photo courtesy of www.songsandsayings.com

I don't know you after the flesh, I know you after the Spirit.  You need to get back to the Lord.

Those were words I recently spoke to an old friend.  He currently lives a life I have lived before.  In and out of church, but mostly out.  He comes back to the Lord when he's in trouble or hurting.  He feels if he comes back completely, he's a cop out and he's just using Jesus as a crutch.  That's the cop out.  He knows what he needs.

There, but for the grace of God, goes Toby Keathley.  I've been there and done that.  I see myself, if left to myself, committing the same acts that those who left the Lord, and those who missed out on God's best, and they stopped short of God's purposes.  I see myself in that negative example, and I don't want to be there, left to myself because I would do the same thing.

Psalm 19:13 says this:  

Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression.

In other words, Lord, don't let me think I have it SO together that I could never fall to the negativity of this world.  See, faith is contagious, but so is disbelief.  You are either inspiring faith or disbelief in someone else.

Inspire faith!

Peace!