God doesn't want us to keep on sinning, even though His grace is enough.

I wouldn't exactly say I'm a fan of math. Yes, it is kinda satisfying when you solve a problem and get the answer correct, but I won't lie and say I like it.

​Okay...maybe I kinda hate it? 

So, this morning (I wrote this last Monday), I'm doing my math, blah blah blah, and I get to this problem about like the distance between a point and a line. And I'm like, oh yeahh, I know how to do this one! Heh heh...7 minutes later, and I'm near tears (yes, I do cry over math sometimes), staring at a number something like 200/267 (which cannot be simplified). Which I also have to add to another fraction, and then divide that. And to put that in a calculator?? Have you ever tried putting in 265/200 + 14/3 / 20/3 (something like that), when you mean to say this? 

It don't work that way. It'll divide the 14/3 by the 20/3 without adding it...but anyway, I'm pretty frustrated and all. I end up skipping that problem altogether and moving on. Fast forward fifteen minutes, and I'm "done" with math and preparing my deluxe mid-course meal (AKA deli ham, yum yum...). I'm just folding it when a verse comes to mind: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters" (Colossians 3:23). And I was like, heh heh, sorry, God! I hate math and there's no way I'mma try to work with those numbers! And I was like, yeah, He wouldn't keep me out of heaven for this, would He? (also please don't do things just to get into Heaven...we are saved by FAITH, not by WORKS, and it's not all about not going to hell anyway)

And I thought to myself, well, if I was God - which I am NOT in NO WAY - would I let some kid into my home that couldn't even obey a simple task that I gave her, after I'd been so faithful to her?

And I was like, uh, NO. But God's different... He still loves us and accepts us...so I don't have to do the problem, right?? Cuz He'll still forgive me!

I almost continued with my very fancy meal of ham when I felt the Holy Spirit say, "I gave my life for you, and you can't even give me ten minutes?" Heh...heh...OOF. Fine. I'll work that problem until I've got the right answer, cuz if God did all that for me, I can "suffer" for a few minutes to obey Him!

So, I went and got my math book out again, praying that God would give me the patience to do it and to do it well. And lo and behold - I found that I had made a small error right at the beginning that threw it all off. Fixing the problem didn't even take ten minutes!

I'll admit, I made some pretty dumb excuses for that. I told myself, well, I've always struggled with problem 26 (which is actually true), why change that now? But the Lord was like, "It doesn't have to be that way!"

Hebrews 10:26-27 says, "​For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries." Oooof. I actually just found that verse today, and boyy does this one hit home. If we keep sinning on purpose...

1 Peter 2:16 says, "Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God." Yes, God does forgive our sins and remembers them no more - as far as the east is from the west- but that doesn't mean we just keep right on sinning! We are not to use the freedom that God gives us to cover-up or sin. We are not to keep on sinning deliberately.

No, we're not perfect, for sure! But we should make that conscious decision and do our best not to. Don't stretch your freedom and use it so that you can sin! Every day, you have a decision to choose to obey God or obey Satan. I don't know about you, but I HATE Satan (or...try to hate, at least!) and letting him win should be a major no-no. That doesn't mean I'm perfect though - FAR FROM IT!! I am the worst of worst of worst of sinners.

​James 4:17 also says, "If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them." Oof, oof, ooooof. If you know that you're supposed to do something good, but you DON'T do it, it becomes sin for you. So if the Holy Spirit is telling you to do something, it is a sin if you don't do that. Y'all, I struggle with this one a lot​. But you CAN do it - because GOD can do it.

And family - Jesus gave His LIFE for you so that you could be saved. So that you could be redeemed, forgiven, and have a relationship with THE God of the UNIVERSE! Jesus came down to earth, fully human but also fully God and He died the worst possible death and was mocked and accused and beaten for you.

Can you, maybe, just give Him at least ten minutes of your day? Today is a gift- that's why it's called the Present. Don't waste it.