For His Glory

Obedience. One little word that requires a lot at times.

The full meaning of obedience is to comply with an order, request, or law or submission to another’s authority.

Now, let us go a little further.

Obedience to Jesus. – Ouch. I’m stepping on toes; believe me it steps on mine too. Often when I think I am in the right, I am found in the wrong, because I am only found right in my flesh, and I’m found unright or unrighteous in my spirit, what spirit, the spirit of the Lord that lives within me, the spirit that corrects me, guides me, leads me and also (ouch here it comes again,) the spirit that convicts me.

Do you pray for conviction over your wrongs? I do. I always want Jesus to convict me. As long as he’s convicting me, he’s keeping my sinful nature in line, and it reminds me I am his, and I know he does it out of love, just like we discipline our children out of love.

For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth —Hebrews 12:6

So, what is obedience to Jesus?

Obedience to Jesus is fully surrendering to Jesus. Its fully giving him your heart, soul, mind and life. It’s taking everything and laying it at the foot of Jesus. Its saying God, this life is not my own, you gave it to me, now Jesus, my Lord and King, I surrender it back to you. Take my life and let it be what you will have it to be. Only say the word Jesus, I’ll go, say and do all that you would have me to do. Fill me with the Holy Ghost Jesus so I can withstand against all that life throws at me. Fill me with the Holy Ghost Jesus, so I can fully understand your word, your ways, and your plans for my life. Jesus let me as bold as the prophets of old. Let me be like Daniel who slept with the lions, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendego who danced in the fire. Let me be like David who slew his Goliath. Let me be like Job who lost it all, begged for death, but still refused to curse you and die. Let me be like Joseph who was sent ahead of his brethren, although Joseph didn’t understand, he persevered and all things worked out for not only his good, but their good, because You my Lord, hold the bigger plan. You my Lord, know the ending before we ever know the beginning. Most importantly Jesus, let me be like you! Harmless as a Dove, but wise as a serpent. I’m not sure I could ever hold my peace if someone spit in my face physically, now spiritually people spit all the time (Confession, at times I fail at holding my peace. I am not perfect. I am human, But Jesus, I desire to be like you, even if I have to bite my tongue off, swallow it and choke on it. Bad reference but we all know serving Jesus is the best thing in life, but it also has its challenges. We go through FIRES).

So, why the topic of Obedience this time…

Because recently, I’ve had to do one of the hardest tasks I never wanted to. Jesus knows what exactly it was and if you know me well enough you know I had to do too for HIM (meaning there was no getting around it.) Like Abraham, I had to lay down my ISSAC. My Issaac was my clutch, my Issaac was my wonder, my Issaac was what I cleaved to more than Jesus. My Issaac was what I wanted in my flesh more than obedience in my spirit. My Issaac is what I desired in my life more than the cross, there I said it. I loved Jesus, but I was placing my Issaac and how I thought the events surrounding my Issaac should or would play out. I daydreamed constantly about my Issaac.

But then Jesus.

Jesus began to deal with me over my Issaac. The more I prayed for Issaac, the more he would tell me to really lay Issaac down, or I was going to lose everything he ever promised me including, the salvation of my husband, and my best friend having a child, much less bearing witness to Issaac. The only thing I was showing Issaac was its ok to keep adulterous feelings hidden within your heart. But you see, Jesus knows all, sees all, reveals all, and deals with his children on all. Even though there was no physical sin taking place between me and Issaac, there was a hidden sin within my heart that Jesus began to deal with me on. Jesus tells us no sin will enter into heaven. Jesus knew I loved him, and desired to serve him, grow with him, and become who he has called me to be, but Issaac was standing in my way. It’s not Issaac’s fault. Issaac saw light, but I dimmed God’s true light by not listening a year ago when Jesus first told me to lay him down. I wanted Issaac so bad in my life, that I would create excuses to keep him, excuses don’t work with Jesus. God’s word tells us faith without works is dead. Abraham was willing to sacrifice Issaac on the altar, he was really going to kill him, but God made a way.

I had to sacrifice Issaac. I done it for Jesus. But God made a way, and I still selfishly pray God as long as I am fully obedient this time, please let me bear witness in person. I even placed it in the prayer box at church, nevertheless, Oh Lord, even if it doesn’t happen, thy will be done. I accept thy will over my own life. My righteousness is but filthy rags, meaning even the saints of God sin, and we are scarcely saved, we are saved because we have an atonement /advocate with God for our sins which is Christ Jesus. We can pray and seek forgiveness but let me place this warning of Urgency, I also know no sin is going to enter into heaven, how a tree falls, so shall it lay. If we die in sin, we will be raised sin also.

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. Isaiah 64:6

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:-1 John 2:2

I laid Issaac down on the altar, the nights that followed were hard. I cried, I snotted, I swore that I’d fight the enemy still, I promised I’d go after every soul the devil was taking from me, I promised I’d seek God in my prayer closet, and that I would not go down without vengeance. For the enemy to use Issaac against me of all people, the signs, the waiting, the hurting and the pain. I became livid. I’ll not stop until I make Hell empty and Heaven full. I won’t stop, I won’t stop. I won’t stop. Sin is sin, I don’t stand for it, but pain is pain, and Jesus used Issaac as a wakeup call to how easily the devil uses cracks in our Armour to make us fall.

Love, hopelessness, pain, depression, bad romance, in contentment –all my cracks. My Issaac filled them all. Jesus said no, he filled them with sin, and as my child, I expect you to purge it. It wasn’t Issaac’s fault, again it was mine. Now, Jesus has filled these cracks.

So, how did Jesus make a way for me to keep my Issaac?

My Blogs. Issaac is to read them; Issaac is to reflect upon them. Issaac is to see that God isn’t finished yet! Issaac is to see that Jesus is raising up a standard against the enemy and he wants him/her/them/they to be a part of it. Issaac is to lay it all down on the foot of the Cross and say, God I cannot but you can. I placed all the pronouns because I do not know what your Issaac is, I only know what mine is,

You know I even started doubting God’s promises, especially when I had to lay Issaac down, but Jesus showed me, again it’s in his timing not mine, but it requires full not, partial, not half, but full obedience.

Let me witness to you how fast Jesus has started working, 2 days after I laid down Issaac, Danny went to church, my best friend even encouraged me to hold to God’s promises, and to not stop church, because let’s be real, I wanted to. God has shown me the signs are following my daughter too. I had a dream, and the owls were everywhere hidden, she may not see them but, it was comfort knowing Jesus is surrounding her. I see the signs more prominent now, and I am an avid collector. Cracker Barrell Country store is my favorite place to shop, oh the owls. A lady walked in work on the day of our Christmas party, the ladybugs on her shirt caught my attention. Eli took a test at school, at the top of his paper was a ladybug. I’m overwhelmed, but I have comfort in knowing I am forgiven, and Jesus is about to take me to the next level with him, because of Obedience.

You see, Jesus told me if I wanted real growth, and to be his witness, I had to lay my Issaac down. My heart is broken, but now my Heavenly Father is proud.

Follow my blogs.

I pray you have the strength to lay your Issaac down, or Issaacs, because to some there is more than one. Also, an Issaac doesn’t always have to be a person, it can be anything that you are cleaving to more than Jesus. Whatever Jesus is telling you to lay down, trust he’ll make each day easier, but the first day or so will be toughest. I know I’m living it.

Jesus has my Issaac, and I’m that Warrior, Issaac first saw, not the harlot I portrayed.

Oh! and Bonus Blessing!

I passed my first semester in college!

2 A’s and 2 B’s 3.3 GPA— Jesus was helping me so much on that last anatomy exam that I was giggling. I never studied. I got a 90%. My God is faithful!

Child of God

Warrior of Faith!

I won’t be shaken!

Nothing is better than Jesus!

I’m not afraid to you my weakness, my failures, and flaws he’s saw them all and he still calls me friend.

Remember I love you!

Jesus loves you most!

He’s making beauty from Ashes, and the broken pieces are coming back together because he has spoken it.

Email me if you need me. Let’s talk Jesus!

christie7373@halfwayhomeministries.com

❤ Christie

He gets all praise, he’s turning my mourning into dancing.

Abraham prayed for the day God would give him a son, blessed Isaac was his name, The greatest gift he’d ever known. Then came the day, who would have dreamed God would say “Give him to me, on this mountain you will prove,
It’s you and Isaac, or it’s me and you. Most of us I’d dare to say, we have an Isaac in God’s way on the Altar God will prove it’s not your Isaac that he wants
He wants you. When I lay my Isaac down with a Broken heart but my Fathers proud On this altar here he lays Just to find it wasn’t him he/(God) wanted me

Here’s a song about a life from darkness I believe, you’re only getting started. (Jeremy Camp)

❤ 1 Corinthians 13:13 ❤