AUGUST 29, 2016

“Masculinity grows not out of conquering the woman, but only out of conquering the man—and not another man, as in war, but oneself.” 
― Gordon Dalbey, Healing the Masculine Soul: God's Restoration of Men to Real Manhood

PSALM 139-141

David declares that God knows him completely...

1You have searched me, Lord,

and you know me.

2You know when I sit and when I rise;

you perceive my thoughts from afar.

3You discern my going out and my lying down;

you are familiar with all my ways.

4Before a word is on my tongue

you, Lord, know it completely.

5You hem me in behind and before,

and you lay your hand upon me.

6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too lofty for me to attain. (139:1-6)

1 CORINTHIANS 10:1-13

Paul is committed to God above all, God is his goal...

12So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13No temptation^c has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted^d beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,^e he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

JOURNAL 

What is the temptation in my life? What is it that I must be careful of and that will serve to pull me away from trusting God. I don't know that it is one in particular but I do know that overall the temptation is to go my own way, seek immediate gratification and not be disciplined to God's wisdom and commands.

This rebellion is subtle and many times is not detected outwardly, because it is an inward struggle. It is my private war...

This weekend I saw the movie Greater. In this the brother of Brandon Burlsworth struggles with his faith and all the grappling questions that emerge in his mind after his brother dies.  Through it all he comes to find hope in "trust". The anchor of our relationship with God. For it is in the trusting that I am strengthened to face the tragedies and triumphs of life. It is in the trusting that I counter doubts. It is in the trusting that I find strength to continue on despite fear and anxiety.

The world guarantees me nothing, but God assures me that he will never leave me and will always give me the strength to conquer.

37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^k neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.- ROMANS 8:37-39