Rescue Me and Take Me in Your Arms

Ever heard that expression "get real"? I think about that sometimes in my relationship to Christ Jesus. Am I being real? I know when I was first saved I thought I could kinda straddle the fence live a little in the world and a little in the church, after all I had witnessed this with some people that I knew in the church. In the pew on Sunday dressed in their "Sunday go to meeting clothes", doing all of the right things, or so it seemed, singing in the choir, serving in the government of the church. Well, I tried this double life but I was miserable, more so than before I had given my life to Him, and finally came to the conclusion that I needed to get real if I wanted things to change in my life. At that point things began to turn around; I let go of the world and began my quest for that relationship with the creator of the universe through His Son and by the fellowship of His Holy Spirit. I let go of a lot of things that I held very dear, including friendships; because I wasn't strong enough spiritually to withstand living in the same environment among the old influences.
I guess what has brought this to my mind are certain things that I have seen and experienced. I have just gone to work in a environment that I haven't been in in years. I see myself in the way I was in the past and how easy it would be to fall back into some of the old ways if it weren't for the strength God gives me through His Spirit that lives in me. He gives me strength to carry on.

I say all of this to ask "what is your story"; are you going through the motions, church on Sunday and Wednesday and living straddled across the fence the rest of the time just so you will be accepted by those around you? There are probably some things that you will need to let go of, but you will find when it all comes down to it, as Paul says you will count it all joy. Don't let acceptance by world keep you from a "real" relationship with Jesus Christ. You can begin that relationship by just inviting Him to help you. Ask Him to search you heart and know your thoughts and to change the wicked ways that you have and he will lead you in the right path. GET REAL!!

21 So I've discovered this truth: Evil is present with me even when I want to do what God's standards say is good. 22 I take pleasure in God's standards in my inner being. 23 However, I see a different standard {at work} throughout my body. It is at war with the standards my mind sets and tries to take me captive to sin's standards which still exist throughout my body. 24 What a miserable person I am! Who will rescue me from my dying body? 25 I thank God that our Lord Jesus Christ rescues me! So I am obedient to God's standards with my mind, but I am obedient to sin's standards with my corrupt nature.

Romans 7:21-25 (GW)

IF YOU KNOW HIM PRESS IN AND PRESS ON
IF YOU DON'T KNOW HIM YOU CAN