Cease from Striving
My Child, you are the righteousness of Christ, so keep your eyes on Me, the author and perfector of your faith. Just as an artist fixes his gaze on the object he paints in order to reproduce its likeness, keep your eyes on Me to reflect and display My image to the world.
As my Beloved, I declare over you that you are valued, restored and redeemed through My finished work on the cross. I paid a high price, so let all striving cease. I want you to rest in My love and live from a place of complete acceptance and approval in Me.
When you feel tempted to sin and make mistakes, I do not want you to stay away from Me, feeling ashamed. Instead, in those moments, look at Me. Don’t allow shame or guilt to keep you from My presence, draw closer, look into My eyes and feel My heart for you as you confess your sins. I will cleanse and heal your heart from the impurities that would tarnish and I will reveal the lies that attempt to wrongly define you and misrepresent who you truly are. Whenever your heart makes you feel condemned, know that your loving Father is greater and more merciful than your conscience.
My love for you is so great, experience the freedom and joy of new creation living. Cease from striving and rest in completeness. Live your life from the place of your original identity in Me.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for your great love for me demonstrated on the cross. Thank you that you were willing to pay such a high price so that I might live as one who is holy, flawless, and restored. Help me to always keep my eyes on You and remind me, by the power of the Holy Spirit, of what it means to live as one who is accepted in the Beloved.
Ephesians 1:6 (NKJV)
To the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
Hebrews 12:2 (AMPC)
Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Matthew 13:45-46 (TLB)
Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a pearl merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. He discovered a real bargain—a pearl of great value—and sold everything he owned to purchase it!
