For those of you who practice a faith, do you feel convicted about things? Do you just know right from wrong and abstain, or do you tow the line and then feel convicted in your spirit when you know that it feels wrong? Which camp are you?

My friend told me today that there are 3 forces working against us: the devil, the world and the flesh. For me, the world is my oyster, therefore the world is my issue. I don’t want to say I am a lukewarm Christian, but maybe I am.

I watch some of the popular shows and movies, I dress in current fashions, I keep up with the latest gadgets and know who the hottest singers are. There is nothing wrong with that. There really isn’t. But, my behavior and lifestyle do not separate me from people who are non-Christians, most of the time.

Not that a Christian person is better than anyone else, but if I want to be a follower of Christ, then shouldn’t I exude something different than the average person? It seems that some of what is hip and popular, sometimes may not align with the life I am trying to lead. I am not saying I can’t listen to any pop music or anything secular. But, what I am saying is that I should be putting better things into my ears and brain and psyche.

I was watching a show the other night and it is a show that I would never let my kid watch. For one, she is too young, but the show was just so inappropriate. I would never watch it in front of my mother, and with certain friends I would fee quite embarrassed even.  If I am afraid to see it with my mom around, then imagine if Jesus were sitting in the same room with me!

Now some of this may be heavy duty religious for some of you, in a society that is increasingly not. But, this is on my heart. I watched War Room 3 times this week, and I am now watching a true story about a man who was clinically dead for 90 minutes and he came to. I feel like I should be putting more purity in my life and more faith based movies and songs should be the main part of my repertoire.

So, I am going to try to stay away from movies, shows, music that is not acceptable to “the kingdom” as they say in the south. I want to set a great example for my kid. I don’t want to tell her she can’t do something, and then I go and do it because that would be like “do as I say not as I do.” I know she’s a kid and there are just some things that she can’t see or do because she deserves to enjoy youth and some subject matter is just too heavy.

I know I can’t regain innocence or unlearn the harshness of the world. But, I can feed my spirit with good things so that I can prosper in my relationship with God and also lead a life that sets me apart from others. I want to not only have joy, but exude it. I want people to ask me why I am happy all of the time. Living a life more accepting to God, can lead me to a closer relationship with Him and a better outlook on life and hopefully show others that the love of Christ is not to be feared, but is something we all need in our lives.

What do you all do to keep less of the world out of your lives, and more of Christ in? I no longer want to be lukewarm. I want to be on fire Christ, which will lead me blessings and plans laid out by Him that are beyond my wildest dreams. But I just don’t know how to get there. This kind of talk is not what the average Presbyterian church like mine would dare speak of. It is for the “holy rollers” or “Bible thumpers”. I don’t really care though because I feel like in order to get to the life I want, that prayer to God and a focus on a strong relationship with Him are more important than folks thinking I have turned into a nutjob.

The truth is, I haven’t changed and that is the problem. The differences in me now and me 20 years ago are so minute except that I am a mom and live in a different state. My attitude towards people is not better. I don’t have a job I love, nor do I make oodles of money. Besides my life with my child, I do not have a lot of satisfaction. So, apparently it makes sense for me to lean on the architect of the universe to take the lead and me for once not try to do things my way.

Happy late Saturday night/early Sunday morning. I hope that whatever your relationship is with God, that it is where you want it to be. If you don’t have one, I hope that you will consider turning to Him not just in time of need, but in times of Thanksgiving and for counsel. Because, there is no greater counselor…

simply~

Dee