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I just can't help but express how grateful I am to God for bringing me, and all of us, from where we were to where we are now. Everything we've been through, every place we've gone, it's all been part of God's incredible plan for our lives. And even though it hasn't always been easy, look at us now! We're a testimony to God's faithfulness.
But getting here isn't the only thing that matters. What's crucial is “being able to stay in what God has brought us to.” We want to remain in God's grace, not fall back or lose what He has given us. Every day, our goal should be to ensure that we stay right where God has placed us. The enemy might try to trip us up, but remember this: the devil doesn't have a say in God’s plan for your life!
Here's something we all need to grasp: staying in God's plan means doing our part. Often, those who fall away are the ones who never really let go of the things that dragged them down in the first place. This reminds me of 1 Corinthians 11:28-31, where Paul talks about examining ourselves. We must judge ourselves – and by judge, I mean to separate, to make a distinction (G1252) – to choose God’s way over everything else.
Jesus did the hard work on the cross. He shed His blood for us, and that’s a work we can't add to. But to stay in that grace, to remain firm, we need to judge ourselves, to separate ourselves from our past life.
There's this old tree in my backyard. Over the years, I've cut it down several times, but it keeps growing back. The problem isn't just the tree itself, but that I never dealt with the roots. I kept treating the symptoms – cutting the tree down – but never addressed the root issue. If I really want to get rid of that tree, I have to dig deep and remove those roots once and for all.
That’s just like our spiritual lives. We can't just deal with our issues as they pop up. We need to do the deeper work of removing those things from our lives entirely. If we're going to make it to the end, we've got to do the work. “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.”
And let's not forget, this isn't about living a life of fear, thinking we'll mess up. It's about actively separating our new life in Christ from our old ways. You can't have a foot in both worlds. It's all or nothing with God.
So, as we think about this, let’s take a moment to consider our own lives. Are we truly living separated unto the Lord? Are we doing the necessary work to stay in the grace He has provided? It's not just about saying ‘yes’ to God; it's also about saying ‘no’ to everything that's not of Him.
Let’s keep this in our hearts as we go about our days, striving to live in the fullness of what God has for us. Stay blessed, Church!
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