destruction. While we’re in the pit wallowing in the mud, we often feel that our situation is beyond hope, beyond help, beyond recovery. We find ourselves slipping off the rock we are attempting to perch ourselves on to stop the slippage, still trying to be in control of our destiny; and in a ruinous state of sin and guilt, unable to save ourselves.
And, while we are slipping and sliding, seeking solid ground and exhausted, ‘in steps God’. Christ is our rock, and he takes us by the hand and plants us back on solid ground. He re-establishes our steps and leads us to safety. Whenever we find ourselves caught in the muck and mire of life, remember Psalm 40:2. Like a parent, he picks us up, cleans us off and stands us back up.
As Christians, we continue to grow in a relationship with our Lord, and we will continue to follow Free Will that diverts us from our path. We will continue to find ourselves in situations that nudge us to become more and more dependent on our Lord and Savior. Our experiences are lessons that cause our ears to become more inclined to hear the quiet voice that says do not turn to the left or the right; keep your foot from evil. Proverbs 4:27 NIV. 
The direction we take is of our choosing. We choose to follow the Lords’ voice, and we also choose the way of the muck and the mire. As Christian Warriors we must learn not to depart from the prescribed path but listen to the quiet voice behind us saying, this is the way. We must learn to tame our Free Will to stay out of the muck and mire, however, when we find ourselves there, call out to the Lord. He is patiently waiting for us.
Our Lord is a Lord of multiple chances. As long as we are in a relationship with him, he will never turn away from us.
Images – Google Images
Scripture – Biblehub.com
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Thank you!
Today is Valentines Day. It is the day to display and recognize a loved one, but not in the agape kind of love, the Christ-like love, the outpouring of love for all of humanity, kind of love, it is – temporal love.
mandated by God. It is one of the main reason Jesus was sent to earth.
. He reconciled our relationship with Him by sacrificing His son, Jesus Christ, who bore our sins at Calvary.
When we fail to follow them, we suffer the consequences. Here are some examples: We decide that cutting corners at work will increase the profit margin; we fail to be honest and trustworthy. We cheat on a test in school; we are not honest or trustworthy. We mistreat loved ones, constantly bringing up their faults and disrespecting them, we are not showing love or kindness. You see someone in need, and you rush past them trying not to look them in the eyes, you are not showing affection, love or kindness to others. You are fraught with anxiety and worry when everything is falling apart; you are not demonstrating peace. You want everything today and rush through life; you are not patient; another word for patience is forbearance. Your speech is colored with cussing, and gossip is part of your conversations, you do not walk in integrity. When you are hard and legalistic, you are not demonstrating meekness or being gentle. You are not disciplined, you succumb to bad habits, large and small, deadly and barely perceptible, you lack self-control.
or feel that something is not right when you are getting ready to say or do something out of character? When we sin, we suffer. When we suffer, we should examine our motives and actions and compare them to the Fruit of the Spirit and determine how we sinned, which is part of the process of correction. It is not God’s intent to punish us. God’s intent is to allow us to learn and correct our actions and through this process, it is His intent to allow us to heal.
“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
and before taking action, to think which of these traits (the Fruit of the Spirit) am I demonstrating. Are they Christ’s traits or that of the evil one. If by chance, my actions fall under the latter list, I repent and note that I must be more alert, praying not to repeat that negative trait again, and reduce its frequency until it no longer has a life. It’s a lifelong process.
