Be Up Not Down

'But make sure that you don’t get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation work he began when we first believed. We can’t afford to waste a minute, must not squander these precious daylight hours in frivolity and indulgence, in sleeping around and dissipation, in bickering and grabbing everything in sight. Get out of bed and get dressed! Don’t loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dress yourselves in Christ, and be up and about!' Romans 13:11-14 (MSG)

Four things to consider; the night is about over, don't waste time, get up and get dressed. The day is at hand. This day. Even though the Lord delays His coming on that great day, we are to be watching and we are to be prepared. We are to take off our pajamas and the sins of darkness and put on our armor and the works of the Holy Spirit.

These are busy times and these are perilous times yet as we draw nearer to our destination we are to be mindful of the way with our attitudes and mend our pace.

The Way is Christ. We are to put on Christ and His righteousness and grace and to walk with Him in the way that is pleasing to Him. Therefore, we are not to be anxious about anything or indulge ourselves in the forbidden things. Jesus was able to sleep in a boat during a storm. Likewise.

We must not waste a minute or squander these precious daylight hours. There should be no sleeping around or drunkenness, and no strife or envy. Time is wasting when we waste our time on anything that isn't pleasing to the Lord. The enemy wants you stressed. Don't let him steal your peace and that important part of your inheritance.

With conviction comes repentance as we devote ourselves totally to you, Lord. Our desire then, is to please you and we find rest in that. As we find ourselves in You, we find our peace and we rest in You. No more striving. No more sinning. As we give our lives to You we find the confidence in knowing that you are in control. You won't bring us down. These things help us to be up and to be about Your business!
 Image may contain: one or more people, ocean, sky, water and outdoor, text that says 'WHEN YOU REST in his presence YOU REST in the knonledge HE IS IN CONTROL. DrMichelleBengtson.com #HopePrevails'

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