May 2, 2007

Good Morning! Its about time you woke up...

Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that. Don't allow love to turn into lust, setting off a downhill slide into sexual promiscuity, filthy practices, or bullying greed. Though some tongues just love the taste of gossip, those who follow Jesus have better uses for language than that. Don't talk dirty or silly. That kind of talk doesn't fit our style. Thanksgiving is our dialect.
You can be sure that using people or religion or things just for what you can get out of them—the usual variations on idolatry—will get you nowhere, and certainly nowhere near the kingdom of Christ, the kingdom of God.
Don't let yourselves get taken in by religious smooth talk. God gets furious with people who are full of religious sales talk but want nothing to do with him. Don't even hang around people like that.
You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You're out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain. So no more stumbling around. Get on with it! The good, the right, the true—these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it.
Don't waste your time on useless work, mere busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness. Expose these things for the sham they are. It's a scandal when people waste their lives on things they must do in the darkness where no one will see. Rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ.
Wake up from your sleep,
Climb out of your coffins;
Christ will show you the light!
So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times! Don't live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants. Don't drink too much wine. That cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of him. Sing hymns instead of drinking songs! Sing songs from your heart to Christ. Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father in the name of our Master, Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:1-20(The Message)

Ever have those moments where you feel unfaithful? Unfaithful to your spouse, or friend? Unfaithful to God?
I have in the past felt, and sadly been, unfaithful to friends. I have a handful of close, more intimate friends; those who I tell 98% of my stuff to and who know a heck of a lot about me. I have another handful of friends who, while they may not know all my dirt, come very close to it!
Is it right for me to hold some closer to my heart than other? Am I being unfaithful to the 2nd handful by holding them in very close esteem(dearly loved) and yet still holding back from them for one reason or another?

One thing I know for certain is that I have without a doubt been unfaithful to God. He's called out my name time and time again, and many of those times I have not answered or listened.
I have doubted His promises.
I have lusted after men.
I have not been faithful with my money.
I have been slothful.
I have been selfish and self-absorbed.
I am still so many of these things right now, today, this very moment.

Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.
Romans 6:19(NLT)

Here it is in a nutshell: Just as one person did it wrong and got us in all this trouble with sin and death, another person did it right and got us out of it. But more than just getting us out of trouble, he got us into life! One man said no to God and put many people in the wrong; one man said yes to God and put many in the right. Romans 5:19(The Message).

I am very thankful today for Jesus and his life.

Now, after all of this. I need to start living up to the prophetic name I was given last year. Until I do, walls and sin will continue to build up around me.

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:10-17(NLT)

Blessings.

8 comments:

kathryn said...

what a beautifully honest confession/profession, Dee!

Lisa Johnson said...

oh man denise, i think that has to be the best blog u have ever wrote. it was sooo honest and really powerful. i have been touched by this blog. you are amazing, keep up the good work!!!

Anonymous said...

When I first saw this blog I put off reading it because of its length.....silly me. I now pushed myself to read it because I knew that it was important. This is an amazing blog, lots of truth and conviction not just for you but for anyone who reads it and takes it in.

Debbie said...

And...what is that prophetic name you were given last year?

Denise said...

Its in bold in the final scripture...

Debbie said...

I should have picked up on that one!

Roro said...

this post came at a good time for me. thank you denise! that first scripture there makes me want to buy the message, i've been against the message since i first heard of it. only as of late have i really understood the sin i am still in and only as of late have i realized how far from Christ-like i am. thank you Jesus for opening my eyes! and thank you for opening denise's eyes! help us to lean on you and not on our own understanding.

Aurora said...

hey. just popped by to say hello, and I'm glad I did. You are beautiful, Denise. And YHWH wants you to know He is making you strong. (when I am weak...yeah, you know the tune!) Much love.