discourge

 I really hope to God I did not overtly discourage anyone with my posts from a week or so ago.  I'd talked through some of this stuff with my pastor and basically realized I just need to keep eyes looking toward the Goodness of CHRIST JESUS, and quit letting doubt storm up my mind.  He didn't exactly say it that way, but I just realized how pointless it is for me to even be consumed that way, raging on and tossed about.  I do need to, for my own sake, at the very least, quit engaging with sinfulness.  I do hope forward to Jesus and The Holy Spirit enabling me to find motivation to do that.  A large part of it is I just don't feel enough.  I have a mild dose of it when I'm NOT tempted, and sometimes when I am tempted I fight it, but that's usually only because the temptation is only just beginning.  I was telling a friend from church after he brought forth some maybe kinda sorta helpful audio recordings for me to listen to, that, in conjunction with what the pastor was telling me as we were going through all of this, that I need to ASK Jesus for strength / power to fight the sin.  Because I've been noticing intermittently that it tends to build up as the day goes on.  I also believe that asking Jesus is a form of praise to Him, for the power that He gives us to TRULY be more like Him, where it actually matters.  I just need to pray also that I keep these things in my mind and that they marinate in my heart through the night so I can conquer this weekend.

 

Please Jesus, help me to keep The Beauty of Your characteristics and Your deeds, the essence of what I know about You, to be a strength to my feet, a lamp to the path before them.  Please remind me and please continue to persuade me to ask YOU for help and to PRAISE YOU for Your promise to be our help in a time of battle.
Thank You, Jesus, for the VICTORY that You've prepared for us.  AMEN.