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Staying the course    
Following Jesus 
AND
missing the mark...?      

I was pondering those thoughts 
about how to walk.....      
Not 'losing my salvation' 
but quite possibly losing my Joy....     

....controlling the Christian life 
Do this 
Don't do that....       
This is wrong  
This is right....     

And there are right and wrong things
that's true.....     

It's just that
when they become my focus....  

This morning I read Galatians....
Paul's letter to his friends
telling them to STOP adhering to the LAW
as their source.
- He never said to stop living righteous lives
He said to follow the Spirit's lead
in the FREEDOM He gives
and then the
FRUIT would be;
- Love
- Joy
- Peace
- Patience
- Kindness
- Goodness
- Faithfulness
- Gentleness
and
- Self-control ref Gal 5:22,23

and although working on
Self-control
and a disciplined lifestyle
isn't wrong
I need to recognize that
making it the focus
and not the 
fruit
will result in lossing my joy....

Lord Jesus,
The way you want me to live....
Righteously....
yet.... when I focus on that
not only does it elude me.....
I lose the joy of
Knowing Your Joyful
presence
guidance
encouragement

I give Control
back to You this morning
I relinquish my hands from being on the 'reins' of my life
even in the areas of personal discipline

I listen for You
to teach me
to speak Your instructions
to pour Your Joy
back into my soul....

Thank You Jesus.
Yeahhhhh....
Whew.
:)

PJ