What are the webs that capture our feet?

While treading on earth’s surface, the webbing that captures the feet of many are easy to see. Human nature, left to itself, generally finds us pursuing fame, fortune, popularity, personal power, and the pleasures of the flesh. These temptations can lure us big time.

Fortunately, it is possible within this life experience to avoid those temptations of our carnal natures, as the Scriptures of the Holy Bible urge us to “overcome” the world.

There is only one who has lived perfectly on this earth fully resisting the temptations of the world. It was God’s very own son, Jesus Christ, who died because people present at that time did not take on the powerful challenge of the truth He extend—the truth is that all could have received His Spirit. However, at that time in history (and many times since) believers in Jesus have had to give up their lives because of following what He taught as “the way.” Yes, they were martyred for their faith. The darkness of the world opposes the Light that comes from Christ.

When we choose devotion to Jesus’ teachings, we are giving ourselves to the cause of Christ through continually listening to how He leads us. This affects the way we treat others and how we take care of ourselves. It is a loving way of life.

Jesus who came to the earth, lived among us, earned a living as a carpenter. He experienced all we must endure. He then portrayed the ultimate way of laying down one's life. For, His death fulfilled God’s rescue plan. Through the gift of His life, His death, His teachings, our souls can be saved. Yes, SAVED. We take up our crosses within life and follow the way of Christ–the Anointed One—therefore gaining eternal life. Meanwhile, in the now, we have empowerment to live beyond the webbings of carnality; we overcome the desire to go our own way and do our own thing. How? Because God makes us “new creatures.” God now lives within our souls as we “believe and receive” His guidance day-by-day.

Jesus knew overcoming the flesh, the world and the devil would not be easy. But His teaching “the way” now finds us mastering life through His love.

Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” If this sounds engaging, try it as the peace that comes through living “the way” is quite amazing.

Being a Christian who follows “the way” is about choosing to live into a loving relationship with God. It finds us doing what our hearts call us to do that lightens the load of another. Even small, caring things can touch and lift lives, although often unseen at the time. Imagine what it would be like to make time—holding space in life--for visiting a person who is sick or to take a meal to a couple who is going through a tough time. There are many ways we can invest ourselves as we listen and follow as God leads.

The Bible says in 1 John 4:10-13, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.  By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.” Yes, His spirit abides in the souls of believers.

We are at the time of year when “Easter” is celebrated. This is our Paschal Season, a 50-day liturgical period in which we recall and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, His ascension, and the descent of the Holy Spirit. It is a time during which believers reconsider wholeheartedly the fact we have been redeemed from our sins and our failures no longer hold sway. We rejoice in God’s amazing, loving rescue plan and how it empowers us daily to truly live this life God calls us to embrace! And that, my friends, is a life laden with joy.