How I Intend to Live Everyday Life More with God in 2018

How I Intend to Live Everyday Life More with God in 2018

Prayer written in Coach Wooden’s Pyramid of Success by Wooden and Carty

Coach Wooden's Pyramid of Success; Paperback; Author - John Wooden

…”Forgive me of my sins and help me gain a greater measure of control over my fallen nature through the power of Your Holy Spirit. And Lord, give me a passion to stay in Your will for an increasing period of time.”   This prayer was written in Coach Wooden’s Pyramid of Success by John Wooden and Jay Carty P. 101

 

When I saw this prayer, I was reminded of a conversation I had with someone, years ago, about being in the presence of God.  They thought it was impossible and not very productive to stay in God’s manifest presence all the time.  It was suggested that a person could not function normally if they were under the influence of God’s Presence constantly.  I wonder if that would be like Moses and how he went before God for the Children of Israel and when he came out from God’s presence, he was still glowing.  Therefore, he wore a covering over part of his face.  Exodus 34:29-35 (KJV)

Then awhile back, I had yet another conversation with someone else that it was impossible to have sinless days.  And I contended that if you could have sinless minutes, moments or hours, why couldn’t it turn into a full day and even a week?  I have not heard of anyone who sins all the time, 24/7.   Yet, somehow, I have gotten away from pursuing that  goal of having more sinless moments.

 

So this prayer of asking God to give me a passion to stay in His will for increasing periods of time falls in line with being in His presence longer and staying away from sin longer.  I want that for my life. How about you?  Have you ever really thought about this topic?  Are you resigned to being so human that you set out expecting to fail, to sin, even daily?  I don’t wake up expecting to sin.   Yet, part of me is expecting to fail in some way.

Most people contend that we will never be perfect before going to heaven.  But why not?  Many people say we will always have a vice or two…or three.  But why?  As a Christian, who am I to decide what God can deliver me from or not?  Who am I to have a pet sin and not surrender that sin to God?  Yet I have heard it more than once that we all have a vice. Some believe we will always have some sin, like a particular one, always in our life. 

So my challenge to myself is to not decide that if one sin takes longer to be done with that that must be the one I am assigned to have for the rest of my life.  I actually believe that some people do not want to let go of certain sins and that some sins are comfortable. And for that one sin, they might not be praying that God would relieve them of it.  It is quite the dichotomy to think that you could pray to God to get rid of all of the known (to you) sin and challenges towards a specific sin or to NOT pray and resolve yourself to thinking that one or more sins will always be in your life.  

 

So now I ask myself, “Why can’t I die to sin?”  Why can’t I ask God to take away my vices, all of them?  Why can’t I strive for perfection? Or can I? 

Philippians 3:14 says, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” 

Hebrews 6:1 says, “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God.”  (KJV)  The Douay-Rheims Bible says for the same verse, “Wherefore, leaving the word of the beginning of Christ, let us go on to things more perfect, not laying again the foundation of penance from dead works, and of faith towards God,”

Philippians 3:13, “Brothers, I count not myself to have apprehended:  but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before,”…

 

I don’t want to make excuses for sin to be in my life.  I don’t want to treat it like a gift to have a sin, then put the sin in its little box and kiss the box like it is a treasure to have this sin.  I don’t want to justify the sin to myself or others.  I want to be free of my sin(s).  

Part of being free usually is preceded with acknowledging the sin in my life.  How about you?  Are you ready to acknowledge that something is a sin in your life?  Are you ready to say goodbye to that sin?

I know it could be a tough question.  So, who in your life is asking the hard questions to you?  

There are spiritual examens that you and a friend, an accountability partner for your life, could read to one another and listen to each other’s answers to some key questions.  Examples can be found here.  Here is a brief definition of examen:

“The Examen of Consciousness is a way to look back over the day and consider where did you find God in the events of your day? Where did you get in the way of finding God in those events? Regular daily practice of the Examen allows you to reflect on the person you are and are becoming.”  Found on the Examen Video site.

In the six years that I discipled Ladies in the ways of Jesus, I often shared a list of 10 Examen Questions.  One is, “Have any of your financial dealings lacked integrity?”  Another is, “Have you given priority time to your family?” And the tenth question is, “Have you just lied to me?”  It makes you smile at the last question…if you did not lie or if you are caught, maybe one smiled in a sheepish way.

So, back to the initial prayer at the beginning of this blog, I pray, “Lord, give me a passion to stay in your will for increasing period of time.”  Help me to gain “control over my fallen nature through the power of your Holy Spirit.”

 

Will you pray this prayer for yourself?  Will you desire a less sinful life?  Will you desire to be in His presence longer and longer?  Do you desire to stay in His will for increasing periods of time?  Will you seek an accountability partner to ask the hard questions about your lifestyle or sin in your life…daily, weekly or monthly?

I would love to pray with you for this desire in your life, new or old.  Thanks for reading.   

If you were challenged by this article, please send me a comment.  My husband has already sent me quite a few as he read my rough draft.  

Sincerely and

in Christ Name, 

Nek’ka M.

Chaplains for Businesses

choose-to-succeed.org/

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