God Will Help Us Change Our Affections
Greetings sisters in Christ!
Praise His holy name, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Alpha and Omega, our Father, the Rock and Protector, He is all in all...infinite, holy and just.
I was using those terms when sharing with someone in our earthly family, not long ago. Brother Jim and I were witnessing to her and her boyfriend for several hours and at one point her and I had some time alone. I was able to share my testimony and how this God (she knows nothing of until lately) transformed my life. And brother Jim's. And could do the same for her and her boyfriend if they were to repent and follow after Jesus. Then they could lead their children (our grandchildren) in the ways and truth of God and out of the clutches of satan.
She mentioned her love of many things of this world and I shared that God will help us change our affections. I explained how when one repents that their entire life focus turns from the world and self, to God and His ways, leaving all behind. I shared how I had many things to overcome when I was born again and through the power of God (through Him all things can be done) I have overcome. I explained that as believers we leave this old life behind and go forward preaching the gospel to help show other souls the way to eternal life and the more we walk, the further behind this old life is and the closer eternity comes. Our minds and affections are set on what is before us, not what was behind. She said that made sense and would have to think about it all as there is a lot to give up. I told her it was called counting the cost and we see many who are stirred by the Holy Spirit that begin to 'see' and understand (like she was) but sadly most are not willing to give it all up for Christ and end up worse off than they were before. I shared with her the power of God is a transformed life and she was looking at (Jim and I) as miracles. (She had heard stories of both Jim and I before Christ as they live in the town we used to.) I told her we went to the super bowl to witness where over 70,000 people went. I asked her if she thought we liked the idea of walking into a crowd of people to preach what they didn't want to hear, about God. She widened her eyes and said 'no'. I explained the Spirit is what pushes us on and our Spirit wants to do those things which our flesh does not yet by the power of God, in our love for Him, we do such things. It's a matter of life and death and our Father, who is of great power, can change our affections and we end up doing that which we thought we would never do, becoming what we never dreamed of being. I shared how our affections that are focused on those we love in our earthly life, become encompassing to the rest of the world, whom are lost as well. What we used to love (that is sin) will be transformed into hatred of it. All this can be had by crying out to God to save our wretched soul.
After that talk I have been pondering how God changes our affections. I recall as a babe in Christ, loving the fact of being on this earth to be able to share the truth and I really didn't want to die. I wanted more so to be here to try to win children, family, friends, lost neighbors etc. than to be with Christ. That day it hit me I was so grieved because I didn't know how to love God and I begged Him to forgive me on that. I begged for Him to change my heart and affections to Him more than anything else and over time, He did. Many things don't happen overnight, some faster than others but we see the human heart is hard, wicked and blind yet with the help of the Holy Spirit it is made new and transformed into the likeness of Christ. A new heart and new mind are given to us, the old cast away to be gone forever if we strive on in obedience.
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. 1 John 4:4
Our Father is infinite. (I had just the day before, explained to one of our granddaughters what an infinite God we have.) There is nothing He is not capable of as He created it all, He is all in all.
If you are struggling in an area of which your affections are set on something you know they shouldn't be, trust that our heavenly Father can help you if you ask of Him.
Let us all examine ourselves, ask the Lord to examine and reveal to us, areas we my have our affections wrongly placed and pray that He would change our focus. Do you love your husband or the desire of his affection and approval so much that you compromise on the word of God? Do you love your children so much that you spare the rod? Are you pursuing a career that is not a good and godly witness for a woman of God? Is your home an idol that takes up more time than the things of God? Is your reputation more important to you than sharing the truth of Christ with those around you? Dig deep and see what your affections are set on and if you need help changing them, our loving Father is right there for you if you go to Him.
I leave you with some of our Fathers beautiful creation picked from along a busy highway where He placed them.
Love in Christ,
Sister Deb
Praise His holy name, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Alpha and Omega, our Father, the Rock and Protector, He is all in all...infinite, holy and just.
I was using those terms when sharing with someone in our earthly family, not long ago. Brother Jim and I were witnessing to her and her boyfriend for several hours and at one point her and I had some time alone. I was able to share my testimony and how this God (she knows nothing of until lately) transformed my life. And brother Jim's. And could do the same for her and her boyfriend if they were to repent and follow after Jesus. Then they could lead their children (our grandchildren) in the ways and truth of God and out of the clutches of satan.
She mentioned her love of many things of this world and I shared that God will help us change our affections. I explained how when one repents that their entire life focus turns from the world and self, to God and His ways, leaving all behind. I shared how I had many things to overcome when I was born again and through the power of God (through Him all things can be done) I have overcome. I explained that as believers we leave this old life behind and go forward preaching the gospel to help show other souls the way to eternal life and the more we walk, the further behind this old life is and the closer eternity comes. Our minds and affections are set on what is before us, not what was behind. She said that made sense and would have to think about it all as there is a lot to give up. I told her it was called counting the cost and we see many who are stirred by the Holy Spirit that begin to 'see' and understand (like she was) but sadly most are not willing to give it all up for Christ and end up worse off than they were before. I shared with her the power of God is a transformed life and she was looking at (Jim and I) as miracles. (She had heard stories of both Jim and I before Christ as they live in the town we used to.) I told her we went to the super bowl to witness where over 70,000 people went. I asked her if she thought we liked the idea of walking into a crowd of people to preach what they didn't want to hear, about God. She widened her eyes and said 'no'. I explained the Spirit is what pushes us on and our Spirit wants to do those things which our flesh does not yet by the power of God, in our love for Him, we do such things. It's a matter of life and death and our Father, who is of great power, can change our affections and we end up doing that which we thought we would never do, becoming what we never dreamed of being. I shared how our affections that are focused on those we love in our earthly life, become encompassing to the rest of the world, whom are lost as well. What we used to love (that is sin) will be transformed into hatred of it. All this can be had by crying out to God to save our wretched soul.
After that talk I have been pondering how God changes our affections. I recall as a babe in Christ, loving the fact of being on this earth to be able to share the truth and I really didn't want to die. I wanted more so to be here to try to win children, family, friends, lost neighbors etc. than to be with Christ. That day it hit me I was so grieved because I didn't know how to love God and I begged Him to forgive me on that. I begged for Him to change my heart and affections to Him more than anything else and over time, He did. Many things don't happen overnight, some faster than others but we see the human heart is hard, wicked and blind yet with the help of the Holy Spirit it is made new and transformed into the likeness of Christ. A new heart and new mind are given to us, the old cast away to be gone forever if we strive on in obedience.
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. 1 John 4:4
Our Father is infinite. (I had just the day before, explained to one of our granddaughters what an infinite God we have.) There is nothing He is not capable of as He created it all, He is all in all.
If you are struggling in an area of which your affections are set on something you know they shouldn't be, trust that our heavenly Father can help you if you ask of Him.
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Matthew 7:7-11Let us all examine ourselves, ask the Lord to examine and reveal to us, areas we my have our affections wrongly placed and pray that He would change our focus. Do you love your husband or the desire of his affection and approval so much that you compromise on the word of God? Do you love your children so much that you spare the rod? Are you pursuing a career that is not a good and godly witness for a woman of God? Is your home an idol that takes up more time than the things of God? Is your reputation more important to you than sharing the truth of Christ with those around you? Dig deep and see what your affections are set on and if you need help changing them, our loving Father is right there for you if you go to Him.
I leave you with some of our Fathers beautiful creation picked from along a busy highway where He placed them.
Love in Christ,
Sister Deb
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