Get Serious and Stay Alert!

James 4: 1-12 (The Message) "Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves.

You lust for what you don't have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn't yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it.

And why not? Because you know you'd be asking for what you have no right to. You're spoiled children, each wanting your own way.

You're cheating on God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way.

And do you suppose God doesn't care? The proverb has it that "he's a fiercely jealous lover."

And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you'll find. It's common knowledge that "God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble."

So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper.

Say a quiet yes to God and he'll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. (this could mean quit playing the field in your relationship as well.)

Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. (Get Serious about God's will for your life!)

Get down on your knees before the Master; it's the only way you'll get on your feet.

Don't bad-mouth each other, friends. It's God's Word, his Message, his Royal Rule, that takes a beating in that kind of talk. You're supposed to be honoring the Message, not writing graffiti all over it.

God is in charge of deciding human destiny. Who do you think you are to meddle in the destiny of others?" (Listen to The Lord and not everyone that you talk too! But listen to your friends that are praying for you daily and want to see you go God's way!) Luke 17:3-4 "Be alert. If you see your friend going wrong, correct him. If he responds, forgive him Even if it's personal against you and repeated seven times through the day, and seven times he says, 'I'm sorry, I won't do it again,' forgive him." _______________________________________________________________________________________________ I read this this week and thought about my own life and the life of my friends and family. I think of all the times that I should have known that I wanted was to go my own way and I wasn't alert to the will of God in my own life. Also about all the times that I have kept silent when I knew that someone I loved was tearing down the walls of their own life and I didn't say a word. I know so many times that I have prayed for my own will and dabbled in sin to know that if I looked closely that I knew that what I wanted was not ever in God's plan. The one thing that I am very thankful for is the people in my life that takes this to heart and forgive me and show me how to get back in God's will. (Like my friends, family, and other Godly people that keep a watchful eye out for me. I pray that I get serious about what God wants for me and keeps me alert to His signs and direction in my life. So many times I think it does happen to others but am strong enough and better than them and it couldn't happen to me. That is when I let down my guard and sin come rolling in an am right in the middle of where I thought I could never be. Then God's opens my eyes and shows me that NO one is able to be strong enough and able to over come the sin of going there own way saying God will keep me out of the way of the traps of sin. Just because I love Him, And then I have to get on my knees and cry out to God for His forgiveness and let Him take back over. I pray that each of us today will know as well as we know our names that without God we are weak and able to fall flat on our faces in sin no matter how long our relation is with Him or strong we think we are in our walk with Christ. So I leave you with this... Keep praying, keep studying God's word, and let Him Jesus be the one to tell you were to step next in your life and don't flirt with sin in the world has to offer, cause no matter what you think, you can't over come the world on your own. In His grace, Rob