And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: he is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.
Luke 6:46‭-‬49 KJV

Hello brothers and sisters! I am so very glad that the Lord has seen you through another day and you once again found your way back to my random thoughts. Today my blog will not be filled with cute pictures. The topic is too sobering. I know that this is a subject that I think about a lot. Why do we say Lord, Lord and not do as the Lord says? This is the question I now have on my heart. I am the first one to say Jesus is Lord, God is God – like it or not, read scripture, listen to sermons, research theology and say I love Jesus and He is Lord of my life. I have scripture all over my house and I wear the tee shirts and talk about the Most High all the time. I don’t think I know how to have a conversation anymore without including Jesus in there somewhere. I am not bragging on myself at all. In fact I would say that I am in serious trouble. I would be safe in saying I don’t think I am alone.

A while back my daughter and I were in the kitchen and I forget what we were talking about but her words have not left me. She said I was the most Christ-like person she knew. WHAT! This statement scared me to my core. This is horrible. If I am honest, I do not run my life in a Christ-like manner and I do not always do what the Lord would have me do. I know what some of you are thinking, and you’re right, we are not perfect. However, there are things that I could do better and it would not even be that hard. I just don’t change them. I wont go into detail on what these things are for multiple reasons. First, I don’t want to influence your own train of thought in your own life and secondly, it’s embarrassing at this time to talk about the things I need to work on but I will in the future.

This made me think about the fact that I, like it or not, am responsible for the spiritual health of my children when they are young. The Bible says to train a child up in the way that they should go and they will not depart far from it when they are old. What does this mean as a Christian mom? Where is the boundary between brow beating and training? For me, I have started attending church either online or at the building when I can and I take the children with me. We pray at meal times and I remind them to pray at night before they go to sleep but somehow this does not feel like it is enough. I was told a story about a man that went to a church and every time the preacher would start preaching the man would soon get up and leave the service. This happened Sunday after Sunday until finally the preacher could not take it anymore. He had to know why this man was doing this. One Sunday, he finally asked. The man’s reply was remarkable. He replied “You would start preaching and I would be convicted of sin and I figured there was no need to sit there any longer. I needed to leave and take care of that issue first.”

Do we treat the information we get from scripture with such zeal? Do we care this deeply about what the Master has told us to do?

God wants a zealous people, a peculiar people. A people who are not ashamed of Him and that walk to talk. A people who truly consider Him the Lord of their lives and live accordingly. When my child said that to me, I took a good long look at my life. It is supposed to reflect Christ to my family so they can in turn get to know Him. How can I do this if I don’t know who Jesus is? How do we learn from a Master? In martial arts, the student does everything the master tells them to do without question. They follow every move the master makes and tries to mimic every aspect of their masters life. Do we treat the Master of all masters with such deep respect?

I would say not, America is statistically 80% Christian… really? If this were true, America would be a completely different nation. If we just followed what Jesus told us to do, we would not have all the horrors we have in this nation. I have had some tell me that I am always death and dooms day and I never have anything positive to say and I admit I have a problem. I sometimes wish I could see the world the same way other do but I just can’t anymore. I know too many things about this world that no longer allow me to see rainbows and kittens. However, I would rather have a bitter truth than a honey coated lie. So, having said that, America has a lot to answer for and the change has to start with each of us.

I was talking with a sister the other day and the topic of smoking came up. She too is struggling with letting go of this addiction. It has been one of the hardest things I have ever tried to do. This reminds me of a story another sister told me. We can try all day to do the laundry but it will never get done until we get up and do it. And she is right. However, this sister was giving me all the reasons why she should not have to quit smoking. She said the Bible never says that smoking is a sin and that it should not be held against her on judgement day. That it is legal and should not be an issue in short.

I must digress here because I just thought of all the horrible things that are becoming “legal” in America… the Father weeps and we should be as well. They are making it legal to wed your child, to marry a ten year old… this will be legal. Homosexuality is everywhere and we are making it legal for them to marry, and all the other things that are happening over here. If our behavior is dictated first by the law of the land and secondly by God… this leaves room for all kinds of doors to be opened and all of them go against the Lord. As Christians, we cannot defend ourselves with the laws of this land. Many people were and are being killed today over the laws of the land and the law protects the murderer. Are we to turn and look the other way because those deaths are lawful?

It is true that it is not in the Bible word for word but it does say the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, it says that we are not our own, it says to not lean on anything but Him for comfort and we are to be a light in a dark world. Jesus clearly has a moral compass for the way we are to conduct ourselves here on earth. I cannot even picture Christ with a cigarette hanging out of His mouth and a beer in hand as He talked. Jesus said we are to go and sin no more and I think this is to all people not just to those that were alive at that time. No we are not perfect but if we know something is wrong and not what Christ would do then we should die daily to ourselves and let those things go. It is true that the Lord ate with sinners but I doubt He acted or talked in the same way they did.

If we use excuses like the one above then we must excuse a whole list of things. Drugs are not mentioned in the scripture by name but it does speak about keeping a sober mind. You cannot have a sober mind if you are under the influence of other things. Jesus spoke about all of these things. He basically covers all aspects of life and He gives zero excuses for not dying to self and letting the things of this world go. I am speaking directly to myself more than anyone that might read this. I have been asking myself this question for some time now. Why do I say Lord Lord and not do the things He says? I find it impossible to be perfect but I know in my heart I have not given it my all. If at the end of the day I look back and can see areas of the day where major work has to be done, I have not given my all.

It is thoughts like this that lead me directly to the grace and mercy of the Lord and how we have an advocate in Jesus if we sin.

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1 John 2:1 KJV

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9 KJV

I am not here saying that smoking cigarettes or having a drink here or there is a bad thing in and of itself and that you’re going to hell for having a drink or a smoke here or there. That is not for me to say. I will say that anything that comes between you and the Lord is a sin. All I know is that the Lord has told me I am not to be smoking. He has told me a great many other things are not for me either. I admit I used to have a lot of envy for the way the world could conduct itself. Now I have only pity. Pity for the ones that wont listen but more so for the ones that listened for a while and fell away and even more so for the unknowingly blind Christian that thinks he is in a good place with the Lord. Many Jesus says… many will cry out Lord Lord on that day and not be able to enter into the kingdom of God. I don’t know if the Lord has been asking you to rid yourself of things but if so the sooner we surrender to His will, the easier it is.

My point is this, we are to be salt and light to a dull and dark world. We lead by our example and those around us ARE paying attention to the things we say and do. Are we just hearers of the word or are we doers? People are judging Jesus and the Father based on our behavior. Are we showing the world the true Jesus or are we barbarically presenting bits and pieces of Jesus all twisted up by our own desires? The true Jesus said following Him would come at a cost. Has it cost you anything? If not you might be following the wrong guy. To have friendship with the world is to be at war with God. I know this walk has cost me a lot of pleasures the world has to offer and that is okay. The rewards for following Jesus far out weigh the loss of anything here.