This is how Jesus left the 99 to chase the 1, and brought me back into the church! Matthew 18:11-14 The Parable of the Lost Sheep

The Lord was speaking to me about identity today, and he wants his daughters and sons to trust him and not be afraid!

Ask the Lord, what gnats do I need to ignore today? Are there any camels I need to deal with?

Comfort kills. It kills calling, it kills passion, it kills connection, and it kills transformation. Comfort comes like carbon monoxide, you can't smell it, hear it or see it, it will creep in and you won't even know it is there, then it will put you to sleep. That is not to say to does not look like anything however, as it comes in the form of little idols. It may be your house, your job, your hobbies, it can even be your relationships. Comfort is anything that sets itself between you and the Kingdom of God. Even more dangerous it will do its best to find itself between you and your ability to hear Holy Spirit and commune with Jesus. When we pursue comfort apart from the Comforter (Jesus) we step into a world that is hostile to our spirit and longs for our soul. In 1 Peter we recieve a call to be set apart to be Holy, to no longer be conformed to the way the world lives but to rest our hope fully on Him. It is not a suggestion, it is a command. I Peter 1:13-16 NKJV Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” To be holy is to be set apart, to be a sacrifice on the altar of God, it is living in the world without living like the world. Earlier this week we looked at Romans 12 where we are instructed: Romans 12:2 NKJV And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. You see the world will constantly tell you that you deserve to be comfortable and that comfort is good, but we know that our comfort comes from above. II Corinthians 1:3-4 NKJV Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Often we find ourselves stuck in the process of transformation without the progress of transformation. It can feel as though you have hit a wall. There are times when the process is just not as quick as we would like it to be, but sometimes there are also barriers standing in the way. What have you built walls around? Boundaries are a necessary part of healthy relationships. Yet how many of us have built walls around our hearts thinking we are protecting from future pain, yet actually only entrenching ourselves in pain from the past. It is time for unrighteous walls to come down and let Jesus dismantle them for you, because the walls we put up to gaurd against people usually keep Him out too. I believe that Jesus wants to do some renovating in us, so that the transformation taking place is not just a quick coat of paint and some new decor, but a whole new space to share with Him. A space that will be reflected in our lives. We read in Ezekiel a prophetic promise of what God wants to do in us and the role of the Holy Spirit that we are able to freely recieve. Ezekiel 36:26-27 NIV I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. So here is a challenge for you. Take some time and think about the walls you have built around your heart, ask Holy Spirit to reveal the unhealthy ones and ask Him how to get rid of them. Ask Jesus to soften your heart and remove the stone built up around it. Be Blessed -Caleb