A Real Chance at Happily Ever After - Encouragement Café - Jan. 20, 2015

A Real Chance at Happily Ever After

Café Menu for Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Today’s Special is:  Trading the World’s Prince Charming for Heaven’s Prince of Peace

Carefully prepared just for you by your friend, Stephanie Davis

Main Ingredient:

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lordrequire of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Micah 6:8

Entrée:

As a mother of two precious little ladies, my home is filled with all things princess. Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Ariel, and Rapunzel are constant topics of discussion. These once forgotten, once overlooked princesses, all have one thing in common: a heroic rescue from their very own prince. One, who went the distance, endured every obstacle and willingly risked his life to free her from captivity and prove his unending love and devotion to her. He did all this to ensure their happily ever after.

We ALL have a Prince of our own. One who went the distance, endured every obstacle and willing sacrificed His own life to rescue us from captivity. He did all of this to prove His unending love for us and His unwavering devotion to us, while securing our happily ever after.

Jesus Christ … My Lord and Savior … My Prince

· CAME PROCLAIMING … “I SEE YOU RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE!”

· LIVED PROCLAIMING … “YOU CAN TRUST IN ME WITH YOUR HEART!”

· ENDURED THE CROSS PROCLAIMING … “I WANT YOU JUST AS YOU ARE!”

· DIED PROCLAIMING … “I LOVE YOU FOR WHO YOU ARE RIGHT NOW!”

· AROSE PROCLAIMING … “YOU ARE FOREVER FREE FROM THE SIN’S CHAINS!”

· SITS PROCLAIMING … “YOU ARE ALWAYS FORGIVEN!”

· WILL COME PROCLAIMING … “YOU ARE MY BRIDE! WORLD DO YOU SEE HER? AND FINALLY SHE IS ALL MINE!”

When I became a Christian, I became a joint-heir with the Prince of Peace – therefore enabling me to become a Princess of His peace. In any and every situation He’s right here – the Only Real Prince Charming – fighting for me, enabling His Spirit within me to respond and react, rescuing me from sin’s destruction and claiming victory in the name of the Lord.  

Yet in the midst of these truths, there are times when my home feels more like a dungeon than a castle and my role as “God-filled” mother seems to have more “boos” than “bippity, boppities”. While I try to be the all loving, supportive and “committed to no other” mother, stress rises along with my blood pressure, and I end up looking like the wicked and evil women from the fairy tales …

Letting anger fill my heart instead of compassion and love… Providing judgment in place of mercy… Holding grudges instead of offering forgiveness… Extending criticism instead of grace… Bringing about scars in the place of healing… Choosing the ways of the World’s Prince Charming instead of embracing the only true way… that of Heaven’s Prince of Peace …

There is a wicked and villainous father, a cunning and deceiving prince, who is only committed to pursuing his selfish desires. Who too will go the distance to keep us captive, bound in the chains of our past sins, anchored to fear and regrets, while feeding us the lie that our Lord is too busy to care about us… the insignificant, unwanted servant. 

Take Out:

We can either choose to live our life as a helpless damsel in distress, who continues to let the World’s Prince Charming hold her captive, or we can give our hearts over to Heaven’s Prince of Peace, who gave everything He had, including His life, to rescue us from our wicked, sinful ways. The One who placed within us everything we would need to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly.

Which will you choose?

Please read Revelation 21:3-8 … Only the ones who commit their lives to Jesus are promised – a happily ever after!

Dessert:

Precious Heavenly Father… Our Picture Perfect Exampl … my soul settles knowing I call You Father. Thank You for extending grace, mercy, love and forgiveness, when I prove myself unworthy. In a place where I fill insignificant, overlooked and at times unwanted, Lord thank You for seeing me. Thank You for choosing me and making me significant through Your Son.

Lord You’ve entrusted me with much. It is my desire that You would mend the holes in my heart and the hearts of my family and friends that have been caused by the charms of Satan. As the stresses of life rise, help me to seek refuge in You. Silence my flesh that I may hear You. Quench my flesh that I may obey. Through Your Spirit which strengthens me, You will be victorious. In Jesus name I pray … Amen!

© 2015 by Stephanie Davis. All rights reserved.

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Originally published Tuesday, 20 January 2015.

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