Tag: Holy Spirit

Posted in Christian Service, Leadership

But now… those aren’t your shoes!

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chick cute shoes 2

1 Samuel 13:14

But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.

The handsome man that stood a head taller than the crowd had made it two years and then there came that fateful day, (a fate he set himself) when he decided he could fill Samuel’s shoes. After all, he’d lead men into battle, what was a worship service compared to that? I totally don’t know if that was Saul’s attitude, but it could have been. I feel a sense of arrogance in him in chapter 13.  When Samuel asked Saul in verse 11 “What hast thou done?”  Saul responded “Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.”

I can tell you one thing, I’m not going to speak in arrogance. I’ve been Saul. I’ve wanted those cute shoes that belonged to some other chick, and yes I thought I could do it myself!  After all, I’d done more complex things. Well let me just tell you; it worked about as well for me as it did for Saul.

Saul said that he “forced” himself to do it. Which meant obviously something, or Someone, (God) was convincing him otherwise. We know when something is not our job, but it’s human nature to think that we can do it better, especially if someone’s not doing it on our timeframe. Hello? Who am I preaching to besides me? Jeepers I’m an impatient person. And I have on more than one occasion, many more times than one, stepped into someone else’s shoes rather than obeying the Spirit of God Who said “wait.”

The end result for Saul was that he got himself kicked out of leadership. Fired by God! How sad is that? God had a plan, and it was great! In verse 13 Samuel says to Saul “Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.”

But now… not now. You’ve messed that up Saul. Those cute shoes have gotten me into trouble so many times!  You see, I’m a leadership junky!  I love it. I didn’t realize I loved it, I didn’t even start out desiring it. All of a sudden one day I awoke to the fact that people were watching me and following me; and a part of me was scared to death and the other side of me thought, “Wow… that’s pretty cool.” So when I saw something that needed done, I needed to do it. Because that’s what leadership does…. Uh oh.

No they don’t!

Leadership lets those whom God desires to use get used. And sometimes those who He desires to use take their time getting into place, and its leadership’s job to not get their knickers in a knot or their panties in a bunch and take over. Especially when it’s a God appointed position! Cute shoes or no, they’re not yours to wear.

That lesson took Saul and I both a while to learn… I hope it takes you less. I hope that because of this blog today you realized it before you stepped into the cute little pumps or espadrilles that didn’t belong to you. God’s anointed positions are serious business; and anointed positions are not just preaching and teaching. Take heed friend, lest we mess with the plan.

FROM THE STUDY “BUT NOW”

Posted in Church attendance, Life Inspiration

Are You at His Feet Today?

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at His feet

Matthew 19:14

But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Early on in my salvation the Holy Spirit may have gone to bed a few nights saying “Wow! that was quite the workout!” It seemed that minute by minute He was guiding and instructing me in a better way to live and removing 34 years of bad ideas or misnomers of what was acceptable for a Christian to do and not to do. I remember sitting in a revival service one evening when Dr. Norris Belcher preached at our church, feeling as though every thought and sin in my life had been revealed. His sermon hit on everything the Holy Spirit had been dealing with me that day. I ask him when I shook his hand that night “Who opened my heart and allowed you to see in?” I don’t think he understood the magnitude of what had happened to me that night as he preached, but I certainly did. I discovered that sermons were supernatural events where, if you allowed, you could be ushered into the Lord’s presence and the light that shined during that time would illuminate every speck of dirt in your soul, and I loved it.

I wanted Him to show me what was wrong and I wanted to get it right. But not always. Many times I would flick the switch back to the flesh and say I’m not ready. It began during that time of my life that I couldn’t get enough preaching. I listened to preaching like many other Christians listened to music, it stirred my soul in a way it had never known and I couldn’t get enough. Not much has changed, I’m still a preaching fanatic. There’s an old time image of Christ with children all round His feet looking at Him adoringly, that’s how I envision myself during those early years, I sat in awe.

But just as we do in the physical realm, I grew up. I’m not just sitting at the feet of the Savior I’m also teaching as I had been taught; I teach Sunday School, I write and speak at ladies events when given the opportunity. Sometimes I get so busy doing life that I forget to spend time at His feet. I go to church, I take notes, I ponder the Pastor’s thoughts but I don’t always prepare my heart to hear the message as God would like.

As I prepare to go to church today, that is my heart’s desire… I pray the same for you.

Posted in Christian Service, Life Inspiration, salvation

Quick Wit and Slow Ears

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quick wit slow ears

I do not know exactly how God placed the Holy Spirit within my heart,  I only know that one day I was feeling hopeless and alone and the next day I found myself sitting in a church that I didn’t want to be in, listening to a preacher I didn’t want to hear, and obeying a whisper from without that would soon be within. And almost 19 years later that whisper still resonates in my soul, bringing a joy that I never thought possible. If you too are saved then you “get” what I just said, if you are not saved (meaning you’ve never accepted what Jesus Christ did for you) then you think I’m a babbling idiot; and that’s okay. Read on either way!

John 6:63-64

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.

Funny thing about God, none of us fool Him.

Quick Wit

When the Holy Spirit quickeneth a soul, He brings to life that which was dead. That which we didn’t even realize was dead. Nobody threw a funeral, it was just born that way. As we grow up we begin knowing right from wrong and there are conscious decisions being made every day. Do I tell my parents that I broke it, or do I sweep it up and throw it in the trash, hoping they’re none the wiser? Do I study, or cheat?  Do I drive fast or like I’ve got some sense? Those are decisions made with the conscience, it knows what’s right. And so do we, but we have the will to choose what’s wrong. This for me is the part of the evolution theory that has me asking those who believe it “How can you be so smart, and yet be so dumb?” How can a “bang” create a conscience, love, passion, desire, etc. etc. etc.? A bang cannot. Only God can. We are born with quick wit. A toddler knows when Mommy and Daddy say no, they shouldn’t do it again… but they have to try.

The first Non-Profit

The flesh profiteth nothing, meaning it’s no better for having made a right decision; for tomorrow it might make a wrong one if it thinks that it’s more advantageous to do so. It gains nothing in Heaven by having made the right decision, although it may gain in the world because of it. We grow up thinking that the riches of this world are the prize, only to discover that rich or poor, heartache is the same and there is a missing piece of our heart that is never satisfied with the world.

The Life of the Party!

We’d like to live life in the party zone where everything is happy and care free but life happens. We have misfortune, we lose people we love, we’re angry, sad, broken and distraught a great many days, but there can be a party in your soul even in the midst of those times if you have the Holy Spirit within you.

John wrote “the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.”

Whether or not you believe in Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior, I believe that the Holy Spirit is speaking to you right now either from within your soul if you believe, or from without if you do not. I believe that because the Lord led me to this passage this morning and said write, and His work never goes unfinished.

In 1996 He spoke to my soul and said… “You need saved or you’re going to Hell.” This morning He speaks to my soul and says write, it’s time to share the party! Life is only complete with Jesus Christ. If you have Him, perhaps you’re like me and you’re not allowing Him to work in your life to His full potential. He has so much in store for us if we’d only spend more time listening and less time “doing.” He gave me quick wit… I have slow ears. What’s He’s telling you today?

Posted in Church attendance, Life Inspiration

Being the Captor not the Captive

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the cross

From the time our eyes first fly open in the morning we’re in a battle with the enemy, or at least I am. My mind starts rolling with to do lists, my iPhone buzzes with received messages, social media is calling my name and the covers are oh so warm… let’s wait a while… and Izidora the Chihuahua agrees that under the covers is a better place to be. Why move?

I love places of comfort! The church is that to me (meaning my home church building). I love walking into the vestibule where it feels like I’ve just arrived at the home of my best friend; I guess technically I have. Be it a Sunday Service or when I’ve forgotten my computer cord in my classroom and have to go back and fetch it at 9:30 at night, I feel at home. My thoughts are much easier focused on the things of God when I’m in that place, not so when I walk out the door. So many things are vying for my attention and my thoughts are not always godly. As a matter of fact sometimes they scare even me. Why do such thoughts and images pop into our minds? I won’t share them with you for fear you’d know how warped I am… but perhaps you have your own warped mind to deal with. A Word from God for me this morning:

2 Corinthians 10:5 

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

The Captive

I usually have a flee mentality when I get into one of those scary thought moments. I just want to get my mind as far away from that idea as possible by getting into another area of thinking. You know the mode…. Happy thoughts, happy thoughts! But sure enough it won’t be long until those thoughts catch back up to me and I’m in the same boat causing me to wonder if somewhere deep down in the recesses of my mind an evil Shari is waiting to come out. Crazy right? Please tell me I’m not alone.

Satan. He loves exalting himself and having control. Being that I was not raised in a Friday the 13th movie world and I still close my eyes on the commercial for a horror movie I know that these images and ideas have to be fabricated in some other realm for the purpose of getting my eyes off Jesus and causing fear and anxiety with in me. In that condition I’m of little use to God. So how do I become the captor not the captive?

The Captor

To “cast down” is to utterly destroy those imaginations and things that try to get between you and the mind of God. So how can you destroy a thought that you have no control over?

2 Corinthians 10:6

 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Obedience to the Savior trumps Satan every time! Satan may be able to cause those crazy thoughts to enter our mind, but within us is the Holy Spirit! Rather than fleeing, stand your ground. The Holy Spirit stands ready for us to call upon Him and rescue us out of Satan’s little shop of horrors. SPEAK JESUS! You’re not alone. Don’t just shake that thought off and go on with life, it needs to be taken captive. Take the thought and destroy it through the Word of God by dismantling it one word, one image at a time. Is it true to who you are? No. Is it honest? No, it’s a lie out of the pits of Hell. Is it just, unprejudiced? No, it’s fabricated by Satan. Is it lovely, a good report, worthy of Praise? No? So envision the Holy Spirit locking that up behind bars and refocus your mind on Christ!

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things

My mind needed rescued this morning. The Holy Spirit… my Hero!

Posted in Leadership, Life Inspiration, Political

Avoiding Transgression at the Election Polls

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your vote

“Then Came Amalek.” A sermon that I heard preached over ten years ago and I can’t for the life of me remember the preacher; but I can remember the sermon because it made such an impact on my life. It’s heavy on my heart as I prepare to go to the polls of Election 2014. Every single box that I check has implications on my future. Somehow America has forgotten that they are the ones held accountable for who is elected. There are times when we in good conscience elect an idiot, usually because we don’t have all the fact or they’re a great deceiver. It never ceases to amaze me when they get reelected.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me!

We may forget transgressions, God however does not.

The Amalekite’s transgression:

Deuteronomy 25:17-19

Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God. Therefore it shall be, when the Lord thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.

The Amalekites were the first ones to attack Israel as they left Egypt and they attacked them from behind where the feeble and defenseless of the Israelites were located. God could have wiped them from the face of the earth that day, but he waited for an appointed time. When the children of Israel had been at rest for some time this would become a test of obedience for Saul.

In 2 Samuel 15:3-5 Saul has been given the final go ahead by God to “utterly destroy” the Amalekites.

Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.  And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.

Saul failed. He didn’t utterly destroy the Amalekites, he kept back the elite and allowed his men to keep the best of the best from the Amalekite property. And judgment came.

22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

Here’s the Word I received on Election Day 2014

When the attack on the Twin Towers and Pentagon occurred it wasn’t necessarily on the feeble but it was on innocent lives that had nothing to do with a battle field. And I believe that America for a few days acknowledged the power of God and His sovereignty over our Nation. We did repent… but not utterly. Our leadership kept some of the spoils and we who elect them allowed those who dishonor God to continue to be in office.

Deciding who to vote for isn’t easy. Israel wanted a King because the rest of the world had one. Saul looked like a king but when push came to shove he sided with the world. He kept the pretty people and the pretty stuff. Those on the ballot may look the part, but what about their hearts. Finding someone who “utterly destroys Amalekitian thinking” and refuses to go against godly principles is tough… if not impossible.  (I know Amalekitian is not a word, but for effect it works)

A few automatic red flags for me is:

  • If they supported abortion, they’ll have no support from me.
  • If they campaigned on Sunday, they lost me there too.
  • If the proof’s not been in the puddin’ for their last term as an incumbent. They won’t likely do a better job next time around.
  • I’ll support my community, I will not however support mismanagement.
  • I’ll pray for wisdom for me and for my community. I’ll love them… democrat, republican, libertarian, mountain or constitution party.
  • I have but one King. His name is Jesus.
Posted in Grace, Life Inspiration, Life's Failures

Another Day… Another Faith Lesson

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Picture1

Faith! How on earth do the unsaved survive without it? I was one of them for 34 years, and yet it feels like I’ve never been. Has it been so long that I’m just walkin’ in perfect peace? The answer to that would be a big “No.” There are times, more often than not, that when a crisis occurs I get a smile on the inside of my heart (that sometimes eeks its way out to my mouth) that knows “God’s got this!” And then there are the times when I fall to the flesh and get that queasy stomach and feelings of uncertainty that cause me not to walk by faith but rather walk by sight which is no doubt the worst thing we can do. There is no peace to be found in relying on self, anyone, or anything in this world.

WE ARE JUSTIFIED BY FAITH

Romans 3:28

Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

We are made innocent, guilt free by faith. Just as if I’d never sinned. How many worries and concerns in life come because of something that in err we have done or said and the guilt is heaped upon us. Satan loves to poke us with that big stick does he not? Reminding us again and again of our failures and recommending solutions that only end up making us tired when all the while God is waiting for us to let Him fix the issue. It may be with an apology if something’s been said that shouldn’t have been, or perhaps we need to right a wrong, but the guilt gathers at the door is laid their by Satan. Jesus took ours as far as the east is from the west. Psalm 103:12

WE ARE PURIFIED BY FAITH

Acts 15:8-9

And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

That grin I get in my soul. That’s the Holy Spirit! How awesome that feeling is when it wells upside of you and comes out on your face, that God Himself dwells within your heart cleansing the junk that I add daily into my life.

WE ARE SANCTIFIED BY FAITH

Acts 26:18

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Sanctification: Set apart. In order to have that faith that brings a smile to your soul there must be separation from sin and the things that lead into sin. You can’t hang out on the Devil’s door step and think that God’s going to join you. He said to “be ye separate.” 2 Corinthians 6:17

One of the greatest stealer of the joy and peace Christians are afforded is the idea that you can continue as a part of the world, loving all the things in and about it and “fit” God in when it’s handy. God won’t play second fiddle to anyone or anything; and there’s a long list of things that we are all guilty of putting before God.

So I realized again today that much of my faith failures come because I spend too much time “working” on trying to get life right and not enough time Reading the Word of God, Relying on the Grace of God and Remembering Who it is that has my world in His hand.

Posted in Life Inspiration

The Games People Play

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Monkey-Cymbals

Another Monday following another Sunday; funny thing is they fall that way every week. It comes as no surprise and yet every Sunday I’m surprised by the people who think Sunday is merely a portal to a new week. They take serious that the Lord said it was a day of rest but consider the gospel as an option. My frustration mounts week after week, and yet I don’t do a whole lot about it either. I witness and warn but they take me about as serious as a tinkling cymbals on that monkey I remember as child. Goofy thing… it sticks in my mind this morning how he would clang the cymbals and dance around and serve no other purpose than making a noise. Even as a child I didn’t like useless noises, there had to be a purpose. Just like playing online casino games at , I believe, every time you play a game you must think that you have a purpose, in online casinos, is to win.

Have I turned into that dancing monkey?

I began writing today thinking that my focus was going to be on alleviating my frustrations with people who don’t attend church, and wouldn’t you know it God would turn that thing right around to me. Ha! He’s funny like that too.

Luke 7:32-35

They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept. For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil. The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! But wisdom is justified of all her children.

Can you see it? A prime opportunity to get on my high horse and rail on people who laid out of church  yesterday and yet God said I’d just be like that monkey with the tinkling cymbals, all noise and of no useful purpose. While they may be playing games with eternity (a scary thought) making a lot of noise is not a way to get something accomplished, I’ve got to find a better way at getting through.

Jesus didn’t play their games but he did show up on their court. He went to where they were and showed Himself friendly not judgmental. He knew they were playing games, he knew they didn’t take eternity serious but when they needed Him He was there. I guess that’s my cue for the day, go to where they are and be the constant steady source for which the sinner see.

Be the one who cares. Be the one whose kind. Be the one whose wisdom is justified. The one that they look at and say I want that… that peace, that love, that understanding. No games, make Jesus real to them.

Posted in Life Inspiration

This is a Test of the Emergency Faith System

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Emergency-Broadcast-System

1 Peter 4:12

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trialwhich is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

I’m not sure they even do it any more, with no more television than I watch I very well could have missed it. But if you’re of any age at all you remember the feeling when that high pitched sound would come on along with the colorful test patch during your favorite show and it was the longest 60 seconds of your life. You’d be just on the edge of throwing a fit and it would end. Well…I’ve been just on the edge of throwing a fit lately as God’s allowed me to go through my own little test patch.

As a kid I felt as though that emergency broadcast test was put there just to annoy me. What possible purpose could a high pitch noise and a rainbow serve?

It’s time for peace….

Tests and trials of faith generally spring forth without warning and can be on a number of levels depending upon what the Lord allows. Mine seems to be more on the dull ache side, not the extreme. The extreme would be what a family in our community is now facing; the loss of a husband, dad, and granddad to a tragic tractor accident yesterday, that’s the ultimate test. Please pray for them in the upcoming days, I’m sure they could use it. The point of the matter is we’ve all had those times when the sirens have alarmed and we’re warned that we’re under attack. The Holy Spirit speaks sweet peace to the soul when those siren’s sound; but the Spirit is quiet… you have to slow down and listen. Satan will scream louder and louder, sit quieter and quieter. Get in your closet and prayer, get in your Bible and read.

It’s time to prepare, not panic…

Satan loves it when he can get you panicking over something. Because it’s a fact if you’re running around in solo survival mode you’ve got your eyes off Jesus. We need to stand behind God, not in front of Him flailing our arms, God already knows what you need By making a spectacle of yourself you’ve just alerted the enemy and anyone else that you’re not trusting God.

It’s time to remember the promise…

That rainbow patch can certainly serve as the reminder that God gave to Noah at the end of the flood. He placed the bow in the sky as symbol, a covenant of Grace… although I have to wonder if sometimes He’d not like to tie a knot in that bow and scratch the idea of preservation. But unlike man God’s Word is faithful and true. Regardless of the circumstances around us, the people who let us down, the chain of events that befall us… God’s patch of protection covers us all.

Short and sweet blog today… just needed to reassure myself that God has me covered.

Posted in Life Inspiration

I Settled for a Creek when I could have had the Sea

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DSC_0048I’m never any more shocked at the depravity of man than when I look in my own heart. The selfishness and continual desires to feed my own will always amazes me. I wonder why I’m not spiritually satisfied until I realize that I’m too carnal minded to obtain it. I want “stuff”, to be entertained and to certainly not be inconvenienced. I want quick understanding of the Word so that I can get back to the business of the day. Ah… I can put God first and look holy so long as it doesn’t take too long. Yes… this trip has been a reality check for me. Our couple of day get-a-way served to remind me that I can experience that same feeling of rest in the arms of Jesus, from Calhoun County, West Virginia. And the view is every bit as nice.

Isaiah 48:16-17

16 Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me.

17 Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.

Get Close

Come ye near unto me… You won’t hear God from a distance. He’s not a shouter. There’s a reason that scripture has God speaking in a “still small voice” because it is then that you have purposed to hear what He has to say. God is not going to vie for your attention.  Satan will yell and distract from afar, but God will speak as a friend who’s telling you the greatest secret on earth except it’s not a secret.

Get Real

God’s message (although tailored to our soul) is a universal message. He’s not an exclusive God He’s an inclusive God; He wants everyone to come to Him and hear what He as to say. From the beginning of time He’s been the creator of knowledge. Whatever it is that man discovers, God created it… how much better is He! He sends a message through preachers, teachers, friends, even the wind so that we may know what it is He needs us to know, He not only controls the message, He controls the messengers… He’ll make sure it’s delivered, but we have to be in a mindset to receive it.

Get Ready to Go

The plan’s been established and everything is in place for us to profit and receive direction and yet there always seems to be one thing standing in my way; complete obedience.

18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:

I could have had an endless sea of goodness from the Lord, but I’m willing to settle for a shallow creek. Oh the water is pretty, cool and good… but how much more God had instore.

Posted in Christian Service, Life Inspiration

Did You Really Just Do That?

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I would like to say that I don’t understand people but I too fall into the category of people I don’t understand. My life verses should be that of Apostle Paul in Romans 7:15-18

For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

It’s almost a tongue twister, and even though it’s not the dialect of today, we get Paul’s gest pretty quickly. “I do what I don’t want to do, and don’t do what I do want to do.” Why is that? Why are we so wishy-washy when it comes standing our ground in the Christian faith. We have the Holy Spirit within us telling us what is right and what is wrong, and yet we still fall to the wiles of Satan, or sometimes I don’t even think he gets the credit. We just do it because we want to and grace has us covered so why worry about it? It’s a constant conflict between grace and the corrupted heart of man.

It’s how we who believe “once saved always saved” theology get into trouble with a lost world who look at us and say “Did you really just do that?” I don’t know what Paul did to cause himself to go on this rant of sorts, but I can’t imagine it was as bad as some of the things I’ve done.

What got me on this tangent this morning was a well-intended google search for “trending” topics lead me astray to an article about a news anchor cat fight that’s now the hottest book selling. I kept on reading as each juicy tidbit of slander was revealed about the three bickering babes and after about the 20th paragraph of what was intended as a quick survey of the article I clicked the “x” in the top corner and got the article out of my face; frustrated that I had gotten sucked in to it in the first place. So fifteen minutes of valuable time was lost with the Lord’s work in exchange for fueling the flesh. Give me a break! have I not grown more than this in my spiritual life. The answer is no.

And how ironic that what got me off task of spreading the good news was the worlds news, and it unfortunately is the same old story just a different day. The twisted way the media relays the news varies on who they’re catering to on that particular day of the week. It’s a small part of why I don’t watch the news, it’s not much more than gossip dressed in its Sunday best, and the news I should be concerning myself with reads like a modern day newspaper and there’s not one word of fiction in it. That would be the Bible.

My mind has now been refocused, and I’m ready to face the day hoping to do what I want to do and not do what I don’t.