Afraid of the Sabbath - Or afraid of Trust?

Are we afraid to trust God by honoring His Sabbath?

Exodus 20:8-11 - “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy."

I've realized that in choosing to not honor/keep/have a Sabbath, I'm not only breaking a commandment (and treating it as less "important/less practical" than other commands - I'm ultimately showing my own lack of true trust in God.

How?

Just like tithing when you don't have the money - keeping the a Sabbath day(the Bible doesn't demand that it has to be Saturday, or Sunday) when you DON'T have the "time" for it is even MORE important than ever.

Do you, like me, tithe when you can afford it? Do you, like me, honor a day of rest when you can? Or do you, like we've been commanded, trust God enough to actually give when it hurts...rest when you're afraid He won't honor your trust by making all of the "important stuff" come together in only 6 days instead of 7?

Trust Him. Don't put the "Important stuff" above the Important God.

I've been doing it. I'm going to repent and re-prioritize. And if you're in my boat...I love you, and I'm praying for you as I am myself. Praying that God becomes so Important and Big in our lives that we can't put him second to ANYTHING.

And all of God's people said :)

Amen. Now to actually follow it.

Sinning Saint

I'm realizing more each day how difficult it is to truly live life righteously. Not to say that I'm living my life in evil, but is choosing to live a day without true dependence and focus on God...well, righteous?

Let me explain further, I am very aware of some of my strengths and virtues - and also aware of some of my weaknesses and sins. I used to believe that someone that loved, trusted, and believed in honoring and glorifying God, could live a righteous life with Jesus' help.

But I was missing something.

I can't live a righteous life with or without Jesus' help...I am covered in a righteous life - holy and sinless in the eyes of God...but not because of the deeds I try or don't try. It was my Savior's death on the cross that gave me a righteousness that I can't maintain or earn. A righteousness based on "documentation" and heritage rather than work or skill.

In layman's terms. I am a sinner and live with this fact every day of my life. And since believing in Jesus the Christ I am a saint in the eyes of God - Holy, set apart - every day of my life. Contradiction? Not according to our God.

Don't misunderstand me. I'm not depressed about my earthly state of sinfulness, though DEFINITELY not proud of it. And I'm NOT arguing that we shouldn't TRY to live righteously and fight the good fight. I'm realizing that as we realize our own faults, sins, and failures - loving others becomes easier. Judging others becomes harder with these thoughts. Realizing my absolute longing, need, and dependence on God - becomes much easier too....

In conclusion,

I'm a walking contradiction (in earthly standards).

I believe in absolute Good and Evil, God and satan. I live for Christ, and yet for myself (the latter far, far more often...I'm ashamed to say.) I'm a "good" guy according to earthly terms, a daily sinner and failure according to the laws and truths given by God in His word, a man deserving of hell according to my views on my own hypocrisy, sins, actions, and thoughts...AND a man fully cleansed and redeemed, sinless, holy, and righteous according to God - through the price paid by my Kinsman Redeemer, Savior, Lord, and God - Jesus Christ.

My life is nothing without Him.

"Thank God for Jesus."

Lord, help guide my actions and words. Forgive me where I'm abusing them. And encourage me when I'm not. I'm not where I want to be, but You're bigger than that - make me wholly dependent on your will. In Jesus name. Amen.

Our Connection

Connection. That's what each and every one of us as believers in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as our Messiah.

As I was reading the novel, The Last Christian, I was reminded how incredible - and what a blessing - it is to have a connection to my brothers and sisters in Christ...and even more so, my connection to a Living, Righteous, Holy, Merciful, Just, Unfathomable, Uncontainable, Loving, Powerful, Creator, God. A God who paid it all, to obtain what He could have rightfully seized by force, my love, my hope, my faith, my life, my all.

What a God!!!

To our Savior, the Light and Life that this world needs, Jesus Christ!

John 3:16, John 14:6 and John 15:5 - AMEN!

It Begins

And so it begins. I've known for over a year that this day would come...the day that I moved to Alabama and started jumping through hoops to get the education I would need for my career. I argued God then, but I knew where I was called. So, I've honored the call. *sighs here*

Don't get me wrong, I love Alabama (though I'm a Mississippi Boy now, at heart) - but I wish that it didn't come at the cost of all the places, people and decisions I've been around. My Family, Meagan, my friends, my church, my home. Not that I lose them...but even to leave for a time...well, it hurts. But I won't be that guy.

I will see this as my mission field, and my chance to prepare for the next step that God allows me to take in this life. I'm determined. I'm passionate. And I will fight Satan and his minions with all the power that Christ gives me!

I've decided to start exercising and eating healthily while here. I've also decided to do a Chronological Read through of the entire Bible this year (with Meagan, for support and accountability). I'm checking into McAlister's tomorrow, for a short term job, AND I'm doing plenty of reading into aspects of the SWK program at Alabama and prep for it! *whew!* Time to rock and roll! I ask for prayer and support - as I do all that I can to live my life in a way that brings honor and glory to Our Father.

~Me