Unstuck?

Hey everyone,
Sorry I didn't post last week.  I had 2 training things for Judgement House, and was exhausted when I got home!!

Last time, we left off with 2 Corinthians 7:1, "Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God."
I asked you to make a list of the "everything" that is keeping you from growing in your relationship with your Jesus.  Did you do that?  What is it that keeps you from reading your Bible?  Praying? going to church? Talking about God with others?  That is what should be on your list!

Are you unsure what it means to 'grow in your relationship with Jesus?"  Is it embarrassing to read your Bible unless you are alone?  Frustrating because you don't know HOW to pray? Schedule so busy, you just forget? Just plain don't want to? Your mama not there to make you?

Does it go deeper than these things?  Is it because you have just grown up going through the motions of being involved with church?  Is it because you really aren't sure if you HAVE a relationship or not? Is it because it has been so long since you've tried that you just don't know where to start?  is it because while you were home, you did all the 'right' things, but now you seem to do all the 'wrong' things?

Whatever the reason that you are having trouble working on your relationship with Jesus.... it doesn't matter!!  HE still wants you!  He wants you to talk to him!  He wants you to come to Him, cry out to Him, laugh with Him, give your worries to Him!  He WANTS that so badly.

I know sometimes being in that 'stuck-ness' can be very comfortable.  WHen I was in high school, I had a pair of jeans that fit just right.... they fit perfectly... they were soft, broken in, went with everything... and I loved them!!!  I literally wore them out.  There came a time that my mama frowned upon me wearing them in public.  They literally were about to fall apart, and I know that is what she saw when she looked at them!  BUT they were SOOOO comfortable......

When I looked at the jeans, I saw visions of what they USED to be (good, strong fabric).... not what they were in reality (faded, weakened material that looked awful!)

Are you so comfortable being stuck that you aren't willing to do anything about it?  YOu are miserable, or at least recognize you are stuck, but refuse to do anything about it??  Hmm....

You may be saying to me, "YES, dang it, I am stuck!!  But, what do I do about it????"

It is simple....(simply stated, less simply applied.  I know)
COOPERATION

Go with me, here... just play/follow along for a minute:
If any of you have experience with a small child around nap time.... this is going to make you laugh a little.  When it is nap time or bed time for a little one, sometimes (a lot of times) their reply may be, "But, I'm not sleepy!!"
You cannot MAKE someone go to sleep!  Have you ever noticed that?  You cannot put one of those small little people in the bed and just magically make them *poof* go to sleep!  Impossible....

BUT, you CAN set the stage... you can set up a bedtime routine (bath, brushing teeth, reading a story, etc) that lets them know each time that sleep is coming.  You can dim the lights, rock them, sing to them... whatever it is, it lets them know.... sleep is coming.

Most of the time, parents do NOT crank up the music, play the Wiggles (they are too active), give them Mtn Dew, or break out the toys!!  Why?  These things do nothing to calm their little bodies.

FInally, the little one will begin to calm and get sleepy.....

Most small children that I've ever been around do not just say, "Hey, grown up, can you put me to bed now??"  Usually, they fight to stay awake!  Some do this by become super energized, some get really cranky and whiny, some get silly and laugh uncontrollably, and some just keep on keeping on!  THey fight with everything they have to hang on to the 'awake' and keep the sleep out of the way!

Once they learn to cooperate with sleep and let it just happen, bed time gets a LOT easier!!!  (Have you ever tried to MAKE yourself go to sleep??  How did that work out for you???  Doesn't happen, does it?  You HAVE to let your body cooperate.....)

Becoming unstuck is much like this!!  When we cooperate with sleep, we submit ourselves to the conditions that will take us there (the bed time routine).....

This is a picture of how sanctification works.  Sanctification is a big word that means "the act or state of being purified and freed from sin"
Here is how the picture is painted:  We cannot control change, we can only cooperate with God.  (going from wide open to sleep.... setting the stage for sleep, etc.)  Once we cooperate with Him, He can turn us from our ways to HIs ways.  THIS is sanctification... being purified!!!

Doug Fields writes, "God doesn't simply want to fine-tune our manners either-He wants to change our characters from the inside out."
THIS statement brings me to my final question of the day:
          Over your lifetime when you realize you are stuck, do you think God is more interested in your behavior or your character?  (Do you think He wants you to behave like a good Christian (read your Bible, pray, go to church, etc)  OR do you think He is wanting to change (mold) your attitudes, thoughts, etc?

Where are you?  Happy in your stuckness?  Ready to get unstuck?  Don't understand what I'm saying? Don't care??

Let me hear from you!!!! I WANT YOUR COMMENTS!!!!!

I hope you have a great rest of the week!!
Pray for Judgement House!!  This week, we'll begin to construct and get things ready!  Next week... One week from Wednesday is Dress Rehearsal.....  Gonna be huge this year!!!

Love you guys..... You are precious!!!!!