Tommy Bates Ministries

The Joy of the Lord

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”           John 10:10

The true joy of Jesus and His plan for our lives rarely resemble what we think it should look like.  Many seek and attempt to get their lives in order before coming to Christ, often missing out on the true beauty of what submitting to Jesus can look like.  When will we realize that Jesus longs to meet us where we are and then take us to where we need to be?  Why do we continue to gloss over the fact that we were made in His image, and only He has the true capability to create us into what we were designed to be?

We know the precepts of the Bible, many can quote scripture upon scripture about presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice, not conforming to this world, and being transformed by the renewing of our minds, yet we struggle to take captive the many oppressive and demonic thoughts that captivate us on a daily and often moment by moment basis.

When we take authority over things that we can see and hear on a daily basis, we give God the room He needs to take us to a level that we cannot see.  If you struggle today to take captive the thoughts and behaviors that prevent you from fulling living and becoming who God created you to be, begin each day by presenting yourself to God.  Claim with boldness and courageously claim, “God, You are the potter, I am merely the clay.  Mold me and make me into what You have planned for me.”

Remember this,  if you are trying to live life by yourself, you are NOT living up to the potential that God has placed in you.  God says to us, “Let Me prove to the world, what I can do with you!”

Friend, when we finally and completely submit to God’s will for our lives, the evils of this world must flee from us.  We are incapable of seeing our full potential.  God wants you to know today that He is able to elevate you to a place that you cannot see.  His, and only His light can overtake the darkness of this world.  Give God your past, Give God your present, and Give God your future, for it is in the gift of giving yourself that you truly will find the Joy of the Lord!

We are praying for you and always saving you a seat at Community Family Church

We love y’all

Pastor Tom


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