A little bit of ranting never hurt nobody!

 
ANOTHER AMAZING WEEKEND!!

Man...God is GOOD!!! Sometimes that's all I can say. He has been so evident it's been unbelievable! There's something that He's been revealing to me that I'd like to share as sort of a confession, though:

Sometimes, when I'm around certain people I find myself saying words I wouldn't say around other people, laughing at jokes I wouldn't laugh at under other circumstances, and just all around acting in a way that I wouldn't normally act if certain people were around. To some of you, this may come as a surprise. To others, maybe not. Now, I wouldn't be saying all this if I didn't think that I was the only one who did this…which in no way makes my actions any less sinful or wrong. I guess my question is, "Why?" What is it about us that makes us feel as if it's OK to compromise ourselves around certain people and not others? Why do we feel as if we should compromise at all? Rob's sermon on shortcuts today really got me thinking about this.

When we evaluate our lives, what do we see? Why is it that we want to cling on to those old friends, hang out in those old places, or maybe even hold on to some old habits? The scriptures say that when we ask Jesus into our hearts, we become new creatures…we are born again. Only through Christ's blood do we have this awesome gift! Well, of course you can say, "We are sinful by nature, and that's why we have grace…so that if we sin we can be forgiven."

Guys, I want to be real around you. I would hate that any of you would think that you don't know the real me…that there was this alter ego named "Bad Ralph" that came out whenever you weren't around. But sometimes I fall…and fall hard. I've had to all-out divorce some of my old friends because of this…I'm too weak on my own! If we find ourselves compromising the very values and things we believe around certain people, then maybe it's time we reevaluate those relationships and what role we are playing in them. Are we effectively able to lead them to Christ if we're compromising ourselves around them? Or if they're a baby Christian, are we being the right example to them if we are enabling them to feel that some things are still OK to do, even though we no longer own ourselves and have been bought with a price? The next time you find yourself in one of those situations, ask yourself these questions:

1) Would I feel comfortable telling my blood family and my church family what I just said or did?
2) Is what I am doing or saying glorifying God?
3) If there were someone around me that weren't a Christian, would my actions right now make them question whether or not I was?
4) Are there people in my life that I make moral and/or ethical compromises around on a normal basis?

As we embark on this journey with God together, let's try to make it so we remain accountable to each other and to God in all we say and do. The sacrifice He made for us should be more than enough for us not to want to compromise anything in our lives.

Some verses to ponder...

I Peter 1:13-25 (NIV)
Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;
for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers,
but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.
Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of the Lord stands forever." And this is the word that was preached to you.

Nuff said for 2nite. Peace out, yo.


posted by Stacie @ 2:22 AM