Caught Napping!

I know I enjoy my naps in the afternoon (if I get the chance to take one)!! Being a mom w/a 4 month old baby & working so much can wear down your body! Especially if you are working out so hard! I can't tell you enough how important it is for your health to get good rest. Be sure to get 7-8 hours of sleep & if you aren't to take one of those naps during the day or on your lunch break if you have to! (you can always drink a spark after to get you up & going!) However, in our spiritual health naps necessarily aren't what you want... Are you napping? Are you putting your relationship w/God aside because you are too busy? I will go over it more in depth tonight & in the morning!

**Suggested Book of the month: Radical by David Platt :)

“It wasn't so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn't know the first thing about living, tell you how to live.”   Ephesians 2:1 

Have you ever had one of those embarrassing driving “bloopers”? I have. ( I think I just told everyone the other day how on my way to the AM class I drove WAY out of my way?? ha Must happen alot to me!)  Like the time I was busy making plans in my head, following the line of traffic on the route that I took to the ballpark day after day – when I suddenly realized that I was on the entrance ramp to the expressway that would take me over the toll bridge and AWAY from the city! The cars in front of me were NOT headed to my destination, yet I unconsciously followed them anyway! I just wasn’t paying attention.

Many of us live that very same way. In God’s great mercy, we have been redeemed – purchased with the blood of Jesus Christ – from the penalty of our sin, and given the gift of eternal life through faith in Him. We have been made children of the King, cleansed from all our guilt and have the Spirit of the living God dwelling within us. We have been made brand new.

And yet... in many respects, our lives look just like those around us who do not know Christ. We unconsciously follow the pattern of godless living that is commonplace and “normal” in this world.

-- God says, “Do everything without murmuring and complaining.” Phil. 2:14 ... and we fuss and complain when things are not just as we want them to be.

-- God says, “I want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety...” 1 Timothy 2:9 ... and we go for “sexy”.

-- God says, “Do not neglect meeting together...” Hebrews 10:25 ... and we go to church orBible study only if it’s convenient and we feel like it.

-- God says, “Do not lie to each other...” Colossians 3:9 ... and we tell “white” lies when it is to our benefit or easier than the truth.

-- God says, “Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept pure.” Hebrews 13:4 ... and we live with our boyfriends because everyone else does.

-- God says, “Keep your lives free from the love of money...” Hebrews 13:5 ... and we become consumed with our salaries and our material possessions.

-- God says, “Do not be anxious about anything...” Phil. 4:6 ... and we worry and fret about many things.

-- God says, “Meditate on [my] book day and night and do everything written in it.” Josh. 1:8 ... and we set it aside when life becomes too busy.

-- God says, “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry...” Ephesians 4:26 ... and we hold grudges and fail to forgive.

Instead of reflecting the Jesus who lives within us, too often we reflect the culture that is around us. We need to wake up from our spiritual “napping” and break out of the mold that we have been subtly pushed into by our society. Don’t follow the crowd; in love, LEAD it – by your life and through your words - right to Jesus.

Jesus died for ME. I want to live for HIM!

Prayer: Lord, help me to follow your commands in 1 Peter 1:14-16 "Don't lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn't know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God's life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, "I am holy; you be holy." 

Suggested Reading: 1 Peter 1