…Caution…
This blog contains images not for the faint of heart
Viewer discretion advised
It has been eight days and 72 hours of straight, door to door ministry, preaching and playing with kids. Now it is our off day and we are are headed to the beach for some much needed rest.
Just a couple gringos strolling the beach,
enjoying community living,
waiting for the surf to come in,
and watching the sun set! It was a perfect day!
Little did I know that God was going to give me a revelation towards something that He had started to teach me at the beginning of my month here in Ecuador. Due to the consequences of my own actions, I learned the lesson in a not so pleasing manner.
The seed had been planted in my brain weeks before while reading Proverbs 24:33-34;
“A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest – then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.”
I was feeling convicted for blaming the enemy and giving Satan credit for every struggle that I have had in my life. Whether it was physical, emotional or circumstantial situations, I was pushing off the blame instead taking responsibility for my actions.
In Colombia I learned that my relationship with God couldn’t be taught. It’s not something I’m told, and I can’t just believe it because I grew up with it. It has to be a choice. I have to choose to seek God out every day, to grow in my relationship with Him. My life is an overflow of what I put in. So If I’m filling my head with words and images that aren’t pleasing to the Lord I have no one else to blame but myself. If I’m not using wisdom and judgment in the things that I do I will have to deal with the consequences of those choices. And yes, through those choices we can allow for the enemy to have an open door into our lives but we cannot become a victim of our circumstances. We cannot give the credit to the enemy for every bad thing that happens to us. God calls us in Romans 12:2;
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
We have to make a choice to either copy the behaviors of this world or to allow God to renew our minds each day. By seeking out God and trying to grow in our relationship with Him, whether it be through reading his word, worship or by some other means we begin to close off doors for the enemy to enter in. Just as it says in James 4:7-8;
“So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you.”
When we become comfortable, when we get tired and lazy, our judgment and decision making can become flawed. We can allow the enemy a foothold into our lives and he is here to steal, kill and destroy. But it’s our choice to let him in or to let God renew our minds each day.
“I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.”
Just as I am the master of my own fate and that I have to deal the consequences of my choices I too am the captain of my soul. I can either choose into relationship with God or I can become part of the world. All this to say that I got lazy on my off at the beach!
Blistered sun burns are no bueno!
you live and learn
…Dia del Sol…
