#MyriadPrayer - Don't Get Sidetracked

On Sunday my pastor preached from Galations 5: 1-7.  (You can watch it here.) The last line smacked the mess out of me.  "⁷ You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?"  Well, dang.  I was running a good raced but what (or who) stopped me from obeying the truth?  Did that smack you too? 

So when I got home I had to expand the chapter.  What did the Word say after verse 7?  Well, it said a lot.  Here is a snippet:

⁷ You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? ⁸ That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. ⁹ “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” ¹⁰ I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty.

That person or thing that is stopping you from obeying what God has called you to do is like a little yeast.  You have to move biblical metaphors.  A little yeast changes a whole batch of bread dough, right?  Just a little time with the person that is distracting you from purpose can change your whole life.  Makes you re-evaluate your habits and folks in your life, huh?

"Father, please help me to clear out all the distractions that are keeping me from drawing closer to You.  God, please remove the people and things that are in the way of me being exactly where You want me to be.  God, remove those distractions no matter how much I want to hold onto them.  Take them away - far away- so that I may not be tempted or distracted by them again.  Father, I trust that You know best.  I love You and thank You!  Amen.  Amen."

#MyriadPrayer - Freedom

I woke up this morning feeling free.  I know it is the Fourth of July and it is all about America's freedom, but that's not what I meant.  I woke up this morning feeling freer, lighter.  The quote "Free Indeed" kept floating around my mind.  So I turned to John 8:31-36:

³¹ To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. ³² Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
³³ They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
³⁴ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. ³⁵ Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. ³⁶ So if the Son sets you free,you will be free indeed.

Everyday, I have to wake up and remind myself of this freedom.. this freedom in Christ.  With that freedom comes responsibility and a world of possibility.  So today, I am free indeed!

"Father, thank You for freedom that can only be found in You.  Father, thank for the freedom to live, love, laugh, worship.  Thank You for the gift of Your son.  That gift frees me from a life of sin.  Father, I love You and thank You.  Amen.  Amen."