Pilgrim's Progression

This world is not my home, I am a pilgrim on a journey to a heavenly city. As I travel this earth I find myself getting too comfortable, too complacent, too willing to delay the purposes of my journey here. At times I even get caught up in serving to the point that I lose my perspective. There are moments when I get a glimpse of my future home and it's splendor and at those moments my vision is renewed to live as a pilgrim.

Too often I lay my armor down and drop my guard only to come under attack from the enemy in a myriad of ways. Those attacks can be subtle or they can be sudden and violent. Either way the attack comes and my lack of care and continual preparation for the battle causes me injury- sometimes it can cause others injury. As for my Lord, I cause Him grief. Oh the remorse that follows, the realization of my own fault and foolishness. And oh the precious comfort my gracious Lord pours out on on me through His Holy Spirit as I repent of my sins.

Praise be to God that:
~Christ is my righteousness (I Corinthians 1:30).
~He understands that I am a sinner, weak and defiled, prone to wander (Romans 3:10-12, 23).
~He is my refuge in times of trouble (Psalm 18:2).
~He never leaves me nor forsakes me (Hebrews 13:5b) even when I fail.
~His forgiveness is full and complete as I come to Him in repentance (Psalm 103:12).

"Lord I am in awe of Your mercy and grace toward me a sinner. I praise You because You are worthy of my praise, my life, my all. Enable me to live a life that is a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to You. Tranform me by the renewing of my mind that I may prove what Your will is, that which is good, acceptable, and perfect (Romans 12:1-2). Amen."

Dryer Lint

Dryer lint- it's amazing stuff... it's never ending and it accumulates so quickly especially when I do a load of towels or blankets. Faithfully I clean the lint trap and I encourage my girls to do the same. Recently I was informed that the trap isn't the only place that lint accumulates, it accumulates in the dryer casing and in the dryer hose which over time creates a major fire hazard. The hose takes a little effort but it can be fairly easily cleaned. The dryer body is a completely different matter. Of course I haven't any idea how to get in there to clean it out, the lint is hidden, unreachable so I tend to forget about it. Putting off cleaning is pretty easy because the lint is out of sight but it still exists... so does the danger.

As I pondered dryer lint (strange as that is), I saw a correlation to sin in my life; sin is never ending and it temptations, pitfalls, residue accumulates quickly in my heart. The obvious sins I try to keep on short account with God... you know those everyday ones we know are a problem and everyone around us know are an issue- those are my lint trap sins. These sins are visible and fairly easy to find out. It can be tempting to stop there and feel that I have dealt with my sin but like lint, there are hidden sins that accumulate in the recesses of my heart. While these sins aren't so easy to identify, they are in there growing and gaining ground in my heart creating a fire hazard. One day those sins will consume me if I do not take the time to do the hard thing and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal them to me then enable me to truly repent, put off those sins and put on the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 13:14).

God will wash us thoroughly if we will only but fall at His feet in humble repentance. I praise God for the cross of Jesus Christ and the blood that was shed for my sins. I praise God for the victory won there. If I confess my sins God is faithful and just to forgive my sins and cleanse me from ALL unrighteousness (I John 1:9) Alleluia, Amen!

My prayer is this Lord:
"Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin." Psalm 51:2

Ephesians 1:3

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places with Christ."

Jesus Christ has blessed us in one simple completed action- acting for our good as He sees what we need most not what we desire. That blessing specifically pertains to every regenerate, spiritual blessing (to be declared as indwelt by God and thereby fully satisfied) in the heavenly realm.

Our blessings are much higher and much more enduring than this life and world. They operate and exist outside of the temporal realm. These blessings are immeasurable and eternal. They do not hinge on our performance but on His good pleasure to do it in order to conform us to His image and present us faultless before the throne.

Praise be to God Who alone is able to do this!