putting aside the fake

Proverbs 12:9
9 Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant than pretend to be somebody and have no food.

Morgan is at my side wearing me out wanting me to pour water into her tea set cups. Last night we popped her up her favorite...kettle corn. Her daddy gave her the bowl and she carefully carried it in the living room (yes we let her eat in the living room). She then got her tea set plates and put some popcorn on them (I think Jesus was dining with her and we just couldn't see Him). What I like about her serving her up some popcorn and water is that most of the time when you have a "tea party" you pretend to eat and drink but you don't really do it. What I love about Morgan is that she is like "hey these are plates and cups so why pretend when I can have the real thing. That speaks volumes to me and I thank God for the little things that I can learn from her.
Anyway, if you know me...you will know that I have never been one for pretending or pretense. I don't believe in "fake it until you make it Christianity". As Christians we will never be perfect but we can experience victory. It will have to be intentional though. This morning I drew out a figure of myself (itwas awful since I can't draw, but I am a VERY visual learner). I drew my mind, eyes, ears, heart, and etc. I then labeled each area of weakness or struggle since those are the areas that I am prone to fall in or areas that the enemy is going to attack me with. I sensed this morning that the Lord wanted me to make some "resolves" and when I say that I mean that He wants me to cooperate diligently with Him in some areas of starving the flesh by resolving that even though something is permissible for me doesn't mean that it is beneficial for me. (1 Corinthians 6:12 "Everything is permissible for me"-- but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"-- but I will not be mastered by anything.) I felt Him nudging me to sit down and make a battle plan so I can walk and not continually be hindered by my own sin.
If I am going to be victorious in this present age it will require full cooperation with the Lord and His word. It will require "dailiness" and a deliberation to live in the "Spirit" and not go with the currant. I have been experiencing some defeat in my life by trying to live off of yesterday's victory instead of going on with the Lord each new day. I have experienced defeat by ceasing to cooperate thinking that my victory won't demand my all since I have worked so hard with Jesus in the past. WRONG! His mercies are new every morning and I have to accept His forgiveness for things that have past and go on with Him each day.
Remember these words to Cain: Genesis 4:7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." Integrity is being whole...no part hidden or covered so it will take us daily coming to Him for Him to fill our cup! Lets not be like the Pharisee's in Luke 11 who were concerned about people pleasing and how they looked on the outside. Jesus told them them that on the outside they looked like white washed tombs but on the inside they were dead they were full of dry desolate bones. Jesus knew their hearts. I want Jesus to be able to entrust Himself to me (like in John 2) because I am fully His.

John 2:24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men.
25 He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.

Alright she is wearing me out to fill her cup!

love jenny