wasting time...

For the last couple of months I've had this thought running through my mind... "stop wasting time". It's almost become a bit of a burden on my heart. Actually, not almost. It has. Full stop.

A little while ago I posted a song by Brooke Fraser called "Hosea's wife". It's become a bit of an anthem for me lately. Some of the words have really impacted me and stayed on my heart. Particularly the bit where she sings about we were created for a purpose. We are more than dust. That means something! .... And where she asks what do we live for?!

What do you live for?! Do you live for yourself or for God?

Do you live for His will or yours?

Are you squandering this life?

This life that has a limit... a life where days can't be re-lived...

And I get this image of a church on fire. A church full of Holy, passionate people, who have a deep and intimate relationship with their loving heavenly Father. A people who truly believe that God can do amazing things in and through them. Things beyond their wildest dreams. A people who will allow Gods Holy Spirit to do an unimaginable work in them. I know so many Christians who have such amazing potential to do amazing things for the Kingdom, but they just don't believe in themselves! They don't see in themselves the qualities they have to offer. They don't believe they can do it. Oh God please give these people a self belief, and more importantly a belief that we can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us.

I dream of a church who realises that we can no longer squander our lives. No longer believing lies that the world tells us.

I dream of a church who truly desire to be more like Jesus. Who search their hearts, asking God to show them what isn't pleasing in His eyes. And then, CHANGE! .... A people who want to see this world through Gods eyes and not their own.

Everyone lives for something?

What do you live for?

A lot of questions hey... and maybe a bit of Ness babble... but something to ponder on..

For Him Alone
Ness :-)

sin nature.....

Yesterday I was going for a walk along the lake, pondering on many things. Something that I thought about, processed and prayed about for a while was this thing called "sin nature".

You see, we as humans stuff up. Often. I do. You do. We all do. Sometimes I ignore it and go on living in sin. But eventually God catches up with me and convicts me of what I'm doing wrong. Then I deal with it, knowing that it has no place in my life, and is bringing no glory to the name of God.

So I make changes in my life to ensure that that particular sin doesn't come creeping back into my life. But then out of no where, WHA BAM! it rears its ugly head! ... I let my guard down, and it creeps back in. Its that easy. Sometimes I get frustrated with myself because It just seems so much easier to sin than to do good.

The good news is that Jesus has the victory over my sins. I should be dead for the sins I commit everyday. Sin has no place in the eyes of God. But I serve a gracious God who gave me an alternative to death. Jesus.

At one particularly point on my walk yesterday, there was a pretty disgusting smell coming from the lake. One that often happens during low tide. And i wondered to myself, "is this what sin smells like to God?" It was a pretty rank smell. It almost made me puke. If only I had this kind of reaction every time I sinned. Maybe that would deter me...

I want to live a life that is pleasing to God. One that brings glory and honour to His name. But i'm not perfect. And I will sin again. Unfortunately its part of my fallen nature. But God can have the victory if we continually surrender it to Him, and allow Him to continually mould us into the people He wants us to be.

I was also reminded about how patient God is with us when we sin. Its like a father watching His child learn to walk. The child falls over every now and then. Perhaps its often. But the father gently comes along side their child, holds their hands and says lovingly "up you get". How patient. How amazing.

Gods grace hey... isn't it overwhelming?!

For Him Alone
Ness :-)