We get so caught up in ourselves

We get so caught up in ourselves. I've said it before and I think I'm going to keep saying it till who knows when. It's true though and I'm just as guilty as the next person of doing the same, of getting caught up in myself. How can we not we yell and scream, we live. We are alive and asked to live in this world with all it's external temptations that give us internal temptations, that flood us with cravings for all that is bad for us! We live here, unless we lock ourselves away in seclusion as some monks and others do, with no temptation to hit us, is there a chance for us to overcome? Really? Is there? Even those monks and such, aren't they tempted with believing what they are doing is a good thing and when they believe that they are doing that good thing, aren't they counting on their own righteousness and not that of God's? Seriously. There are dangers just in living and as long as we insist on being wrapped around ourselves we'll never be free, never. As long as we keep looking at ourselves and our sinfulness and dwelling on our own inabilities we have no hope, why? Because we are placing the hope within ourselves. There's a reason for life being the way it is, there is a good reason and the one lesson we all need to learn, every single one of us is that we can't look at ourselves there is only unrighteousness there no matter what we do, no matter who or what we seem to be.

Isa. {64:6} 'But we are all as an unclean [thing,] and all our righteousnesses [are] as filthy rags...'

That says it all so completely! We are ALL as an unclean thing, and ALL our righteousness are as filthy rags!

Does this mean we should embrace and enjoy our wickedness? God forbid. We should ever ask forgiveness and when we think the battle too hard to fight, when we believe that to give in to sin is the better way then look to Jesus, look to Him who knew no unrighteousness and yet DIED so YOU and I could live. Is giving into sin better? No. Is it easier, yes.

We find hope only in Christ, not in ourselves. And we have to give ourselves to Him completely.

1 Cor. {5:21} For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Only in Him can we have any righteousness. Only in Him, only in Christ.

It's not easy to constantly fight, especially when we war against principalities and powers and wickedness in high places. It's not easy when we long to give into the pleasures of sin and yes, they have a certain pleasure and if we want pleasure that is temporary and NOTHING compared what is waiting for us who deny ourselves the pleasures of the world now- not in hopes of gaining salvation but only through Christ's prompting, through the Holy Spirit's guiding us closer to Christ.

The easy way is the way most will take, the way we are all in danger of taking.

Matthew {7:13} Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many
there be which go in thereat: {7:14} Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

We don't want the strait and narrow it's a tricky bit of a path, we want the broad way because that is the more pleasant, more enticing path for us to take.

So as we struggle with our day to day lives and day to day temptations we have to beg Christ to help us to seek Him and His way, not our own way. Reveal our hearts to Him, our longings to be with Him living in a world without any PAIN of any sort. If you think all the pleasures we indulge ourselves in now will keep the pain of the world away, you're wrong, I'd be wrong if I thought it. For all the pleasure here the pain often outweighs the pleasure and if living for temporary pleasure is all you want from life then it's all you'll get.

May God help us ALL as we struggle to cling to the cross, cling to Jesus and claim HIS righteousness because we have NONE of our own. May our hope be solely in HIM, not in ourselves and any of our own actions. Choosing Christ, let that be our sole endeavor, choosing Christ and having faith in Him to see us through with the Holy Spirit's guidance.

By His unfathomable mercy and grace, now and forever!

Thank you Lord Jesus,

Amen.