The battle of performance, fear and guilt is truly real. We are all naturally geared towards these sinful behaviors. Why is it sinful? Because in performance, fear and guilt we are not walking in divine grace, rather We are looking for credit, to please someone, or a pleasing result. Let’s have a few heart checks…. Do you serve at church? Why? Do you serve at home? When you serve are you there by the grace of God or because you decided to bless the church, your home or your work? When people aren’t meeting your expectations, how do you react? With grace or judgement? Do you realize that everything you are able to do is by the grace of God or do you expect everyone to do what you do and how you do it and with the same intensity? The answer to these questions determine if you are performance, fear, people pleasing based or Divine grace filled? The Truth is as a Christian, we will have to do the work in this constantly.

God is clear that we are saved by grace through faith not by works lest we boast. So the fact we can do anything is a gift from God. When your wife asks you to do something and you want to please her so bad you always say yes but what you should have done was ask the Lord if He would have you do it. What about teaching your kids about Jesus? Are you doing it because you want them to follow Christ or because God commands us to teach them? Of course I want my kids to follow Christ with their whole heart, but that is a work of God, not me or you. How do I know you weren’t In Christ? Because when months or years down the road you bring it up as a guilt, doing “everything for her”, “I taught you about Christ”. What about fear, you say yes because you want her to keep loving you. This is a sin because no matter how much you do for her she may still leave, walk out and sin against you. But God is not like that! He can’t sin against you which means if you are His, He is pleased no matter what! Because if you do things because you want to please yourself or your wife, kids, etc there will be resentment and bitterness Every single time! Why? Because you weren’t made to live for them, you can’t. You are not here to please the people you have been given. You are not even here to please God, He’s already pleased because of Christ. You can’t please God, just like you can’t make your family pleased or the people who work for you. You are born to Live In Christ. And only Christ can fulfill them. And when you are His, He in His Infinite Love and Mercy won’t allow your heart to be divided so it just gets worse and worse and you can’t understand why or what’s happening. It’s God Grace, That’s Why! Surrender all, you are not here to perform, please people or help God. Because He wants you to lay your life down and do what He says and what He says only. And how freeing because then it takes the guesswork out of it and the pressure off of you! This is Amazing Grace!

“YOU ARE MINE.” Isaiah 43:1-3

Now this is what the LORD says — the one who created you, Jacob, and the one who formed you, Israel  — “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and the rivers will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, and the flame will not burn you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, and your Savior. I have given Egypt as a ransom for you, Cush and Seba in your place.

GODS JEALOUS LOVE IS FIERCE, HE WANTS YOUR WHOLE HEART, NOT JUST A PIECE. IF YOU ARE UNSURE WHATS HAPPENING TO YOU, ITS HIM, UNRELENTING, DIVINE LOVE. YOUR JOB? SURRENDER AND SAY LORD I’M SORRY, FORGIVE ME FATHER. LET ME LIVE. IN JESUS NAME. YOU ARE THE LORD. BE MY KING.