Nike Says It All

Some advertisers are exceptional at what they do. Nike sums up a hundred sermons and pep talks and motivational meetings when they tell us to 'Just Do It!'
Did you know the Bible clearly states that '...any person who knows what is right to do but does not do it, to him it is sin.'? This is found in James 4:17 for those of you who may not believe me. That's the Amplified version, but check out a few other versions: The Message Bible says, 'In fact, if you know the right thing to do and don't do it, that, for you, is evil.' And the NIV says it this way: 'Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.'
So what is our oh-so-exceptional excuse that will get us out of this mess? We have none.
True, God is ever forgiving, but He also says, 'My spirit shall not always strive with man' in Genesis 6:3(KJV).
God is not the God of playing games. Although He obviously has the most incredible sense of humor and totally enjoys His creations and authors fun itself, His purposes in our lives are not simply fun and games.
When He created us and gave us our purpose, it was ON purpose.
So many of us are 'waiting on God' - myself included. But we know that He too is waiting on us. The next move is OURS! Our pastor made mention yesterday morning that the trip from Egypt to the Promised Land was a 30 day trip that took the Israelites 40 years! Disobedience makes our journey longer and harder.
I've jokingly said that if there's more than one way to do a thing, the Marine Corps will choose the hardest way possible to get it done. But not so with God. God most definitely uses our stumblings around in the wilderness to teach us and prepare us for what lies ahead, but He's more than willing to take us through in the most timely manner, creating ease for us - if we'll submit to Him and obey. Just do it!

Yes, I preach to my choir of one all the time. I'm caught in this desert journey myself, knowing to do good, yet sometimes not doing it. Knowing to submit, yet sometimes rebelling. The Bible says, 'For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry' in 1 Samuel 15:23, yet we (especially us American Christians) find rebelling second nature and acceptable. God does not.

We're all accountable now. We know to do good, what is right in God's eyes... and that includes submitting to Him, completely. We're accountable to do it.
Submitting is NOT a bad thing, its His most freeing provision for us. If we're not completely free, we're not completely submitted to Him. Its really just that simple.

Merry Christmas to you! Let this season of focus on the Christ be a season of submitting to the Christ!