lys&ladies

              “Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you” -Psalm 16: 1-2

Instantly when I read this my first thought was “I want to be preserved Lord” and I felt so strongly that the Lord was truly speaking to me for this season so many people walking in (including myself). Through all the mess, all the trials, all the pain, disappointment, struggles, confusion, all the “Why”-my one prayer is GOD PRESERVE ME.  I read the definition of preserve and it is: to keep alive, make lasting, keep safe from harm or injury, to protect, to spare.

My deepest prayer and I feel like it should be all of our prayer is Lord will you keep me, Lord will you spare me from sin, from confusion, from self inflicted problems, from unnecessary hurt, from offense and bitterness. Will you keep me from habitual sin, Lord, will you keep me focused on your Kingdom and doing the right thing. God, will you keep me alive (spiritually). So many things are sent to destroy us, to confuse us and to distract us from God’s will, and if we aren’t diligent in turning away instantly- we will so easily be swept away with the junk. When you are so focused on God, on reading his word, on doing His will- you have zero time for distractions, zero time to care what others are doing/aren’t doing. I feel like being preserved is the greatest gift God can give us. He is our true protection, He is our shield and He will spare us time and time again because His grace is that good.

As we start the new year/decade we are all consumed with “goals” and how to “better ourselves” – which is really good, and something I think we should all do. We all need to eat healthy and get our lives in order, workout and challenge ourselves to be better humans lol but my ONE and only thing is: God will you preserve me, keep me holy, keep me focused on your word, keep me so focused on righteousness, keep me lasting in your presence. When we are truly living in the presence of God, nothing can take us out. I’ll say that again: NOTHING CAN TAKE US OUT. Attacks come, but you just learn how to fight (and fight right). Life won’t ever be “easy” but hard things don’t have to derail spiritually/physically. When your whole being is truly wrapped around God nothing else matters in this life, yes, trials will still come but you know that you are just growing even deeper in his strength and peace.

The last part of the verse says “I have no good apart from you” and wowww, How many of us 100% believe that?? Do we truly believe that outside of the will of God there is nothing good? not ONE thing? I get it, sin looks good/fun/ easy if you aren’t in the right mindset, if you aren’t “where you need to be” with God then yeah- living an easy life, doing what everyone else is doing, it would look good. And I personally feel like that is the reason why most people go back to their “old life” because we let the demonic seeds plant in our heart of “that looks good” “wow that looks fun” and instead of rebuking it and praying, we start to let it grow-  we start to see unholy things as “good”- start to let down our compromises one by one (the same ones that just a few months ago we would have laughed at because it’s so far fetched) and start to slowly consider the things that God deems as sinful/complacent- as “good.” If you come in alignment with anything unholy/ or what God says “isn’t good” you automatically put a stamp of approval for it on your life- and you will be walking on very slippery slopes spiritually. God will not align himself with anything that is “unholy”, He will not tolerate us calling things “good” that bring shame to His name, and bring confusion, perversion, addictions and complacency. God doesn’t want anyone to be lukewarm or complacent- and if HIS WORD says “there is no good apart from you” then who are WE to see things of the world as good/acceptable? I want to challenge you (already started with myself!) to really focus on your life, focus on what you spend your time doing, wishing for, thinking about, and asking for. Is it possible that  subconsciously we are slightly making excuses for things in our life that are sinful, because we think that they are good?  My prayer for the next chapter in my life is that I really dig deep into my walk with God, I learn to walk out even more consecration, even more “hatred for sin” and realize that apart from HOLINESS- nothing else is good/acceptable/tasteful.

I just want to see Jesus so real, I want Him to look at my life and be like “now that’s GOOD” and, I honestly really want that for you too. We can do better.

xo, lys