i thought

i just got back home from an awesome weekend working up at camp. i reffed paintball on saturday and cleaned on sunday. the rest of the time i pretty much just chilled. i started thinking when i got home tonight that i need to blog, but i couldnt think of anything, so i thought i would just start writing. things always come to my mind when i do this. and this time is no different.

this weekend at camp i took the time to do some reading. i tend to find myself asking God to lead me to the right place in Scripture for this time in my life, and for Him to speak to me. well, God is good and He answered my prayer. i didnt realize it though until saturday late morning.

see, all day friday i felt drawn to Romans 8, the whole chapter....but i couldnt figure out why. i kept reading and reading it over and over again, finding refreshment in it every time i spoke the words of Paul's letter. and then i went for a hike saturday by myself. i find myself thinking about this passage that i had been drawn to, and started to reflect. what did it say, and what does it mean? see, the passage talks about living by the Spirit, and not by sinful nature. and something clicked in my head.

once again, God was telling me that it can not be my way, but must be His. it's nothing new to me, but something i find needing constant reminding of. so often in the busyness that i create in my life, i start to think and do thing s my way without even taking a breath, and consulting God. and this tends to put me in a pile of crap in the end. see, i was reminded once again that i have to stop JUST preaching the Word.......i have to match it with my action. and it is not just a once a week thing. it's an issue of integrity. what i say must match what i do, and what i do must match what i say. sounds simple......but it aint. so often i trip and fall, im human. my sinful nature gets in the way, and instead of letting the Spirit lead me, i chose my sinful nature. but Paul is very clear in his letter that this should not be. if i am a follower of Christ i should be living according to the Spirit, not myself.

again, this is something i preach, yet often find myself falling short of in my personal life. it is an issue of integrity. i dont know if any of this makes sense to you. maybe it only makes sense to me, but as with all of the things i write, i have to. maybe this is just something for me to reflect on. and maybe, just maybe it will make sense to you by the grace of God.