This Life is Not Our Own
Good evening sister saints!
I very well could have used this title or one similar in the past but that doesn't bother me like it used to. I used to get caught up in over thinking things, having to be in control, trying to figure out why people do what they do or other such thoughts that don't mean much. It's taken a lot of flesh killing for me over the years and the realization that it's all a waste of time to get too caught up in such things, helped me to let go and redeem the time because this life isn't ours.
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
I thought about this today, this life not being our own, when our plans changed once again in the late afternoon as we were traveling. After these years of travel and having that happen a lot, it's pretty easy to switch mid day and reset my mind on a new course, making sure I don't forget something important in between what was, and what will be for the day. But there are other ares in our life that we may need to remind ourselves that this life isn't ours and refocus on why we do what we do. I came from a background of various kinds of lives...from poor to having money, from living in one spot and having the same kind of repetitious days, from mundane jobs to high responsibility jobs, to moving over 30 times in my life and sometimes not knowing where I will be living the next month. So diversity is something I'm used to when it comes to living life but there can be other struggles that we have to face and continue to remind ourselves this life is not our own.
* Repetitious life that we think has no end to it and it'll never change.
* Continuous changes in our life that are tiring.
* People who claim Christ but cause unending issues.
* Physical trials.
* Mental struggles (guilt, grief, loneliness etc)
* Marital problems.
* Children problems.
And the list could go on and on. But as we plow through such trials, if we remind ourselves that this life is not our own, we were bought with a price, we can do all things through Christ...then it has a new focus on it.
That focus is Christ and not self.
Too often we see selfish people (which is another trial to bear) who love themselves more than God (even when claiming Christ) and love themselves more than the brethren.
We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
1 John 3:14
Speaking of glory to God, let's all give Him glory in His creation. This video is from our first trip today (before our plans changed and we decided to keep going.) It's from Idaho into part of Montana.
And more glory to the Father in a couple more videos that you can find HERE on our various video page. We drove through the Gallatin Canyon on our way to get to another tourist town for street preaching and witnessing. I told brother Jim that just seeing it makes me want to sing. (I can't sing very well nor do I know any songs but I made a joyful noise in my heart :-)
And more glory to God for His amazing sunsets.
We are super thankful for our spot tonight as it's been a long day of jobs and then with your plan changes, more travel on top of it but praise the Lord, His will be done as our life is not our own. Living this van life has it's challenges but keeping our focus where it belongs helps overcome all that. I just told a sister that this life would be difficult for most people but if it's God's will, He will give us what we need. I was sharing how we came from living in the woods of peace and quiet to living in a parking lot with noise. Like last night having to move away from a loud truck to park by the fueling pumps where trucks come and go all night. We both slept good, all to the glory of God. He also gives us what we need in words to share the GOSPEL with others. He gives us hope. He gives us joy. He gives us peace....need I keep going? The bible is full of all the promises that He gives us and therefore makes us able to live this life for Him...not ourselves.
Glory to God again!!!
Tonight I ran in the store and while I was in line waiting to check out a man was yelling at the top of his voice, profanities and saying they should all be killed, bombed and wiped out. More profanities and yelling so loud it was hard to understand him. Several of the men were looking around and getting ready for...whatever, when he walked out, being followed by one of the male store workers. While I was in there my mind thought of how this life is not ours and it could be taken at any moment.
It makes me think of this...
Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.
Amos 4:12
Prices of gas were $4.50 gallon while we were in Jackson preaching and they have steadily gone down the past few days as we traveled. Gas is a main expense of ours but the Lord seems to provide enough jobs to cover it all to His glory again!!!
This Walmart is a well known parking spot for travelers like us and there have been times we've been here and it was packed with campers to many to number.
Today brother Jim witnessed to a man that said he was Jesus Christ. You can see brother Jim's udate HERE with that and other things that went on:-)
Thank you sister for sharing the scripture pictures:-)
Praise the Lord for this day sisters and let us press one another on.
Much godly love to all of you who are my true obedient sister in the Lord.
Sister Deb
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
1 Peter 1:19-21