Serving God for the Perks

Christianity comes with a few perks.  It's called God's favour. It's those pleasant things that happen to us simply because we are followers of Christ,  not because we have done anything special to earn them.  It's almost like grace,  but  grace is a much bigger deal. 

Unfortunately,  I've noticed that we can become a bit complacent and so used to our perks that they become the reason that we serve Christ.  If we are not careful we can become like spoilt children, throwing tantrums simply because we don't get what we want. I have seen many cases where people backslide or go into deep depression because they didn't get the thing that they wanted most.  It's a dangerously slippery slope and we have to be careful that we don't get on it.

We need to constantly remind ourselves that Christianity is about Christ.  It is about a relationship with Him,  not about what He can give us.  Of course,  we serve a God who loves us and does everything in His power to keep us safe and fed.  However,  we won't give us every thing we want simply because not everything we want is good for us.

Let us not treat Christianity as a job we accepted simply for the perks.  Let's build a relationship with God;  everything else will come after.  With a real relationship with God will come an understanding of why He does what He does,  when He does it. 

Have a blessed day!

Devotions like this one and others can be found in a handy collection in Kindle or paperback format. 

To grab your copy, click here. 

Joana James - Author of From Redemption to Maturity, Trusting God with your Future,   Nightmare at Emerald High & Alana and Alyssa's Secret & Finding Romeo 

Does your Worship make God smile?

Our Worship is something that God enjoys. It is communion with Him and we were made for that sole purpose. It makes God happy to receive worship. It is all that we actually own and can give to Him. Everything else, he gave to us. Worship is our only real gift to God.

So does your worship make God happy? Or does it make Him cringe and want to move away? Let me explain. God abhors sin. He can't dwell where sin is. Therefore, if your worship is from a life filled with sin, then you've got a problem.

You see, our first act of worship, before we lift our hands and sing, is the way we live our lives. God is honoured when we choose to obey Him. He is honoured when we choose to love others and He is honoured when we choose to live right. That is our first act of worship.  If our lives don't line up to His word, His will and His commands, it does not make him smile. Our songs will be like screeches in His ears simply because they are not truth.

John 4:24 reminds us that we are to worship God in spirit and in truth. That simply means that what we say should match what we do. That is the only way our worship will make God smile.

I don't know about you, but I love the fact that my worship can make such a wonderful God smile and it scares me that sometimes I open my mouth and He cringes.

To start off your day, here's the song that inspired this post.

 

Devotions like this one and others can be found in a handy collection in Kindle or paperback format. 

To grab your copy, click here. 

Joana James - Author of From Redemption to Maturity, Trusting God with your Future,   Nightmare at Emerald High & Alana and Alyssa's Secret & Finding Romeo 

The Real Reality

So today, we're going to step away from the usual focus of this blog for just a little bit, but don't worry, I promise that you will still learn something.

Last year around this time, I released a new novel called Finding Romeo, a fictional story centered around two Christian young people. It's a romance novel, but I like to call it real life romance, cause let's face it, this stuff really happens in real life. In order for you to see where I'm going with this post, I gotta tell you a little bit about what happens in the novel so bear with me just a little bit.

See, my heroine, Daynia, is a Christian young woman with a desire to get married, just like most Christian young women her age, but she's been hurt before, also just like other young women her age, so she's a bit vulnerable. In comes Mr. Prince Charming himself, ready to sweep her off her feet. Richard (his name) is a church goer, so in Daynia's mind he must be a Christian right? Well...you decide. Anyways, they meet, they date and Daynia falls in love and (GASP)....Daynia let's her guard down and THEY HAVE SEX!

Yes ladies and gentlemen, I did it! I dared to put a sex scene (watered wayyyyy down of course) in a "Christian Romance Novel". Why you ask? Because in real life, people who are struggling to live a Christian life make dumb mistakes and have sex. Trust me, it happens. How do I know? CAUSE IT HAPPENED TO ME!

So what's all this about today you ask? Well, you see... I was pretty discouraged about this book less than one month after it's release. I submitted it to fellow Christian authors for their honest review and THREE of them came back saying that they would NOT review the book. Why you ask? Because two Christians (dramatic gasp) had SEX! How dare me right?

Well yes I dared! Now that I've had a whole year to stew on my decision, I stand by it. You see, when I wrote this book, I had no plans for it to be another wishy washy romance novel where characters face unrealistic situations, hate each other for a while and then finally fall in love and ride into the sunset. There is more than enough of that out there. Several years ago, when God gave me the mandate for my life, it was to help others with my experiences. Well, Finding Romeo is my experience. Daynia is me.

You see in real life, we do dumb things. Really, really dumb things. We don't pay attention to warning signs, or to God's voice for that matter. We plunge ahead with decisions without thinking and we put ourselves in situations that are down right dangerous. Finding Romeo is my reminder to other young Christian women my age of the crappy stuff that happens to us if we don't pay attention or take heed. Daynia gave in to her beau and gave him herself, over and over again as a matter of fact. In return, she had to sacrifice her spiritual life and her heart. Richard didn't love her, as a matter of fact, he only kind of liked her. She was the girl he filled his spare time with whilst he tried desperately to get his ex back, the real love of his life. Daynia was warned but she ignored her friends. Like I said, Daynia is me (the exact details of her story aren't quite mine but you get the point).

So Christians, ladies, friends. Christianity has rules, things we should do and things we should stay away from, but let's be honest with our selves. We break the rules ALL THE TIME. Can we stop pretending that we don't and deal with the issues that cause us to break the rules. There's always a reason that we end up doing something that we really didn't want to do. Sit back a moment and consider the root cause of some of your actions. You'll find it so much easier not to make the same mistake twice, or three or four times....like in my case.

Be blessed today folks and have a good one. Oh and if you're interested in reading my Christian novel where two Christians are dumb enough to have SEX (dramatic gasp) then you can click on the cover below and get yourself a copy!

Doing what you Believe

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. Matthew 7:21

It's easy to talk Christianity. Throw in a few catch phrases, quote a few scripture verses, talk about an experience from ten years ago and you'll sound like you've got it right. It's a completely different thing to live the life of a Christian though. 

Throughout the New Testament we are reminded that it's our actions and the state of the heart that determines the state of a man, not what we say. You see, what we do cannot be separate from what we believe. If we say we believe something then our actions should follow in line with what we believe. I've said this before and I'll say it again, the world shuns Christianity simply because of the Christians. We preach one thing but live completely contrary to what we say. People can't see our God portrayed in us, nor can they see the changes in our lives that we claim He can make in theirs. They don't see it not because our God can't do it, but because we refuse to let Him. God won't do anything in us we don't allow or we don't ask for. So whilst He's waiting for permission to move in our lives, those on the outside looking in are wondering what the big commotion is all about. They see no change. 

Change always starts with one person taking stock of what needs to change and making it happen. If if person works on themselves soon the whole will be changed. Let today be the day we decide to stop talking church and start living like Christ. Not only should we strive to be like Him but we should also allow Him the time and free reign to work on us. Allow his will to be done in our lives and follow his directions as He gives it. 

Today, let us not only talk Christianity but let us also live it.

Devotions like this one and others can be found in a handy collection in Kindle or paperback format. 

To grab your copy, click here. 

Joana James - Author of From Redemption to Maturity, Trusting God with your Future,   Nightmare at Emerald High & Alana and Alyssa's Secret & Finding Romeo 

Remembering what you've Prayed for

Aren't we all delighted when God answers our prayers? I know I am. But what happens when we have forgotten what we've prayed for?

Let me explain what I mean. Several years ago, I was going through a particularly difficult situation. Coming out of it was hard but it was a decision that I had to make. I knew that in my own strength it was a lost cause, so I looked to God. I prayed really earnestly one particular night. It was a desperate plea as I walked head first into my situation planning to take the bull by the horns. God came through for me that night and I walked away slightly damaged but no worse for the wear. However, three weeks later, I was a total mess. I was crying, asking God why He didn't work things out differently or why he didn't change the things in the situation instead of pulling me out of it completely. I was a royal mess. That's when God reminded me of that night when I prayed. He had answered my prayer exactly as I prayed it because in that moment when I prayed, my heart was most desperate and I was the most honest with myself. See, when we have had a chance to think about certain things, we tend to try to tailor or prayers to something that we can comfortably handle when that may not necessarily be what we need.

God reminded me of that day years ago because today I'm praying for something similar. I giggled when He reminded me that in about two weeks, I would need to remember what I prayed for today. God hears our prayers when they are in their most honest form and He answers them. Don't let depression or desperation or simple distraction from the enemy cause you to renege on God and question an answer to a prayer that YOU prayed.

Sometimes we really do know what's best for us, we just have to be honest with ourselves about it. Don't develop amnesia and forget what you prayed for when you realise that a thing you really liked is gone. Trust God to do His job because He always does it right.

Have a blessed day!

Devotions like this one and others can be found in a handy collection in Kindle or paperback format. 

To grab your copy, click here. 

Joana James - Author of From Redemption to Maturity, Trusting God with your Future,   Nightmare at Emerald High & Alana and Alyssa's Secret & Finding Romeo