Obedience

Obedience is something that I struggle with. The world thinks I am a wonderful Christian, who came from a rough start with the odds against her but was able to turn her life around. The odds were against me and I was able to pull through because of my faith in God. The world sees me the way I want God to. Unfortunately, the world isn't what matters.
I am going to be brutally honest in this post and try not to sugar coat anything:
-I am an unwed mother living with my boyfriend who I continue to have sex with.
-I lie when I feel that it will benefit me.
-And most importantly I allow people to think much different of me.
Yeah I have been with the same man since I was 14, I don't drink or party, I tithe the church and overall I am a good person but I am not obedient. And that's what this post is all about.
For those of you who have read Radical by David Platt, "We have a master who demands radical obedience." this means we don't get to pick and choose what demands we follow or ignore. Our God demands us to follow everything he says. Not just what we feel is directed towards us.
I don't get to say that God didn't mean me when he says we must not have sex out of marriage. I don't get to say God didn't mean me when he says all lying is bad, even just leaving out some of the truth. and I certainly don't get to say God didn't mean me when He said He is the only one with the right to judge, not anyone else.
But, I also know that this is a big problem in churches everywhere. Think about it, how obedient are you?
Reading:
-Exodus 4:10-14
Reflect:
-How obedient are you?
-Do you ignore things God has said because "they don't apply to you" or "that's not relevant Anymore?"
-Are you doing everything in God?
-How can you ask God for guidance to help you be more obedient?

Choosing your battles

Every single day we fight for something. We fight to win an argument. We fight to prove a point. We fight for materials. We fight for the opinions of someone. Many people are even fighting for their lives. I am very competitive and when I look closely at my day to day life I see so many pointless fights. Often I catch myself, usually when it's too late, almost searching for reasons to fight about/for something. I have come to realize that I need to start fighting for one thing and one thing alone. God. If each fight I chose revolves around God I will win every battle. I am a firm believer, a child, and I think I have a pretty strong relationship in God. From today's reading I know that God will help me win every fight as long as its for him.
In this chapter David goes against Goliath. David, who is just a young boy wears no armor and has no weapons besides a sling shot, but yet he takes down the strong, mighty, dominate Goliath. Why? Because he was fighting for God.
Reading:
- 1 Samuel 17
Reflect:
-Do you need to choose your battles more carefully?
- Are you waisting valuable time fighting pointless fights?
- If so what can you do to have a change of heart and start fighting for God and for God alone?

Disabilities and fallbacks.

As a kid with a rough home life I often wondered what I did to deserve this. Even before I really knew God I knew that there was something much bigger than me out there and I couldn't help but feel that I must've done something to deserve all the wrong that had been done to me throughout my life.
As I've grown older, moved out of my parents house and became an adult of my own I have taken the time to strengthen my walk with God and gotten to know him. Last night I was reading the Bible and something that really stuck out to me was God discussing a mans disability. He makes it very clear that no one did anything wrong to cause that man to be born blind. Jesus says this happened so that the works of God could be displayed in him.
I personally feel that everyone has some form of disability or fall back that they feel keeps them from being this non-existent normal that people have made up in their head. Today's reading says that those fallbacks are just ways for God to use us to show how amazing He is.
Reading:
-John 9:1-12
Reflect:
-Do you think that you have a fallback that God can use to show his works?
-Will you actually allow God to work through you or do you refuse to be better than your disability?
-God can use each and everyone of us, what can you do to let Him use you?