Yesterday being the first day of school had me up early yesterday morning. I sent out a txt to the entire student ministry and then took the opportunity to pray personally with as many of our students as I could before school. My phone was blazing until 9 and then it went silent. During the day it was odd not getting txt messages throughout the day asking how my day was, can you pray for this person, or answering a question about something. Yesterday afternoon it fired back up with reports of how the day went from students. Last night at LOL, our student ministry bible study, the looks on the faces showed some had a great day, while others had not such a good day. I prayed again this morning with a handful of students before school. Its such an honor to do so and in my quiet time this morning, yes I have to make time for that, am in Romans 7.
Paul has an amazing way of putting sin into perspective. He says in verse 18- And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can't. I want to do what is good, but I don't. I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. Verse 21- I have discovered this principle of life - that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love Gods law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sun that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey Gods law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.
Talking with the students last night they were reminded through Pastor Travis that they ultimately know right from wrong. We all do really. Some choose to follow the lead of others and go down paths that are hurtful and much harder than they need to be. While others, try hard to do what is right. There are some seeking the Bible in their day, asking to be challenged in their walk, and at lunch taking a stand for Christ and the entire table goes silent. I love being around these folks because their fired up faith is contagious!
I think we all want to do what is right and follow Christ with all we have but sometimes we are afraid and we often feel like we don't know enough. I think not knowing is a matter of taking the time and letting God fill your heart with the things of him. One way we can do that is to remove the junk we put into our minds. Turn off that tv show that shows a little bit of sex, a little bit of cussing, a little bit of drinking or doing drugs. Delete those songs on your Ipod that have messages of sex, drugs, gangs, and a host of other things that we are filling our minds with. Fill those things with praise and uplifting messages that can fill your heart, soul and mind with good things from above. Garbage in = garbage out
Spending time reading his word is a huge one! See God doesn't desire more of our time sometimes - I think he desires more of our attention all the time. Ever feel frustrated because you want to get closer to God, you see books on how to do that, you hear a message on how to do that and you have the desire to do so but you have so much to do already and guilt then takes you over. I think we all feel that way from time to time.
Psalm 16:8 - "I have set the Lord always before me."
Psalm 25:15 - "My eyes are ever on the Lord".
These are words spoken from King David who had a country to lead and he made time for God. The only way he could do that is to keep his eyes on the Lord all the time. Its a continual awareness of God that we are needing not so much more time devoted to Him. See I believe we can pay attention to God while you are doing everything else. Driving to work, in that math class, at the lunch table, in that meeting, in that conversation with your son or daughter while asking how their first day of school went and even during the shopping trip at the mall. Its all about bringing God in to the boardroom of your life and letting him lead and seeing God in everything you do. See, he is already there in those places but we are not looking for him there. We think he is only with us in our quiet time, at church or the wed night bible study. We have to set our minds in being aware that God is there at all times. This is what it means to set the Lord always before us. That opportunity to stand for Christ in the lunch room, that conversation that took place because you didn't want someone to sit alone, that walk across the room to say hello to someone new, that mean kid who you refrained from cussing out and in that conversation with your child become more precious to us because we are aware that God is with us all along.
My prayers the last 2 days for the student have been to focus on seeing God in the details of their day. Look for Him and He will be there and will go with you throughout your day.
I think with the right focus we can chose to do what is right, what is just and push sin further out of our lives. Seeing God in all we do will bring us to always living in the Spirit. Put that in action with reading Gods word each day is a recipe that will make a huge difference in your life.
Faith - if what we hear doesnt move from our heads to our hands, it will probably never make it to our hearts.
Shine on loved ones, you have the power in you that raised Christ from the grave. Take a stand today and know God is with you always and in everything you do.
Peace,
Lonnie~
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