I remember always thinking it is okay to watch certain movies and listen to certain music; that God really doesn't think it's that bad, but the truth is it IS bad. I am conforming myself to this world and not to God's kingdom. I am becoming a friend of the world and making myself an enemy of God. I know I am by no means perfect, but I should constantly be striving to become more like Jesus every single day. In James 4 it repeats itself over and over by saying such things as DRAW NEAR TO GOD AND HE WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU- SUBMIT YOURSELF TO GOD, RESIST THE DEVIL, AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU- CLEANSE YOUR HANDS, PURIFY YOUR HEARTS, HUMBLE YOURSELF BEFORE THE LORD, AND HE WILL EXALT YOU.
Why aren't these promises enough for us? We can sit here all day long and say amen to all of those things, but we DO NOT live by any of this. We are lukewarm Christians and God tells us that he hates lukewarm Christians- that He will spit those out of His mouth.
What if God was a lukewarm God? What if God only halfheartedly loved us?
Next time we turn on the radio and hear people singing about sex and drugs and alcohol, lets think a little bit about how God feels about our hearts being exposed to that mess.
God loves us for who we are, but that doesn't mean that we can continue to be that way.
Here is something to think about:
“I hear religious minded people say all the time with good intentions. ‘God will never place a burden on you so heavy that you cannot possibly carry it.’
Really? My experience is that God will place a burden on you so heavy that you cannot possibly carry it alone. He will break your back and your will. He will buckle your legs until you fall flat beneath the crushing weight of your load. All the while He will walk beside you waiting for you to come to the point where you must depend on Him.
‘My power is made perfect in your weakness,’ He says, as we strain under our burden.
Whatever the burden, it might indeed get worse, but know this-God is faithful. And while we change and get old, He does not. When we get weaker, He remains strong. And in our weakness and humility, He offers us true, lasting, transforming, and undeserved grace.”
-Greg Lucas
I cannot WAIT for our date!! God is drawing our hearts to His and in the same things!!! I've been praying this for us, and some others. BREAK US, O LORD!! DEATH is the only way Christ LIVES through us! He can't work through us if we are in control of ourselves. God deserves the right to OWN our every thought, emotion, decision.
ReplyDeleteSo many go to the cross, but never die on it. And that means... they are not His. It's a scary thing, the "sinner's prayer".... it gives many people false assurance that just because they prayed a prayer and felt bad, in human efforts are "moral" mostly... that doesn't equate Christianity! And if people are scared of hell, that isn't being saved.
Join me in prayer, it's a battle! I love you!!