Fraudulent: Part II

Good afternoon to all of you who have taken some time out of your day to read my post, I thank you. I hope that whatever revelation I reveal to you in this post today brings you strength and encouragement. So, Part II...where to begin. Since my last post, God has been doing something incredible inside of me. It has not come without tears, persistence, heartache and sometimes long nights, rather, it has come through loss and a deep pain resulting from this loss. But, from loss God can do much. From crushed dreams, God can do much! I have a flip book that sits on my vanity in my room. Yesterday's quote was by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. She states, "God's gifts put man's (or woman's) best dreams to shame." Truth. If you think your dreams are fabulous and wonderful, put them in God's hands, sit back, and watch Him do far more than you could ever imagine. Granted, it might take some time for his handiwork to be seen by you, for a thousand years is like but a day to our God. (Again...gotta love the need for patience factor coming in. My fav....;)). But if we wait patiently for God's gifts...he can and he WILL without a doubt TOP my dreams. I mean, look what he did in the beginning...he pretty much created everything you see around you out of N.O.T.H.I.N.G. Ummm, sweet! Adding to this, this incredible Creator has not only created out of nothing all that we see, but he has also been able to take loss and make it whole.And this brings me to incredible news: Jesus. (Sunday school answer, yes. But always right!). Col 2:13, Paul writes, "When you were dead in your sins (UMM BIG LOSS HERE PEOPLE) and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature (SUPER BIG LOSS), God made you alive with Christ (WHOLENESS). He forgave us all our sins,.(SCORE!)" Christ not only makes me alive and therefore whole...but he is also, "The author and perfecter of my faith." (Hebrews 12:2). Which brings me to the fact that NO LONGER do I have to be a fraud when it comes to my faith BECAUSE OF CHRIST. Period. What he says goes and to be honest, what he says is pretty phenomenal....sooo...I think I'll take his words over the world's and sometimes my own. For far far too long I have allowed my focus to be on the temporary...(ewww) when truly, this life is but a preparation for what is to come. Want a picture of what is to come? Check it: " Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." (1 Peter 1:3-7)Boom! . After reading this today, I said, "LORD, I want that! I'm sick of spending my days here on this earth straining for anything BUT attaining YOU and what you have for me and what is to come. I don't want gold that perishes. I don't want a job that can end or to invest in those things that count as nothing on that last day. Nope, I see and I want the eternal in the worst way and I won't rest until I get it! " Will attaining this sometimes be hard work? You better just count on that as an affimative. It will be super hard work. Worth it? Ummm...an inheritance that doesn't perish, spoil or fade. Like duh..tots worth it. You see...God has been doing a work in me that has not been fun, the "NO FUN ZONE" if you will. There were days I wanted to bury myself in a hole and never come out. And I'm sure he hated having to allow this pain to enter my life...but he knew that the end result would be a something far more beautiful than what was before. And I tell you the truth, sitting on the other side of this....it's worth it. All the pain, all the tears, heart ache, etc. has been worth it because today I am stronger than I use to be. I have more courage than I could ever hope for and I know that my faith is genuine and that to me is worth more than all the silver and the gold or anything this world has to offer. My hope for you is that you look at the 1 Peter passage above and allow it to sink in. Ask yourself: "Do I want that? Do I want an inheritance that can NEVER perish, spoil or fade?" If the answer is yes...brother or sister, you have gained much. And soon, you will see your strength, courage and honor increase!! And, you will be able to look at this life with an incredible purpose as your prepare for the incredible journey God has planned for you!