Monday 5/19/14 - Ya Lazy Bum!

Monday 5/19/14 - Ya Lazy Bum!

Today I spent almost of the day watching stuff. Going back and forth between two shows for the morning, afternoon, and early evening. What a waste of a day! Watching Netflix or whatever is fine, but for the entire day? Nah! The reason I could tell it was bad for me is because it affected my mood and thoughts. I felt no desire to be productive or to think about anything. Later in the evening, I spent time with friends and we watched a movie. This was good! Great friends, good laughs, and an ok movie! But the reason I don't like sitting around all day and doing "nothing" is because it, as stated before, affects my mood. By this I mean that instead of starting the day in prayer or the Word, I began it with culture and things "of the world". It changes the entire day for the worse. From here it is a downward slippery slope of awfulness. I praise God for my friends who are there for me. I sent out a text and asked for prayer and, by God's grace, was able to see the light again! No longer did I sit in the muck and mire. Does this mean that I will never spend an entire day online again? No, well, probably not. I hope not. But, even so, if it happens again, I know the power of prayer among believers. There was not some special spiritual power that happened where my laptop just shut off, hit me in the face, and a voice came from heaven saying, "Stop being lazy!" It was an inward change within my thoughts. Whereas before I had no desire to stop being lazy. Now I had a desire to stop. And not only that, but I had power to stop as well.  

For a little bit, I listened to a message from Matt Chandler from Galatians 1:11-24. I was not listening closely, but the main idea from the text that he was speaking on was on the former life of Paul. And, subsequently, the our former life before regeneration. He spoke on the life of Paul; that he was both the best Jew out there and the worst persecutor of the church. He claimed both extremes; the perfect church kid who knew all the answers and rules, and the foremost enemy of the church. But that was his former life. Because of the transforming work of the Father to show grace to him, he can live a life differently than the one he did. He still has the inclinations of the flesh, but the power of Christ dwell in him. God set him apart before the he was born to call him out of his former life into saving faith, and to be a missionary for the God of whom he was protesting and warring against. He can not claim any of it on his own. Only by the power of God is he what he is. In the same way, my lazy day, without the Holy Spirit's guiding, would be my only inclination. But praise God for his calling of my life into his saving faith, by His grace alone. The conviction was there because of the Spirit. He is, and will continue to be, gracious to me! Praise God!

Thank you!