Grace is not a "Get Out of Jail Free" Card

I often wonder why as Christians we do not fear God more. Not in a trembling horror type fear. But in an Awe, Respectful type fear. We live as if grace is all we need. I hear so often, I live by grace not works. or, yes, I know I should do this or that, or not do this or that, but God is my loving, heavenly father and I am saved by His grace. Ok, so if getting baptized or believing in Jesus Christ is all I need to do to be "saved" to have eternal life with God, than I guess I can keep living the way I live and try just a little to be different. Grace is my "Get out of Hell Card". No accountability. Just grace. REALLY?

It is as if to say; well I don't drink anymore so that is enough, so what if I still beat my wife, curse at my kids, atleast I am sober! There is more in the Scriptures then grace. There are ways Jesus commands me to live. And although I may not be doing it perfectly, I have to ask myself. Am I really trying? Am I truly thinking about God and what he has done for me throughout the day? Or am I just going about my life as if eternal life isn't real. The bible isn't real. Again it boils down to where is my faith really? What is it based on?

To not believe has brought me sadness. No purpose to my life. No real reason to get up. Yes, I have a wonderful husband, great son. But they do not bring me the sense of "being" faith does. Believing in Scriptures has given me a purpose to get up each day. It has gotten me out of "self" and thinking about what God would want me to do in each circumstance. I am guilty of not giving God my best each day. I struggle to look different; to act different when at work. Which brings up another example of what I am trying say. In the work place I hear people say, I am a Christian, I go to this or that church. And yet, the way that we act around each other and treat one another in the the office does not look any different than our co-workers. We slander, we gossip and we complain about each other! I have to ask myself, what are we telling those around us regarding out faith? That because we are saved by "grace" we do not have to live lives of obedience and love? It just bothers my soul when I see this. And when I try to bring it up to the other Christians in the office, again I hear, "aren't we blessed to have grace?" It is saying that with grace we have no accountability!! No expectations from God! God is GOD, people! And yet we talk about him as if he were "daddy" Please folks, let us not lower God to human=ness. He is the Almighty. And either he is who the bible says he is, or he is not. But he cannot be a little bit of each. He is not some kind jailer who decides on a good day, "oh I am in a good mood today I think I will let you go free." Even in churches I have experienced being shunned or ignored because no one knows me when I first visit. We are commanded to encourage and build one another up; but we do the very opposite. We claim to be followers of Christ, and yet I ask myself, "why aren't we reaching out to our brothers and sisters and visitors? Do we really believe? Do I? I wonder, what does God feel when he watches his children come to worship him, and yet speak only of their week and what is going on with "them" instead of what He has done in their lives that week.

I cannot judge or decide what is in other Christian hearts. But I can judge their actions; but I must first judge my own. As Jesus said, why look at the thorn in another's eye and not the plank in my own. And I know this for certian and conviction;  I don't want to live my life as one who thinks grace is her "Get out of Jail" free card. I want to live as a true believer. I want others to see me as a "Godly" woman. As one who respects and holds her God in AWE. One who takes her faith literally. If I do this on a daily basis, I know in my heart I would see more and more of God's power and grace in my life. There is no other way for Him to show His love than when I let go and give him space in my soul.

Today, I will be accountable to God Almighty, to his son Jesus Christ for my deeds and actions. Then and only then will I really really see his Spirit flowing freely through me. I will put more time in Scipture, getting them into my heart and mind so that during the day when I am feeling angry or fearful, God will be able to bring to memory his word. It is only through reading and knowing the scriptures that I can use them to fight negative (satan's) attacks of fear, insecurity, anger and the like. This journaling really brings things out in the open. I am excited for the day when others will join me in this quest to live a spiritual path according to the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Word; and we encourage and build one another up on a regular basis. Not just Sunday morning or at once a week home church. We need each other throughout the week if we are to be truly free to live God's word. (But that is my next blog:)
I realize I jump around as I write, and I hope as I do this more and more I will get better at expressing myself. but for now I will continue to discipline myself to write at least twice a week or more. But no less. I am sure I am not alone in this journey. And I will seek out other blogs to read and learn from.