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Jesus answered, 

“I am the way and the truth and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me.

~John 14:6

 

…the kingdom of God is in your midst 

~ Luke 17:21

 

Good morning Dear Sister!

May you feel the presence of the Lord working in you and through you today!

As I wait on the Lord to instruct me, I find myself hemming and hawing. What does that phrase mean anyway? AI describes it like this, “Together, these words describe the act of speaking indecisively, making vague comments, or deliberating at length to avoid a direct answer or action. “ 

Yep, that’s precisely what I’ve been doing! Thoughts like, “what direction should I take this thought?”, “ooh a cuppa tea sounds really good right now!” Then, the dog wants to go out, and while I’m up, maybe I’ll get a snack to enjoy with my tea… and on and on.

It was in the midst of all this hemming and hawing that the Lord brought to my remembrance something I heard Pastor G say a couple of weeks ago. (So at least it wasn’t a complete waste of time!)

According to my notes, he said, “Don’t make Jesus first in your life….” What?? I have decided to follow Jesus, how can I follow Him if He’s not first? Of course I want Jesus to be first in my life! At first glance, it seems like a simple enough concept, but let’s think about it for a minute. What about all the other aspects of life that need to be first sometimes? 

For example, when I got up this morning, my priority of the day was to write to you. But wait, first, making sure my husband got out the door with a decent meal in him was a priority. Then, keeping the vet appointment for the dog became a priority. After that, a sudden prayer request popped up; pray first or I’ll forget! Priority! Oh! A What’s App chat with a friend in India where it’s after midnight….I can’t refuse her! 

I kind of get it now….putting things first doesn’t always work out, even with the best of intentions! 

But Pastor G didn’t just say, “Don’t put Jesus first in your life,” he then declared, “make Jesus the CENTER of your life!” Wow! That changes everything! Instead of me trying to fit Him into my life, I can allow Him to FILL me with His life!  Instead of me trying to insert Him into slots in my day, He fills my day with accomplishing His desires! And you know what? His to-do list isn’t as long as my to-do list! 

Our way to the Father is not by practicing our own priorities or activities, but through Him whose life and love draws us to do His will. When we make Jesus the center of our lives, wherever we go, and whatever we do becomes an opportunity for ministry, worship or testimony! When we make Jesus the center of our lives, doing His work brings joy and fulfillment like no other!

God pours His treasure into us so that wherever we go, we bring His kingdom with us! Imagine the impact that we might have on everyone around us; pouring out the fruits of His spirit on the people we meet! To love the unlovable, to give peace to the tormented, joy to those who are despairing, to be forbearing when people drive us crazy, gentle to those who have been abused, showing God’s goodness to people that aren’t necessarily good themselves, kindness in this cruel world, and faithfulness even in the tough times.

One fruit remains that God has poured into His children, the fruit of self-control. Many practice self-control by setting goals and priorities and attempting to stick to them, but Jesus centered self control, or temperance, is the work of the Holy Spirit in us. Of all of the gifts of the Spirit, this one seems to be the most difficult to manifest. By making Christ our center instead of a priority, we must give up control of even ourselves to Him. To have Jesus be the center of our life, rather than first in our life, shifts the focus from self-strength to His strength, the only One truly worthy of our focus!

So, my beloved sister, who or what is at the center of your life today? Even in all our blessings, life is so much richer, more purposeful and rewarding when Jesus is at the center, bringing us into all the good plans our Father has for us! Even strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow! (Now that’s supernatural!)

God bless you dear sister! Keep loving Jesus and moving forward!

With love, your sister, Celeste