THE WAY OF PRACTICING WHAT YOU PREACH

 I was convicted about the blog post on stewardship a couple of days after typing it out. I was speaking on having a proper routine and being intentional yet I was still struggling with mine. I was waking up around 7am on some days and 9am on others as well as battling with this overwhelming love for my new career and God. The fight between the thing I liked and the one I loved felt so overwhelming. Throughout the day I would be looking up inspiration pictures, researching different decor tips and techniques to hone my skill.There was nothing wrong with me trying to hone my skill but without discipline, this was slowly turning into an idol. How would I manage doing it long term? I remember praying about rest and I got a revelation that "The reason I did not feel rest was because my rest was tied to my obedience and in being obedient and honoring the Lord with my time would I be able to find rest." I had to be honest with myself , see that I was being hypocritical and  the only way I could get through this is to learn how to be disciplined .

It makes me think of Matthew 7 :5 which says " You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."

 When I was convicted about it, I repented and it was put on my heart to be honest about what I had not been doing.I could not come on here and teach people how to steward in public when I was not doing it in private. This scripture talks of how " you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." There is a lack of spiritual sensitivity and awareness that is happening here that the first person is unaware  which needs to be tackled first before assisting your brother or sister in Christ. The Holy Spirit allowed me to see that there was a speck in my eye that needed to be removed but I was unaware of. We need to allow God to do a work in us first and there will be an overflow of wisdom, guidance as well as clarity that flows into the lives of others.

I was reading Matthew 23:1-12 on Sunday and here Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees and then He turns and speaks to His disciples about the pharisees. 

"Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:  “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. Matthew 23: 1-3 NIV"

The NLV has a slightly different version which says "Then Jesus talked to the many people and to His followers. He said, “The teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers have put themselves in Moses’ place as teachers.  Do what they tell you to do and keep on doing it. But do not follow what they do. They preach but do not obey their own preaching."

Hypocrisy is not one that can be found in only the world but also in the church and it is essential for these things to be revealed such that they can be worked on. The Pharisees were in a position of authority they had placed themselves in and not been called to by God. They burdened the Israelite's with laws they were unwilling to keep let alone walk through.Jesus says do what they say and not what they do. He saw past what they really did and in Him turning to the disciples, this was Him also warning His sheep[disciples] to stay away 

Philippians 1: 6 says "And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns."

This means that as long as we are here on earth and bound by our flesh, we will continuously struggle with these things. There is no pinnacle that you will reach as a christian where you will not be tempted or struggle with sin but constant communion with Jesus makes it easier to deny your flesh because you will have fed the spirit more than the flesh. The Holy Spirit has used these blogs to really help me and I pray it helps you too. I do not claim to have all the wisdom but I know who does and I'll do my best to give you truth only when the Lord allows me to. 

I love you but Jesus loves you more:)