so, if we know how it ends, why are we living the same old life? why are we still out partying, not attending church, sleeping with people with whom we aren’t married. i see friends moving FURTHER from the Lord as the day approaches and not drawing nearer….what has a hold on you?? don’t go by “oh, i’m saved, so i can {insert sin}” business.  if you are saved sin is dead to you. the Bible says in Romans 6:1-2 ” What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” How can we go on living in sin? We can’t go on flirting with Satan and his way—-dangerous territory my friends.

sidenote: the Bible even says in Revelation 3:16 that the lukewarm Christian will be spewed from his mouth….sent away. the Lord doesn’t care much for the lukewarm, He wants us to be hot on fire Christians. how many say “oh, i’m a Christian” and then turn around and blatently sin? weekly how many attend Church out of religious tradition? how many forgo church at all claiming they will worship at home…where ever they are, etc…. You’ve heard it. Perhaps you’ve said it–I have!

all week long this verse had been stuck in my head– Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. EVEN MORE AS THE DAY APPROACHES!!

As the day approaches are you moving closer or further from God? Are you surrounding yourself with friends that are uplifting and encouraging you in your Christian walk or have you fallen prey to those around you swaying you the opposite way? Are you coming to Church or are you making excuses why you can’t go this week? Romans 10:17 So faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. You must be HEARING (literally hearing it -from church, reading it) the Word of God to live in faith. you want to stop living in fear of what is going on in the world, you better get to church and open your Bible and find out the promises of God.

these are not the times to pull away. this isn’t a strong “you’re going to hell post”—oh no, this is encouragement! well, at least *i’m* encouraged! i’m encouraged to draw near. i’m encouraged to stay the course. i’m encouraged not to tow the line. i’m encouraged to live hot, on fire, for the Lord. i’m encouraged to stop flirting with the enemy.

as my Pastor would say, I’ve preached myself happy…..and the villagers are now waking.

At first I scoffed, who me? Sin? Not in my house! But the, she went further listing out sins such as fornication, profanity, slander, gossip, false promises, white lies, etc. You see, as society, we knda brush these sins away and focus on the “big” sins like murder and adultry…but guess what, SIN IS SIN. There is no sin that is greater than another. In God’s book me telling my 5 year old a white lie is no different than me killing someone. Now, I know that sounds extreme because socially there is a larger effect, but you get my point.

In my head, I kept going back to a list of sins in Ephesians 5. I know there are lots of places all over the Bible to find sins, but this is what *my* heart was focused on.

³But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. ⁴Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. ⁵For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.⁶Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. ⁷Therefore do not be partners with them.

I began evaluating around my home things that I had started accepting and not even really realizing. The first major influence was TV. How much more accepting had I become towards the things I watched on the TV? Foul language had always pricked at my heart, but suddenly I was hearing things that weren’t necessarily foul, but certainly weren’t edifiying either. Do I want the little ears in my home hearing such things?? Even when they aren’t paying attention those words are still flowing into my home. Was I beginning to have looser talk because of what I was hearing on TV??

I started seeing where the slightest amounts of sex on TV effected me mentally. Some people don’t see sex on TV as immorality, but I’m a lot more accepting of that TV couple sleeping together before marriage—-but that is teaching the lesson of immorality is it not?? What is that teaching my family when *i* accept that? (I know my kids aren’t of the age to understand but they will be). When I see it on TV it effects my thinking about how things are in my relationship with my husband. It effects men in their thought life — so am I harming my husband as well? So even by accepting the smallest amount into my home I’m effecting the entire family.

What about those white lies that I may tell my child? Are those not still lies? By not just telling the truth, even if it is a little over his head or hard to explain, I’m teaching him to lie. I’m teaching him that sometimes its okay not to tell the truth.

I addressed gossip— in the celebrity form— on my blog about a year ago. I can honestly say that cutting that out from my life made a HUGE difference. Why did I care so much about the empty life of celebrities??

This is just a small list/explanation of my revelation. I know some people will read this list and think, “that’s so extreme!” But really, it is?? Eph. 5:3 clearly states, “not even a HINT.” Look at the long term effects of the little things you are doing and accepting now. Even if you don’t have children to influence look at how your acceptance effects those around you!

I’ve personally come to the decision that if I shouldn’t be watching/hearing/doing it in front of my kids comfortably, then I should be evaluating it. If my Pastor (I would say Jesus himself but some people have a hard time with that thought) was sitting right next to me, would I be embarrassed to use this same language or watch that show??

Sin comes in so many different forms. It’s sometimes hard to remember some of these “smaller” sins, but remember that they are no different than what society considers “big” sins in God’s book. Look at how they are influencing you and your family and CHANGE! It’s as simple as turning off that show, changing the radio station, or changing your words.

This is my current worship playlist. I don’t always listen to this much worship. I go through seasons but for the last two weeks this is all I want to listen to. I guess if someone was looking for a place to start this would be where I’d point them. Enjoy.

All I Need Is You – Hillsong

You Are Holy – Christ for the Nations

Here in Your Presence – New Life Worship

His Glory Appears – Hillsong

I Will Exalt You – Hillsong

Heaven’s Song – Gateway Worship

So Beautiful – Christ for the Nations

Rescue – The Desperation Band

The More I Seek You – Christ for the Nations

We Cry Out – Gateway Worship

Revelation Song – Kari Jobe

Lead Me to the Cross – Fancesca

Yahweh – Hillsong

New Doxology – Gateway

It’s You Love – Hillsong

From the Inside Out – Hillsong

At the Foot of The Cross – Christ for the Nations

Amazed – Desperation Band

And then a ton of Planetshakers songs that I never make it too because I start the list over. It’s always like that. I add my new favorite to the beginning and older stuff moves down.

Worship music is so important to me. Many many many reasons. When I’m dealing with my fleshly emotions and thoughts, I can crank this up and let the Lord wash over me. It drowns out my own thoughts and forces me to focus on God. Worship brings you into His presence. Sometimes its just nice to sit at His feet and sing. It calms my babies. It heals my wounds. It makes me repeatedly fall in love with my Savior.

For years and years, I believed, based on teachings that I still can’t nail down, that all of these things happen for the glory of the Lord. I wholeheartedly believed that God, the Father, inflicted this sickness/disease/death/poverty/lack/brokenness for His own glory to shine through. In fact, it so widely believed that Pastors are still preaching this message from the pulpit today. I recently saw a Pastor give a message to his congregation that God chose him to endure a battle with disease for God’s glory.

It wasn’t until my college years when I started to question why a loving Father would ever do such a thing. Why would a loving God honestly cause these to occur. I was met with plenty of answers. “For His glory” “God won’t give us anything we can’t handle” “God gave this to them so they could be stronger.” Really? MY God decided to give my friend the blessing of a baby in her womb (and the excitement of finding out she’s pregnant) and then decided to have that baby die resulting in a miscarriage (the ultimate low) and this was to make her STRONGER?? So that she’d believe more??? I couldn’t buy it. So, I stopped really believing.

Yes, you read that right, for a good two years I ran from the Gospel. I claimed to know there was a God but I couldn’t understand why he’d cause pain like that. I couldn’t really LOVE God with my whole heart because of this.

It wasn’t until I was in my current Church (mainly to impress EP who I was smitten with — its ok to admit, God can still work on you even if you aren’t really there for Him at first!) when I heard a message about John 10:10 that I really began to understand more than EVER what causes sickness, disease, death, lack…

The thief does not come except to STEAL, and to KILL, and to DESTROY. I have come that they may have LIFE, and that they may have it more ABUNDANTLY.

There is SO much that I can say about this one tiny little verse!!

Yall, the devil is the one coming to STEAL, KILL, and DESTROY!!! Our health, our jobs, our joy, our relationships, our children, our parents, our homes, our peace, our marriages…. all of these things. Jesus came so that we may have LIFE and not just any ordinary life but an ABUNDANT life!!! Now, tell me, would God not be contradicting himself if He says He’s here to bring life but yet He turns around and takes it??

We live in a fallen world. Because of the decision made by Adam and Eve we have allowed sin and all that comes with it (death, poverty, lack) into our lives. The Devil is at work on this Earth. It doesn’t matter how good we are living, its all around us. And it isn’t God that caused it!! God ALLOWS it to occur because of our fallenness. Period. Further, the Bible doesn’t talk about IF hard times come but WHEN…we will face trials in this life, but hear me GOD IS NOT CAUSING THEM!

So then I questioned, does God not know all these things are going to happen? Of course, He is all knowing but this is where the rubber meets the road. This is where God glory can shine. This is where you faith is exercised. This is when you become stronger….through your relying on God to get you THROUGH them.

In theory the “reasons” I was given above are true. These things do increase our faith. We learn to rely more than ever on our Father when going through these battles. Glory to God can be shown through trials and circumstance the devil causes. We CAN handle all these things with Gods strength. God can take these trials and make them good. He can heal us (that’s a WHOLE other ball game there!) But we really must stop saying that GOD is CAUSING these things to occur.

Can you imagine how confusing this is to people in other religions or the unchurched? Heck, look at how confusing it was to me and I WAS churched. We preach that we have a loving Father and then turn around during, for example an unexpected death, and say, “Well, the Lord knew took him away so that we could learn something, I just don’t know what, yet?” HUH? Can you see where they are thinking, “not sure if I want any of that God?” Imagine the mother who has lost a child believing God took him. Is she able to fully understand Jesus’ true love during that time or is she blaming him based on teaching she’s heard? I can promise you earlier in my life if these things happened to me I would be asking God why HE did it. Don’t you know he cries for/with us?? Satan has been so good at deceiving us in this area. For twisting scripture to make it seem God is doing this.

I just feel so strongly about changing our wording and recognizing the true devourer over our lives. In the last week I heard of several (yes, several!) miscarriages, a friend with small children dealing with cancer, kids being diagnosed with cancer or even passing away…this is not of God. Please stop saying so.

I want you to know this to take comfort. We have been deceived for too long. Realize where your battles come from so that you may draw closer and closer to Our Loving Father. Our God is a god of love and peace and He wants you to live an abundant life. Embrace Him, His arms are open wide.

{{there are so many scripture references i could have used in this post but i just really wanted to keep my focus straight}}

———

I feel like I should add this disclaimer because I know many of you who read my blog and I know the MANY MANY battles that you have had to face. I am in no way directing this at anyone. I hurt right along side of each one of you through these battles. I cry for you, I pray for you…I’m in no way speaking to anyone about how they have handled their personal situation. Each one of the people in my mind have dealt with things I’m not sure I could bear. You have ALL shown God greatness to ME through your circumstances. God’s glory has shown through your battles because it has impacted at least me. I just want you to know that God did not put this upon your life. He loves you too much.

I’m having to deal with some things today that I just don’t like dealing with. It happens. But, as I was praying about it a reoccuring theme kept running through my head, my joy is complete in the Lord. My JOY??? I wasn’t feeling joyful, I was crying….so I decided to seek out the scripture that was repeating itself.

John 15:9-12

⁹ “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. ¹⁰ If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
¹¹ “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. ¹² This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

So many things going on in this scripture. First, nine and ten give us the requirements to have this full joy. To remain in God’s love, we must obey his commands. Hence, we must be staying in His Word. We must be reading, hearing, doing, and studying this Word of Life. How can we possibly obey if we don’t know what we are to obey, right? Verse 11 gives us the result of abiding in His love by obeying these commands — OUR JOY MAY BE FULL!!! How cool, right?? To be full of JOY! Joy in this scripture is the greek word chara – happiness, gladness, rejoicing!!! (I certainly wasn’t feeling like rejoicing).

Verse 12 (and later verse 17) tell us his command, “Love one another.” So when you are loving others, you are enabling this completion of JOY in your life.

Back to today, I was not loving my situation and I was not loving the people involved. I was filled with envy, selfishness, and pride (not love characteristics according to 1 corinthians 13:5-6). By reading this I was reminded, by loving those people, by ridding myself of the selfishness and pride, my joy would be full. I was hindering the Lord from working in me–from receiving full joy.

By changing my heart – by obeying his command to love others, my JOY will be complete. It isn’t always easy, but that isn’t to concern us. God will handle the details….our job is simply to love through it.

John 15:1-2 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”

Do you see what this verse is saying? For me, this verse is telling me that the Lord will cut away at the things that are not producing fruit in my life (time wasters), while strengthening those things that do (prayer, worship, study) by trimming away and developing them.

Recently, I began feeling highly convicted about where I was spending my time. (I know, I know, I’ve blogged about time-wasters in the past) How do you know conviction? When you start feeling a tug like, “maybe, i shouldn’t be doing that.” That, my friends, is the Holy Spirit. Our teacher while we remain on this Earth — but that’s another blog.

I began noticing the amount of time I was spending on my iPhone and computer….and even more specifically Facebook. When I was sitting on the floor playing with my kids, I’d pick up my phone. At red lights, I’d pick up my phone. When waiting in a Dr office (holding a baby no less), checking my phone. At home cleaning, swing by my computer. Always checking for updates.

Updates of what, I began to ask, of what other people were doing? Why was I so obsessed? Why do I care? Frankly, and I’m sure many of you can relate, a lot of those people I either hardly know or haven’t seen in ten years. Why was this important to me?

Then I started realizing what I was saying in my home. I’d put off requests from my son to do what *I* was wanting to do. When he asked me one day, “are you finished with that email?” “are you emailing someone?” I realized very quickly what my words and actions were telling my son. My computer, my emails, my phone were more important than him. What was I showing my daughter by playing tea party with one hand and texting with the other. Or texting/facebooking when she was crawling all over me. Judge away, I’m being honest and I’m almost certain I am not alone in this.

Having already been feeling convicted, yesterday I went to MOPS and this questions was posed, “How do you want to be remembered?” My fruit?? Do I want to be remembered as a mom that put her kids aside to finish and email? Do I want my kids to look back and think I was always on the phone or with a computer in my lap?? NO! Absolutely not! I want to be remembered as the mom danced around the room, had tea parties, played dress-up and made unbelievable forts. I want to be the woman who teaches her children the ways of the Lord through her actions. These times will pass quickly, what am I doing??

Also, there was a frustration factor. Something I did not expect and I don’t think it effected me too much, just a side note to all of this. Internally there were times where I was pricked. Envious of someone getting to go out and I’m stuck home alone with my kids. Coveting the new car or house someone bought. Then thinking why we couldn’t have those things yet. Some of my friends annoyed me and I was thriving off of being annoyed.
None of this is healthy.

I came home yesterday with such a heavy heart. I knew where God was pruning me. This wasn’t the first time. I was pruned before over the amount of time I was spending reading novels and reading celebrity gossip. I didn’t like it, but I knew it was good. So, I logged out. On my phone and on my computer. I even moved the app on my phone so that I wouldn’t see it as often.

Then I thought, well, I’ll log out all day and allow myself FB time in the evenings. Well, how many nights have I wasted doing that? Sitting on the computer in front of the TV?? Where is the eternal value?? Nope. ALL THE WAY! This isn’t just a Facebook thing. It’s a computer and iPhone thing too. My computer will now reside on the desk in the office. Sure, for recipes and occasionally it will go away, but I feel that I need it out of the way of my everyday life. Same with the iPhone. I’m putting a password on it so when I pick it up out of habit and for random use, I’ll have to log in. It’s such a great reminder each time to: do i really need to be doing what I’m about to do??

I’m not going to lie. I have picked up my phone several times and seen that log-in screen, but now it serves as a reminder as to my main goal, pressing on toward Christ. I’m also going to say, this isn’t a forever goodbye, its a pruning. I’m learning where my weaknesses are and addressing them. I will come back on and post someday, but I know it won’t be to the obsession level it was at.

And what will I do with my time (instead of writing long blogs about it)? I’ll spend more with my kids, my housework (which was also falling to the wayside), serving my husband and, most importantly, with my Lord. {By the way, moms, you are serving the Lord when you are spending that time with your children. } Clearing away time wasters is to make more time for the Lord. To learn and grow. To remain on the vine, grow and produce much fruit.

And let me say this, this is my personal conviction. I’m not saying we should all abandon ship (like you’d even listen), I’m just wanting to bring the awareness of where are you spending your time? Where is God wanting to prune YOU?? Are you willing to make the change? This is not a look-at-how-Holy-I-am blog…this is I am learning…I am growing…We are to encourage each other in the things of God. (Eph 5:11 Encourage one another and build each other up..”) I want to encourage you and I want you, in turn, to encourage me. Hold me accountable, PLEASE.

Much love today…. His love, of course!
((Oh my word, I just realized I dealt with on the purning and not the bearing of good fruit!! Please read those scriptures in John 15:1-8 its all so good! Maybe another blog???))

I have to say, this may be one of the best times I have had in the 6 years I’ve been doing it. Maybe that has to do with the fact that I am passionately working on my resolution #1, prayer. I was able to press in and really hear what God was calling me to in this new year. What so totally awesome about it, is not only did I hear these things, my Pastor confirmed them in prayer.

After cutting out TV, Facebook ,Twitter, My blog…I realize how much time I waste daily on these things. I realized how many precious moments I’m missing with my children, how many times I’m not in tune with the Holy Ghost, but rather catching up on what people I don’t hardly know (most of the time) are doing. Where is the eternal value in that?

For the first time, ever, I was given a scripture to stand on this year. I know in my heart when I think of it every morning my heart will be transformed and my days will have purpose.

Jeremiah 29:13 And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with ALL your heart.

WITH ALL MY HEART. I want to find and know Jesus. It goes hand in hand with resolution #1 about prayer. To know someone you talk to them, you ask them questions, you dig your heals in and really get at what they are all about. The Lord is no different we have the ability to press in and really get to know our Lord. He’s provided us with open communication (prayer) and responses (His Word)…and even a teacher (the Holy Spirit!) Oh yeah, did you know God can talk back to you?? His word is full!

I know most of you know me personally and you are thinking, that’s so easy for you, you already go to Church and do that stuff. Yup, but there is a HUGE difference between being a Church attender and some one intimately close with the Lord. I’m vowing this year to seek with all my heart and know the Lord.

A final scripture comes to mind as my kids are just waking up…

Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things….For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

Do you see how this scripture goes hand in hand with the first?? I want to be this person. SO full of God and his love that I can’t help it spilling from my mouth.   

Okay, seriously, must go get the baby now….

I am so blessed to have an awesome Church. I’ve had many “struck down” moments in my church.   Anyway, today was one of those days where I was so struck that it’s all I’ve thought about all day. We’ve recently been blessed with a new leader in our worship team (and I’ve been blessed with a new sushi loving friend), Meagan. Today, she had friend, J, and his wife visiting our church. J and M blessed us with a special song that left me weak in my knees.

How He Loves : David Crowder Band (click that link to hear the song & see lyrics!)

I came straight home and downloaded the song and its been running through my head all day. Yall, how beautiful is our Savior’s love for us??

Becoming a parent completely changed my personal relationship with the Lord. I could never quite grasp the “fathers love” concept until I had my own child. Well, I understood it, but it didn’t resonate quite like it does today. I would never be able to turn from my child. I am always forgiving of their (well, currently just SBs) wrongs. I correct them out of love. I will always love them….always……how much more does the Lord do this for me!!

And, how do I treat my heavenly Father in return? How many times has he forgiven me and I continue to fall? How many times do I neglect talking to him intimately? How many time do I really not feel like going to fellowship in house?? How much worse do we treat our heavenly Father?? How would that hurt me if my dear babies who I love so much treated me that way??

Brings me to tears. We so take for granted the relationship that the Lord has given us. Especially in this season of our dear Saviors birth we should be reminded of WHY he came ….BECAUSE HE LOVES US!!!!

1 Corinthians 10:23 ²³“Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is constructive.

While there is nothing wrong with reading such things, i.e. it isn’t a sin.  I started dealing with the fact that it wasn’t very beneficial or constructive in my life. What was I gaining?  Knowledge of things that really don’t matter when all is said in done?  I’ll still keep up with what’s going on in the world…I just don’t think I need to subscribe to it.  The day EP told me that “all [I] do is scan through Reader and read gossip”  I knew I had to back off.  I don’t want to fill my life with that.

Now hear me, my friends, I am not saying what is right for you or that I think everyone should quit, or any of that– not at all. Just for me, personally, I have realized this is part of my life that is idle time and that I should be doing something more fruitful (like, errrr, blogging about it. LOL!!!)

But this is MY journal and that is what’s on my mind.

One thing I have found in reading my Bible is you really should check out several versions.  I typically read the New King James version in church and study, but more often than not, the New Living Translation helps me at home when just reading in general.

This morning I read the following and thought, “that is perfect for the first scripture in my blog.” It’s long so I’m bolding the portion I’m committing to memory (however, I’ll attempt the whole thing!).

Galations 4:21-24 (NLT): Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, ²² throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. ²³ Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. ²⁴ Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

I want to put on my new nature and take on that of Christ!! I want my thoughts and attitude to reflect my Savior!

Bless you!!