Stumped Toes & Running into Doors

     One of the things that I seem to do is run into half opened doors, or stump my toe on a piece of furniture that has always been in that exact spot.  Another thing is at my house I have to park on the street, most times I have to turn my car around at the end of the street so I can park on the same side of the street that my house is on. So I go to the end and do a U turn. There are hardly ever any cars on the street I intersect with my turnaround, so I always just stop and go. One day, I stopped and started to pull out and realized that I didn't even look to see if there's a car coming. Don't worry I didn't wreck, I just had to stop abruptly. I had made a habit in my mind that I never have to REALLY stop at that stop sign.
    There are small things in our life that are so normal to us that we don't ever stop to make sure that God is speaking to us about it. For example, with the doors, most of the time the doors I run into are typically never closed, so when they are my mind doesn't register in enough time that it's not open all the way. And then, BAM, I run into it. There are things in our life that have been normal and on schedule that God wants to speak to us about. Or wants to close that part of our life, but we have gotten so used to it that it's become second nature. When God is saying, "Brennen! Wake up, that's not good enough for you any more. Let it go!" "Brennen, you are called to live a life of holiness- that isn't cutting it! Cut it out of your life." "Brennen, proceed with caution, stop and be aware of your surroundings!" "Beloved, this door is shut, but I have a better one open for you! Pay attention!"
     So what half closed doors are you still running into? Any streets you've failed to proceed with caution in? It's time for me to pay attention to the things in my life that I've left God out of and to listen up.
    

Holiness

     A few years ago I read the first chapter of a book that changed my life. I don't remember a certain quote or anything like that in the book read, and I actually just tried to read the first chapter again and got bored with it and put it down. But it changed my life- the concept I learned from that first chapter, changed my life. A call to holiness. (The book is "Holiness" The heart God purifies. by Nancy DeMoss)
     A life of mediocracy and just getting by isn't going to cut it. As children of God, we are called to life of holiness. Not perfection, holiness. A life totally devoted to God. God will not call you to something that He  won't enable you to do.  He is fully capable of empowering you to do His will. As I read through the pages of the book now this quote sticks out- "True holiness is cultivated in the concept of a relationship with God. His love for us moves us to reject all lesser loves and all the fleeting delights sin can offer."

     We are called to represent Christ in every aspect of our life. It is the reality of living out this love God has given us from the inside out. Allowing our hearts to be the motivation to "do good things". Not our minds or society that tell us it's the "right" thing. But opening yourself up to a move of God in your life so big that it has to radiate out in a pure and genuine manner. 

     

"And yes, Holiness requires intensity and intentionality!" -Hebrews 12:14

    It's a choice that we make. And it's one that brings life and freedom. The decision to choose holiness is a decision that will change your life in the best way possible. I am not a scholar on holiness, in my life I simply try to choose the things that Jesus himself would choose. I'm not perfect, I mess up. But, I'm getting better. And that's the concept. Constantly growing. Constantly moving forward. And constantly being stretched by truth. 

     The book really isn't that much of a bore- I'm just ancy right now, so pick it up and read it. It'll go more in depth on the topic of holiness. But for now- When you choose purity and holiness you choose freedom.