Journal Entry 5/10/10

So it's monday and everyone is back from Shasta. Even though I am a bit bummed that I wasn't able to go, I am SO EXCITED to hear about lives changed through Jesus Christ. It has been my prayer and the prayer of many that God would move just as strongly in the lives of those who could not be at Shasta as he did in the lives of those that went. Well, so far, God has been faithful to answer this prayer in my life over these past few days. One of the ways was through a teaching from Solid Rock, a Christian church in the Portland area. Several months ago, they did a series on Heaven, a series which I downloaded and listened to. I was listening to the last sermon in the series preached by Phil Comer on judgments and rewards. There was something that he referenced that particularly struck a chord in my heart (and was very convicting to be honest!) In Matthew 12:36, Jesus says that on judgment day people will be held responsible for every idle (careless) word that they have ever spoken. This really made me think. Idle words are not necessarily bad, but they are useless; they don't fulfill any purpose. Wow Lord, thanks for that slice of conviction pie! This has really been a theme in the things that God has been trying to show me recently. IF IT IS NOT BENEFICIAL TO MY WALK THEN IT IS BAD FOR MY WALK. Paul instructs us in Hebrews 12:1 to throw off anything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangle. That last part is a no-brainer because sin is anything that acts against the law of God. It is obvious that any such thing would not and could never be conducive to a successful race for Christ. The first part of that verse is the tricky part, I think. Because hindrances are not inherently bad things, it can be hard to see the need to throw them off. But God has showed me that seemingly neutral things become bad things when they are not bringing us closer to Jesus. I think that is what Paul was actually trying to get at--anything that has become a hindrance is actually sin. For me, my hindrances have already been highlighted (thanks Father): TV shows, Facebook, wedding blogs...(just to name a few!) These things consume large portions of my time and have become idols in a sense. One of the 10 commandments is Thou shall have no other Gods before me. This is referring to idolatry. In this day and age, this might not necessarily mean erecting idols of wood or stone. I think that more often than not, this plays itself out in the making of other things ultimate or more important than God. I think that the removal of these things has to be a work of the Spirit, not something that can be done merely by the strength of man. So starting today, I am going to seek the Lord as to what he would have me do, how he wants to enable me to take down these idols. Perhaps a fast from Facebook, maybe complete abstinence from media for a time, whatever he deems fit. This one thing is certain: I can't go on living like this and expect to be walking in the fullness of all that God has for me. Somethings gotta give.