EVERY extra-marital affair starts off with giddy excitement but over time deteriorates into extended misery and deep disappointment.
The grass may LOOK greener on the other side, but when you get there, you find it's no greener than where you are right now. Often you may find the other side not green whatsoever!
Appearances are deceiving!
Nothing is as quite as exciting as it first appears. The devil only shows you one aspect of the proposition he dangles before you. There are two sides to every coin. Satan only shows you one side.
Jesus said, "Judge not according to appearance."
Even the "new car smell" eventually wears off.
Proverbs 27:20 (KJV)
[20] Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.
"Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman that fears The Lord shall be praised!" (Yep, Solomon wrote this verse. He ought to know! School of hard knocks, I guess!)
Once as a new believer, a beautiful woman caught my eye. Suddenly The Lord gave me a mini-vision: I saw a beautiful silver chalice descending from above. It was absolutely beautiful as it glistened in the light. Expecting to see luscious wine as I looked into the cup, I was shocked! Instead of aromatic wine it was filled with dirty stinky dung! (OK Lord, I got the message! Outside does not necessarily equal what's Inside!)
1 John 2:15-17 (MSG)
[15] Don't love the world's ways. Don't love the world's goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father.
[16] Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him.
[17] The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.
AS YOU READ THE "I" DECLARATIONS BELOW, consider making them your very own resolutions by SPEAKING THEM ALOUD with your own lips!
In the name of Jesus I am determined to obey God, if for no other reason than I don't want to look back over my life and lament over what could have been!
When I stumble or fall, I'm going to get back up by the grace and mercy of God! God has a plan for my life that totally eclipses my mistakes! Consider EVERY great person in the Bible. They ALL made mistakes along the way. But they ALL rose again to pursue God afresh!
I am going to use my faith to receive everything God has for me!
I am determined to use my faith to accomplish everything God intends for me to accomplish in this life!
I refuse to succumb to doubt and unbelief!
In the name of Jesus I will FIGHT to believe Gods promises for my life! I will not resign myself to wallow in self-pity! I will not be distracted from Gods an for my life! I will not look to the left or right, but straight on!
I categorically refuse to be self-absorbed! I choose to be absorbed with The Lord!
I will not surrender to mediocrity!
I will not give in to fear and intimidation!
I will not be oppressed!
I say "No" to depression!
I will not drown in discouragement! I will not live there!
I will not quit The Lord! (He won't quit me!)
I press on to know The Lord!
I press through all my fickle emotions, my personal weaknesses, and the vicissitudes of life to stay in hot pursuit of The Lord!
Three "My soul's" in Psalm 63:
1. My soul thirsteth for thee.
2. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness.
3. My soul followeth hard after thee. |
