Check Yourself!

1 Peter 1:14 -"As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct".      In raising my sons I was a loving disciplinarian. I set the rules; explained the rules and told of the consequences of breaking the rules. I felt it was unfair to punish a child for a first offense if they might be ignorant of what was expected. After a stern lecture (which I think they hated worse than any discipline) I would remind them that "now I know you understand, so if you do it again you have filled out an application for the punishment".      Before we gave our hearts to Christ we were spiritually and cognitively ignorant of many of the life sustaining rules God had in place for us. But as we walk with Christ he expects us to mirror his actions, learn from his teachings and grow under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We cannot continue in a faith-based walk with God and continue doing the things we used to do and expect to not get some measure of correction. The devil will make you believe what you are doing is ok...living together without the consecration of marriage; sexing whoever makes you feel good for the night; establishing families based on pregnancies or conveniences rather than on Godly direction; stealing, lying, sabotaging, etc. So while you are "playing house" and 'loving the one you are with' and eating someone else's lunch out of the staff refrigerator, remember that although God is long suffering, he will not be mocked - you will be reprimanded; not because God hates you... but because God absolutely loves you. God hates sin and like any loving parent he will provide methods for guiding you back to the right ways of living.      Check yourself ... every day I have to repent from some slippage in my walk with Christ. The more I walk with him the closer I cling to him. He says the way of the righteous is narrow and if you keep skipping along the path, throwing yourself in any direction -to please others or your own desires eventually you will fall off the cliff. It might be difficult to change a 'worldly' decision all of a sudden; but seek God, repent and watch him turn your life around. Be Holy!      Every day is a good day; it is up to us to make it a GREAT day! Don’t be distracted; stay focused on your purpose. Be blessed! Dr. JoAnn Happy Birthday Arthur and Harrison!!