Importance of Repentance

"You have polluted the land with your prostitution

and your wickedness.

That's why even the spring rains have failed.

For you are a brazen prostitute

and completely shameless.

Yet you say to me,

'Father, you have been my guide since my youth.

Surely you won't be angry forever!

Surely you can forget about it!'

So you talk,

but you keep on doing all the evil you can."

Jeremiah 3:2b-5 NLT

It's easy to look around at all that is wrong, yet give myself a pass.  At least I'm not as bad as some!  I think.  Or, If the country doesn't repent and turn to God, we will all feel the consequences of the rampant immorality.  What I don't realize is that I may be part of what is bringing this country down.

Name Only.  "I've accepted Jesus into my heart."  The woman proclaimed confidently.  Yet she proudly and unashamedly stood in the street kissing her lover, another woman.  Across town the college student studied in her dorm room, distracted by thoughts of the night of passion she planned to share with her boyfriend as a reward for her hard work.  Her conscience wasn't bothered in the least as she believed her sins were covered by the blood of Jesus.  In the room below, the young man scrolled through pictures of naked women as a way to help control his lust.  He thought about sex all the time, even during the Bible study he attended on campus, although he never shared his secret with any of the other men in his group.  The young man thought of himself as a Christian and had convinced himself that pornography didn't hurt anyone but was a healthy outlet for his sexual urges.

These are some examples of men and women who are Christians in name only.  I should know because I was one of them for many years.  I thought of myself as a follower of Christ, I was quick to say I was a believer, yet my lifestyle told another story.  I lived as anyone else, led by my flesh and completely convinced that there was nothing wrong with my behavior.  I sometimes felt a twinge of guilt for what I did, but it soon passed without influencing my actions in any way (2 Corinthians 7:10). I didn't know Jesus at all, and would scratch my head when someone would say they loved Him.  What does that mean?  I don't feel anything for Jesus.  Maybe they're just a little over the top; I'm sure they just choose to go a little further than I have, but I'm still a Christian, I would say to myself as a way of soothing my worries.

Many today are Christians in name only as evidenced by the fruit produced and the lack of a relationship with the One who offers salvation (Galatians 5:19-21, Matthew 7:21-23).  The answer is simple:  Repent of my sins and turn to God (Matthew 4:17, 3:8)!

Minimize Sin.  As a carnal Christian, I failed to see sin for what it is:  An affront to God.  I tended to categorize sin in order to ease my mind.  I didn't worry about the "little" ones, making accommodations for their presence in my life (Romans 13:14).  As long as I didn't kill, steal anything of great value, lie under oath, or cheat someone I personally knew I felt I was doing okay.  I was guilty of minimizing sin.

God finds all sin to be offensive to His holy character.  It is such a problem that He went to great lengths to solve it, sending Jesus as a sacrifice to atone for my sin, to make me right with Him (1 John 2:2, Romans 5:1).  With such a sacrifice made on my behalf, why would I trample upon the sacred cross of Christ by living as if sin, any sin, were not a big deal?  No, I cannot be perfect and I am not without sin, but I never want to make it my intention to sin (1 John 1:8, Romans 6:1-2).  I don't want to jump into sin, telling myself I'm only human, God understands and will give me a pass.  No!  the only pass I receive is through repentance and faith in Christ.  And if I truly understand what I've been saved from, the judgment and rightful condemnation my sin earns me, I would never again take sin lightly, instead treating it as the poison that it is.

Many today minimize sin, tolerating it as if it were a necessary evil, thus trampling on the Christ whom we've claimed as Savior (Hebrews 10:29).  The answer is simple:  I must sincerely repent of my sins, not as a show or religious rite, but earnestly in my heart as I face the reality of my own sins (Jeremiah 3:10).  Then I can turn to God.

Unfaithful.  It can be uncomfortable at times.  I'm usually in the minority.  I have to develop a backbone and get used to being on the outside if I am to follow Jesus.  If it is my goal in life to be accepted and popular, I had better choose another way of life.  It's easy to become unfaithful to God, to let the deceit cloaked as truth slide without calling attention to the pretense, or to look the other way when immoral behavior is celebrated, or to drift away from God and buy into other more widely accepted beliefs.  Before I know it, I'm cheating on God.

How do I betray Him?  By creating a new god in my own image, a god who I'm more comfortable with, a god who doesn't expect holiness or require repentance (1 Peter 1:16, Luke 24:47) .  A god who doesn't place any limits on my behavior, who will give me a pass when I face Him on judgement day, a god who is not God at all, but merely an idol I've carved to suit my own needs (1 Corinthians 6:9, Hebrews 9:27).

Many today are unfaithful to God by worshiping a false god made in their own image.  The answer is simple:  Repent of my infidelity toward God and return to Him in spirit and truth (John 4:23).

It is clear that we as modern Christians have lost our saltiness and have entered into dangerous territory (Mark 9:50).  It is not just the shocking decisions made by unbelievers that is propelling us down the wrong path as a nation, down the road that leads away from God, but it is the heart of those professing followers of Christ who may be most troubling.  It is we as believers who tend to be Christians in name only, who minimize sin, and who are unfaithful to God Himself.  What is the solution, then?  Repentance.  Let us not wait another minute to turn away from our sins and back to God; the welfare of our nation lies in our hands.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to let go of my pet sins.

When do I look the other way when sin runs rampant, telling myself it's none of my concern how others live?

How do I tend to minimize the sin in my own life? 

New Pattern Taught

"For he gave his laws to Israel and commanded our fathers to teach them to their children,

so that they in turn could teach their children too.

Thus his laws pass down from generation to generation.

In this way each generation has been able to obey his laws

and set its hope anew on God

and not forget his glorious miracles.

Thus they did not need to be as their fathers were--

stubborn, rebellious, unfaithful, 

refusing to give their hearts to God."

Psalm 78:5-8 TLB

Hard-headed.  Obstinate.  Self-sufficient.  Defiant.  Hard-hearted.  Adulterous.  My flesh is bent on such destructive ways.  It's easy to become unfaithful, forgetting God's might and power in the midst of the mess that is called life.  I easily get caught up in the mindset of this world, going with the flow of living my own way, forgetting the One who made me for Himself.

In order to become a nation of faithful followers of Christ, we must teach a new pattern to the next generation or else they'll just do what comes natural to their sinful flesh.  If the Gospel is not proclaimed, the Way will be lost, the Truth forgotten, and the Life snuffed out (John 14:6-7).  The new pattern of Jesus must be taught to those coming behind us or else they will never know of Him and His offer of abundant life.

Keep Covenant.  Without guidance of any kind, an introduction to Jesus, I naturally think the way to a better life is through hard work, adherence to a standard, and maintaining good morals and values.  I think the way to God is through religion, following a set of principles and sticking to it's practices.  Since I am stuck in this body of death, I can't seem to get it together, resulting in a nagging guilt that colors everything I do as I attempt this empty way.  I begin to think if this is what faith is all about, I don't see why anyone would want to be apart of it.

Jesus came to usher in a new age, a different covenant than the one that required the following of rules and the offering of sacrifices.  The new covenant, is so much better and rooted in the work that Jesus has already done, not on what it's followers do (Hebrews 8:6, Galatians 3:21-22).  Therefore, freedom is found in Christ as we learn to simply follow Him as He leads us closer to His Father (John 6:44).

I must teach the next generation of the joy that is found in keeping the covenant of grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Stay With Him.  The One True God is a relational God who is involved in the day-to-day details of my life.  He is not aloof and far away, keeping His distance so as not to be tainted by my mess.  Instead, there has been a pattern from the beginning of time of Him entering into the lives of those He created in His image.  

This is true of the people of Israel.  He never left them to their own devices after He delivered them from Egyptian slavery, washing His hands of them as if freedom was enough.  No, He never left them even when they gave Him every reason to do so by their unfaithfulness to Him, their constant whining and complaining.  Instead, He personally led them in His own unique way (Exodus 13:21).

In order to follow His lead in my modern life, I must pay attention, looking for the telltale signs of His mighty hand at work.  I can't expect to see a pillar of cloud towering above the path He wants me to take by day, and a column of fire lighting the way when the sun goes down.  That would be too obvious and impersonal.  Instead, His guidance is tailored to me as He leads me in a way I can recognize.  In order to go where He wants me to go, however, I must stay with Him instead of wandering off on my own.  This is not a practice that is naturally known to all, but must be taught.

I must teach the next generation the intimacy that comes in a personal relationship with a Shepherd that will personally lead them through each moment of their lives.

Accept Provision.  A constant hunger for more.  An unquenchable thirst for comfort.  A desire for power to dictate the details of my own life.  I am so much like the people of Israel who were given everything they needed, personally witnessing the power of the God who delivered them from harm's way, yet constantly displayed a spirit of discontentment and unfaithfulness (Numbers 11, 14, 20).

God is a generous Father who gives me far more than what I need.  He lavishes His love upon my life, sending little signs of His love for me throughout each day.  Yet, it's so easy to want more than what He gives, or even desire for it to come delivered in a different package.  My discontentment in what God has provided shows my utter lack of thankfulness for what is His best for me.  The new way that is so foreign to my ungrateful flesh is to develop a spirit of gratitude that comes with practice.  

I must teach the next generation the contentment that comes from accepting God's provision and seeing it as the lavish gift it is.

I live in the age of enlightenment where everything but the Truth is taught as virtuous.  In such a world, it is vital that I make it my mission to teach to those coming up behind me the new pattern of grace that comes through faith in Jesus.  In Christ, it is possible to walk in a new covenant based on grace and received by faith, to follow His lead in a world of independence, and to accept with gratitude what He graciously gives.  If no one tells them, those following behind will never know of such riches.  This is a new pattern distinct from the one that is extolled by the flesh and this fallen world, and it must be taught!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust in God's new covenant of grace and see the need to teach the truth to those coming up behind me.

When do I assume others know simply because I do?

How am I resistant to telling of the pattern of grace, fearing it rings hollow to young ears?

Who Are You Following?

"And the leaders and officials 

have led the way in this unfaithfulness."

Ezra 9:2b

God has always been concerned with the holiness of His people since purity reflects His nature (Leviticus 20:26, 1 Peter 1:16).  He knows the hearts of His people and how easy they are corrupted by worldly ways.  Therefore, it was His intention for His people to avoid intermarrying with the nations around them.  As a form of protection against idol worship, God desired for His people to stick with their own (Deuteronomy 7:1-4).

When many leaders were condoning rebellion, however, and making intermarriage seem acceptable, the people naturally followed.  It is the same today.  There are many pastors, speakers and teachers who have strayed from God's intended purpose for His people.  As a result, it is very important that I carefully choose those I follow.  I may think I'm secure in my faith, but in truth I'm easily swayed, just like the Israelites.  Therefore, I would be wise to select godly leadership.

Follow Suit.  When I was in elementary school I had a good friend whom I admired.  When she showed up one day with a fake fur coat, I went home and asked my mom for the same.  When it came time to buy a new coat, I chose one just like my friend but in a different color.  When it rained, she stayed dry under a bubble umbrella.  Of course I had to have one just like it.  My friend parted her hair down the middle and clipped it back on each side so I wanted to do just the same.  The more I spent time with her, the more she rubbed off on me.

While I may not adopt the style of my leaders, their behaviors, attitudes and beliefs will influence me.  Even if it is my intention to be mostly swayed by Jesus himself, I can't help but take on some of the ways of thinking of the people I follow.    

I would be wise to choose mentors with godly behavior, attitudes and beliefs, for they will soon become mine (1 Corinthians 15:33).

Chip off the Block.  I love to watch The Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic channel.  One of the things Cesar Millan teaches is that a dog is a reflection of his owner.  If the human struggles with fear, the dog will become fearful without the security of a calm, assertive pack leader.  If I want to have a healthy, obedient dog, I must work on some of my own issues first.

Similary, the more I'm around a person who I look up to, the more I will come to resemble them.  It makes sense, then, that I surround myself with godly people who teach me more about Jesus than I would ever know apart from them. In other words, if my leaders are not modeling Christ-like behavior, I should not consider them to be my leader. 

This is not to say I need to follow perfect people.  We all have our struggles and are works in progress (Philippians 1:6).  I can, however, choose those who are open with their issues and are willing to admit to downfalls, modeling for me humility and the act of submission to God's purification process known as sanctification (James 5:16, Malachi 3:3-4, Romans 6:6).

I would be wise to choose humble leaders who submit to God, for I will come to resemble them in many ways.

Influence.  There are only two directions in which I can travel.  One is toward Jesus, the other is away from Him.  I can work with Jesus or against Him (Matthew 12:30).  I can move in the direction of life or on the way to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14).  In life, I just have to choose.

Since I've got to take a stand, it is vital that I surround myself with people who point me to Jesus.  If I'm not consistently hearing that He is the answer to every problem, the missing link to each chain, and the perfect fulfillment of my every desire, I'm probably being led in the wrong direction.

It's easy to water down the gospel to make it more palatable for today's carnally-minded culture.  What I end up with, then, is a version of Jesus that is popular but not real.  A Gospel that appeals to everyone but has lost it's transforming power.  A message that seems relevant but is far from the truth.

I would be wise to choose teachers who keep Jesus front and center, for the path I follow will be strongly influenced by their teachings.

It matters who my leaders are.  While it is important for me to study God's Word for myself and work out my own salvation with fear and trembling, I am created to live in community with others.  When picking who I follow, I would be wise to choose those whose walk resembles Jesus and whose heart is humble and pliable.  Then I won't have to worry when I follow suit, take on their characteristics and am influenced by their teachings.  In order to stay true to Jesus and His intention for my life, I must always ask, "Who am I following?"

As I begin this day it is my prayer that those who are leading me help me keep my eyes on Jesus. 

When does my mentor encourage me to emulate them instead of Jesus?

How are my influences leading me down the wrong path?  

  

Breach of Faith

"Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD;

he did not keep the word of the LORD

and even consulted a medium for guidance,

and did not inquire of the LORD.

So the LORD put him to death

and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse."

1 Chronicles 10:14

His unfaithfulness was obvious.  He disobeyed then tried to justify his defiance toward the God who put him on the throne.  (1 Samuel 15:1-9)  Instead of relying on God's guidance, he turned to a medium when he was in a tight spot.  (1 Samuel 28:3-25)  In place of seeing God as sovereign and just, he treated Him as if He could easily be ignored and put off.

My unfaithfulness may not be as blatantly obvious as that of Saul's but it is no less serious.  How do I offend God's jealous nature and His supreme authority in the way I live my life?  I may be surprised.

Lean on my own understanding.  I know the words well because they are one of the most popular and well-memorized portions of scripture.  "Love the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."  (Proverbs 3:5-6)  I've meditated on the meaning of this verse, thought about it's significance to the Christian walk, and discussed it's merits with other believers.  When facing everyday challenges, however, I don't always put it into practice.

The moment my health turns South I run to the doctor and seek medical advice for how to preserve my vigor and remove my pain.  I love God but figure this is out of His realm.  After all, I justify, doctors are there to heal the sick.  While God can use doctors to bring about a cure, it is ultimately the Lord who is in control.  I would be wise to then place my confidence more in Him then on modern medicine.

As soon as I experience money issues I rely on what I know and am able to comprehend, looking for all the input I can find on how to remedy my difficulties.  Instead of trusting God to lead me through these rough waters I look for ways to circumvent the hardships, forgetting that He has promised to use everything I face for my good and His glory.  

When the circumstances of my life don't make sense leading me to wonder what kind of plan God might have for me, I offend His mysterious and lofty ways in my insistence on being able to see every detail of the plan before I will take a step forward.  Walking by faith means I'll have to leave the "how" in His capable hands, letting Him lead me one tiny step at a time.  

I am just as unfaithful as Saul was when I fail to recognize His presence in and control over every single aspect of my life.

Double-minded.  I believe God is the One with the plan for my life.  I tell people that He is in control and that I trust Him.  I think He is the source of all the wisdom I need.  However, as soon as I face perplexing times, my actions show that I believe guidance can come from other sources.

If I am to receive the wisdom I need today, I must put all my eggs in His basket, believing that all other sources of wisdom fall short (James 1:5-8).  I often doubt His resources, however, believing in my heart that there are some areas where I need advice apart from Him.  When my budget needs tweaking, for instance, I ask God for help but tend to believe the answers really lie with the financial experts I hear in popular circles.  

People are quick to give me advice about my career and although I say I trust God, I often choose the route that will lead to the most benefit for me instead of believing God has a specific path laid out for me to follow that will bring Him ultimate glory. 

I also ask God for wisdom in how to spend my time but would rather take the advice of efficiency experts.  After all, I rationalize, God wants me to maximize my time, right?

I am just as unfaithful as Saul was when I don't really believe that God has all the answers to every problem I face.

Losing heart.  I got tired of waiting, desiring to see results instead of hearing promises.  Therefore, I ran ahead, attempting to make things happen so I could feel good about the progress I made.  Waiting might work for someone else, but I'm a woman of action.  Now is as good a time as any to make my life amount to something, I think.  After all, God helps those who help themselves!

This foolish thought process leads me to make foolish decisions, choosing any action over waiting in an attempt to keep from looking passive or lazy.  Waiting can be difficult because it feels weak.  I'd rather be actively working toward a goal than sitting around waiting for something to happen.

In God's kingdom, however, I must remember that He's the One with the plan and only He knows the route I will take to get to where He wants me to go.  Therefore, if I try to make things happen in order to avoid inaction, I risk getting off-track.  Once I'm outside of His will, dependent upon my own strength, discouragement sets in as my limited resources run dry. I will never run out of steam, however, if I put all my hope in God, expecting to see His plan unfold in His time (Isaiah 40:31).

I am just as unfaithful as Saul was when I blaze my own trail in an effort to avoid any delays or idleness.

I may not be as blatantly unfaithful as Saul turned out to be, but I do offend God by not totally trusting him in my own way.  I do this by depending more on what I can comprehend than on the incomprehensible mind of God, putting up pretenses that I am seeking God's wisdom when really I want something more palatable, or choosing action over waiting on God's perfect timing.  In so doing, I am showing a breach of my professed faith in a faithful God.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will trust God completely in all my ways.

When do I stray away from Him because I don't feel like waiting around for His answers to be revealed?

How does this impatience result in discouragement?

Unfaithful

"You adulterous people,

don't you know that friendship with the world

is hatred toward God?

Anyone who chooses to be a friend

of the world 

becomes an enemy of God."

James 4:4

Divorce rates are high, hovering around 50% and increasing with each subsequent marriage.  Followers of Christ are not immune to this trend as the same rate of divorce is reported among those professing to be Christian.  As a people, we know a little something about infidelity and unfaithfulness.  I would even go so far as to say that we have made it a way of life.

Reading through the Old Testament, I see many examples of where God says His people have been unfaithful to Him.  Apparently, the tendency to live unfaithfully runs deep among God's people.  But how have we been unfaithful?  Church attendance is trending slightly up, with 43% of Americans claiming to attend on a weekly or almost weekly basis.  An astounding 42% of Americans claim to be born again or evangelical.  Even though 74% of Christians believe that the Bible is the authoritative Word of God, only 48% read it on a regular basis.  

On the surface, it seems like I live in a country where almost half it's residents follow Jesus.  Clearly, looking at the divorce rates and the culture in general,  there is something wrong.  Could it be that we are once again, as a people of God, turning our backs on Him?  Are we praising the LORD with our mouths but our hearts are far from Him?  (Isaiah 29:13)  It seems our inclination towards unfaithfulness is affecting more than just our marriages.

Spoiled Fruit

I have a large section of strawberry plants in my garden.  The vines look healthy and have quadrupled in size since I planted them last year.  I was so excited for harvest time to come.  As I watched the little berries grow and gradually turn red, it finally came time to pick some of the delicious fruit: I could taste the strawberry shortcake.  As I searched through the plants, though, most of the ripened fruit I came across had either shriveled up or been eaten by a bird or rodent. Disappointingly, I collected only a handful of fruit that was fit for consumption.


In a similar way, I can look good on the outside, appearing to have a strong relationship with God and follow Him closely.  When it comes time for the harvest, however, my fruit may be spoiled, shriveled up or half-eaten by pests.  The fruit I produce exposes the state of my heart. Either I am for God, or I am against Him; I can't have it both ways.


I can't be motivated by a desire to succeed and also profess to desire only God's will for my life.  It is impossible for me to say that pleasing God is my driving force yet fail to love my husband and family.  If I constantly corrupt my heart with the filth of a sinful world coming through the television set yet claim to follow a holy God, who am I fooling?  


The fruit I produce will either be from the vineyard of the Lord, or it will be harvested from the dark orchard of my own flesh, depending on who is master of my life.  If Jesus is Lord, then love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control will be yielded. (Galatians 5:22-23)  


If, however, I am my own master and lord, then I will find, ". . .loveless and cheap sex, frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community."  (Galatians 5:19-20 MSG)   This sounds like a description of the culture in which I live.


Paul went on in this passage to say, "This isn't the first time I have warned you, you know.  If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God's kingdom."  (Galatians 5:21 MSG)  That's what I call a sobering word of caution for the people of God living in a dark world.  Will I stay true to Him and His ways, or will I get sucked into the culture around me?  


I betray the state of my level of faithfulness to God in the fruit I am producing.

Reckless Righteousness

"It's okay for me to look at other men as long as I don't touch.  I mean, God wants me to enjoy His handiwork, doesn't He?"

"Sure my family drinks a lot, but we don't have a problem.  We could stop any time we want to.  Alcohol is just a part of the way we celebrate."

"I'm free to watch, say and do anything I want to, as long as I don't hurt anyone else."

"When I write the receipt, I'll change the amount I actually collected from you for the car so you don't have to pay so many taxes."

These are some comments I have actually heard from believers and they represent the attitudes and viewpoints of most western believers:  Since we are saved by grace, the way we live our lives is not really that important.

Unfortunately for us, this is a bald-faced lie!  God is very concerned with the way I live my life as one of His children.  As His Word says in 1 Peter 1:15-16, "So you must live as God's obedient children.  Don's slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires.  You didn't know any better then.  But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy."  (NLT)

Just because my sin is atoned for does not give me license to live my life as one who has not been set free from the bondage of sin!  Sin is an affront to God, and continuing to live my life as one who has no hope does not please Him.  In fact, it angers Him.  As A.W. Tozer said, "God's wrath is his utter intolerance of whatever degrades and destroys.  He hates iniquity as a mother hates the polio that would take the life of the child."  

Recklessly using the grace of God as His permission to continue in my selfish ways is dangerous and destructive.  If I'm serious about my walk with the Lord, I will make it my goal to live in a way that pleases Him instead of just doing what comes naturally.

My level of faithfulness to God is evident in the choices I make, in the words I say and in the thoughts I think.

Wayward Heart  

I can tell when my husband isn't really listening.  I'll be chattering away and he'll respond with, "Mmhhmm. . .okay. . . .right. . . "  I then know he didn't hear a word I said.  His heart and mind were somewhere else, thinking about work, his list of things to do, or an upcoming meeting.  His body is present but his heart is not with me.

As aggravating as that feels to me, I often do this to God.  I talk about Him, I go to church, I attend Bible study, I pray, I do all that I think I'm supposed to do; but my heart is not really with God.  Instead, I'm going through the motions, mindlessly reciting and acting out of tradition.  I can't remember the last time I had a real conversation with Him.  

God had to warn the Israelites about this same problem through the prophet Isaiah.  He said, "These people say they are mine.  They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote."  Isaiah 29:13 NLT)  

The biggest indicator of the state of my heart is whether or not I am obeying God.  If I do what He says, my heart is focused on pleasing God. If, however, I don't give a second thought to what God wants me to do during the course of a day, then my heart is focused on pleasing myself.  I must always remember that God doesn't care how my life looks to others.  Rather, God is most concerned about the state of my heart.  

Another gauge that helps to measure the tenderness of my heart is in how much I worry.  When I fret about difficulties, needs and hardships, I am acting unfaithfully.  Or, as Oswald Chambers said, "It is not only wrong to worry, it is infidelity, because worrying means that we do not think that God can look after the practical details of our lives, and it is never anything else that worries us."  

If my heart is faithful to God, or at least moving closer to Him, then I will do things His way and my worries will be gone as I rest in His peace.  

I am naturally a two-timing traitor.  Living in a culture that rewards individuality and the pursuit of my own self-interest, I must guard against infidelity toward God.  I will know when I am drifting away from Him by examining the fruit produced in my life, looking at the way in which I choose to live my life, and finding the location of my heart.  In this way I can keep from being a friend of the world, but an enemy of God.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can keep focused on you and all that you are doing in my life.

How do I betray the location of my heart in the way I live my life?

In what areas do I have a hard time letting go of behavior that is not pleasing to God?