Good Morning. The house is quiet. It is a wonderful early morning time to enjoy a new day and a time with you, my friends. I think of you often. For some I am remembering the difficulties you are enduring — marriage issues, health issues, emotional issues. For others I am rejoicing with you over the great times at hand — new babies, new disciples, new relationships, and old ones that are so very rich.
Over the last few days Father has been permitting me to see how far from perfection I would be living without His amazing grace. I think of the relationships in which I have not walked as sons should and the personal behaviors which have shown that I have not honored Jesus as much as He deserves. If I were to listen to my enemy I could get myself upset, distressed, and feeling really miserable. By His grace I have remembered that I am unconditionally loved. But, He has also reminded me of the many miserable years I spent because I chose not to believe that I was His beloved son.
Yes, I chose not to believe. Now, I choose to believe I am a son whom He unconditionally loves. Tragically, the enemy has convinced many of us that we have no choice. But God has given us a gift of self control. For each of us we have a right to choose what we will believe, think, feel, and do. No one can take that right away from you. If you have given it up, that was your choice. If you did give it up, you have a right to take it back. Self control is God’s gift to each human being. Satan can only defeat that right if we choose to allow him either as a willing choice or as a result of our being deceived. We become deceived if we choose to be deceived. However, one of the most beautiful things about being deceived is that as long as we are we do not think we are.
Many of us develop coping mechanisms to insulate our souls from the pain of our failures. Some of these are as “good” as being very religious, going to church meetings, spending hours and hours praying and listening to religious stuff. Others are “nice and innocent” like continually having music playing or being on FaceBook or binge watching television. Some are “more evil appearing” such as addictions to sex, alcohol, drugs, or negative emotions.
All of these mechanisms are simply satan’s distractions to keep us away from one simple realization:
Jesus already paid for all our failures.
We are completely unconditionally loved just like we are right now.
His, thus Yours,
Stuart
His-Family 
Thank you. It is so lovely to be reminded that I am Father’s loved son, and that I am made perfect in Him.
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I choose not to be deceived. I choose to walk in truth and clarity. I choose to walk in self control. I choose to receive God’s love. Thank you for the reminder that I am loved just like I am right now 🙂
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