Becky, for me it is a process of gradual transformation, giving more and more of myself up...less of me, more of him! I'm determined!! Painfully slow process, but I take the call to persevere very seriously. Lately I've been putting scripture memorization into practice, and it's been most helpful in keeping the Lord in my thoughts, and in my heart.

Dave, I don't know why, but you have really been on my heart the last few days. Everything alright? I'm praying for you, buddy. 

Becky - I don't see a tantrum when I read the above, I see a dear sister struggling to follow Christ, through a world thick with the pain and lies of Satan, brought on largely as a result of human blindness and obstinacy. I would say hang in there, don't give up!! No matter how hard it gets. And if you sense the desire to quit because you've failed repeatedly (as I have), RUN TO GOD!! (Because that is one of Satan's most effective lies.)

I may have a book to recommend, our small group is reading it together now. But before I recommend it, I feel we need to read a bit further. I share this so maybe you'll ask me about the book in a couple months in case I forget to get back to you!

Mike,

Why do I always cry when I read your blogs and/or comments? Could it be that the Holy Spirit is pouring out of them and touching me deep in my soul?

No Thank You,  for being a good and obeidiant son, and teaching/reaching us all.

Becky, sounds very much like the work of the Spirit to me... :-)

Paul....isn't it great how he takes the pressure off when we give in? Thanks for the compliment, precious friend.

Thanks for letting me know, Sue. There was a line in a song I was listening to on secular radio yesterday, "Do anything I want to do, be anyone I want to be", at first I thought, why not? (But then, that's why they call it secular music.) So the Spirit spoke to me too.

Deb, great hymn! Man, it comes up often around here too! You know what? I just got the most awful feeling that every blog I've written for the last year can be summedup by that one song. Deb, please reassure me, IT'S NOT TRUE IS IT???? lol

Joey, are you asking me? Please... I'm the one who's supposed to ask the questions. Do I really look like I have any answers?

Lara....."He always gives us so much more fulfillment and joy in our lives than we could ever get by doing what we want to do." ......AMEN! That is EXACTLY what came to my mind as I listened to that song on the radio yesterday!! (see my response to Sue above)

Sorry Becky. Shame on you Eric for bringing that up here.

In a nutshell, Arminianism says God has provided salvation for everyone, but His provision becomes effective only for those who, of their own free will, "choose" to cooperate with Him and accept His offer of grace. Calvinism says the entire process of salvation is the work of God and is by grace alone; thus God, not man, determines who will be the recipients of the gift of salvation.

Eric and I have debated the two positions on occasion. Eric is proudly Calvinist, I am Calvinian (or is it Arminist). Eric may have seen some Calvinist sounding language in this blog, but I've never denied that God has full ownership of everything he has created. Ownership is not the same as exercising full control. :-)

I never experienced real freedom until I submitted to GOD.

Peter, prior to Pentecost, was "free". He said what he wanted, did what he wanted, thought what he wanted. But after Peter saw everything he believed in die on a Cross he lost confidence in himself. For three and a half years Peter had followed Jesus...on his terms.

But when Peter and the others were filled in the Upper Room there lives changed forever. So much "press" is given to the first part of Acts 2 and very little to the last part. The 120 individuals became the Church, one body. They began to live outside of their own selves and in the presence of the Father and with each other.

Years ago I did a study on Peter before Pentecost and after. Time and again Peter made mistakes, got it wrong, thought he had it figured out, thought he had a grip on discipleship. But when Peter came to the end of himself and finally gave up on his ability he finally came to know Jesus personally. The intimacy Peter felt with the Lord after His death was far greater than he had ever known prior to.

Mike, there was a time in my life when I did whatever I wanted but I could never be the person I wanted to be. I did not have the ability or desire to do so. These days I still do whatever I want but what I want is so much different than what it once was. I am kinda like Jacob when GOD changed his name to Israel. A pure heart is not who I was but it was who I was meant to be by GOD's design.

I see living for GOD as the only way to ever be free. And that can never happen as long as we hold on to "whatever". For as long as "whatever" has a hold on us we can never be free. But when we surrender, hand over our "whatever" to GOD we finally are in a place where GOD can lead us thru what ever life throws at us.

Freedom...kingdom freedom. Where we walk not as servants or slaves as before to sin, but as children of the most high GOD. Kingdom freedom allows us to live as we were meant to live, be who we are not what we were, and we can make choices instead of choices making us.

Know that the Lord is GOD...get that and the rest will fall into place

it is He that has made us...when we quit trying to become what we think He wants and let Him make us...

we are his, we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture...GOD owns me. I am a part of His family, a part of His flock. GOD takes care of those who are His.

Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Me is never the choice of the flesh but always the privilege of those who walk in the Spirit. To honestly do such a thing will forever change your life. I have never known anyone who did regret the decision. 

.....peace..... 

*Grins widely*  

To be clear -- and on topic -- this is an excellent blog entry. 

Unfortunately many of my wants are not God's wants.