I want to start this with a not so simple statement: I am a man of faith who is still growing, still wrestling with my own humanity, and always seeking God’s direction. I am not merely concerned with whether I am doing things for God, but whether I am becoming the person God wants me to be through all that I do according to His will. I want to move beyond religious participation and focus on spiritual character, personal accountability, obedience, and transformation. I pray that when you read what I write I come across as a sincere and passionate man of God who understands that spiritual maturity requires the courage to examine oneself, the humility to acknowledge one’s shortcomings, and the faith to obey God even when doing so is difficult or uncomfortable.
Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror, not to see the flaws of your appearance, but deep into your own eyes to see the flaws of your spirit, your character, into your very soul? Recently, because of all that I have been going through, I have been intentionally doing that. Sometimes, the hardest person to be completely honest with is the person staring back at us in the mirror. We can recognize the shortcomings of others so easily, yet struggle to acknowledge the areas in our own lives where we have fallen short. Because of my desire to genuinely walk with God, I know that I must be willing to allow Him to reveal the things within me that I may not want to see that are displeasing to Him.
I have been praying fervently and asking God to help me to be the MAN of GOD that I know He wants me to be. I may be one of the few who actually admit it but there have been many days where I feel that I have fallen short of reflecting the glory of the Lord Jesus in every aspect of my life. I know that we all sin in many different ways, some we are conscious of and others not so much. One of my prayers is written in Psalms 19:12 Who can understand his errors or omissions? Acquit me of hidden (unconscious, unintended) faults.
We all have sins of doing the wrong things, the things that displease God, but there are also things that we don’t do that God wants us to do, but we just don’t. This sin of omission is written about in James 4:17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
Sometimes it’s not about just taking a step of faith, but a leap of faith trusting God to help you. There are moments when God calls us to move beyond our comfort zones, surrender our own understanding, and trust Him even when we cannot see what lies ahead. Obedience is not always convenient, comfortable, or easy, but that does not make it any less necessary. There are battles that all disciples of the Lord Jesus face when it comes to our natures as we can see clearly written about in Galatians 5:17 For the sinful nature has its desire which is opposed to the Spirit, and the [desire of the] Spirit opposes the sinful nature; for these [two, the sinful nature and the Spirit] are in direct opposition to each other [continually in conflict], so that you [as believers] do not [always] do whatever [good things] you want to do.
Dear Hearers, may you as God’s children look deep into your own heart and seek out what is wrong with oneself and whether obedience to the calling that God has put on your life is too much to handle, and if it is you must evaluate whether or not it is because of your own pride or selfishness, or maybe due to complacency and laziness. We must be careful not to allow our excuses, fears, or personal desires to become greater than our willingness to obey God. Sometimes the very thing we keep putting off is the very thing God is asking us to surrender to Him. We cannot continually ask God to direct our steps while refusing to take those steps when He makes His direction clear. And I want all who read this to know that I am only pointing the finger at myself.
Ask God to purify your heart as I have asked God to purify mine. I want the Holy Spirit to bring the conviction on me to be able to fulfill His purpose for my life to God’s glory and not my own. Do not mistake conviction for condemnation, because God desires that we recognize our shortcomings and turn our hearts back toward Him in all things. We must be intentional about putting our faith into action, showing love when it is difficult, extending forgiveness when it is undeserved, and serving others even when there is nothing to gain for ourselves. Our walk with Christ should be evident not only in what we profess with our mouths, but also in the decisions we make for all that we do, the way we treat others, and the obedience we demonstrate when no one else is watching.
My purpose is to be obedient to what God has called me to do, even if it is troublesome or inconvenient, and I pray the same for all who read these words whether you like it or not. Let us remember that none of us has reached perfection, and we all have room to grow in our relationship with the Lord. No matter where you are in your walk with Christ, there is always an opportunity to turn back to Him, seek His guidance, and allow Him to work within your heart. May we encourage one another, pray for one another, and walk together in faith, knowing that God’s grace gives us hope and His Spirit continues to lead us toward the people He has called us to be. My prayer in sharing this is with the hope that I am not presenting myself as someone who has mastered the walk with Christ; that I am presenting myself as someone who genuinely wants to walk it faithfully without compromise along with all who are willing.
My prayer for all who are willing:
Heavenly Father, I come before You with a humble heart, asking You to search me, expose what needs to change within me, and give me the courage to face those things honestly. Help me to recognize not only the sins I commit, but also the opportunities to do good that I allow to pass me by. Give me the strength to put my faith into action, to be obedient when it is difficult, and to follow through on the things You have placed upon my heart. Teach me to be more patient, more compassionate, more forgiving, and more willing to serve others without expecting anything in return. Remove my pride, selfishness, complacency, and anything else that stands between me and the purpose You have for my life. May my words, my thoughts, and my actions reflect the Lord Jesus, and may my life bring honor and glory to You by the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ precious and powerful name, Amen.
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My BeLoved, may the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen. In Christ Love, douglas. HE>i. pastord.blog
Special Note: I want to thank those who read what I write and are encouraged to support the ministry God has entrusted to me either one time or have decided to give on a monthly basis. I am encouraged to see certain verses playing out before my eyes like what is written in *Philippians 4:16 For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.*
To any who are interested, please feel free to reach out to me with prayer requests, questions, encouragement, or for information on how to come alongside me with financial support at pastord.blog@gmail.com or I do have a Zelle account associated with my phone number, 5202720387 last name Blaser. Thank you my Beloved for your ongoing prayers and support.
