an aspect on living a faith filled life.

I teach a Children's church class at my church, and we normally go off onto many tangents. The kids are very inquisitive at the age I teach and they are trying to understand the ways of God in their own way and understanding. They ask many interesting questions, and I have quite the job of trying to explain this in a way they will grasp. That isn't always easy!!! I enjoy sharing my knowledge of God, it is just hard bringing some of these concepts down to their level. I try my best and if they don't understand, they are very good about asking more questions :) Yesterday we got into some good stuff though. They were asking about forgiveness and if God would forgive us even if we meant to do something wrong, and if it was an accident. So we really got into holiness in the end. I don't know how we got from the wise and foolish builder to holiness and living a holy life but we did, and they were listening. I really think they took it all in. I really pray that as I try and answer their questions that they will learn and retain all that I teach them and that the Lord speaks to them through the teaching.
It got me thinking though. Being a minister and have been around a  little while at least, you don't hear to much preached on holiness. Why is that? I hear it preached here and there, but we hear Christ and salvation through Christ and we hear that God gives us grace but where is our part in the whole thing...? Yes, we have to choose Him, and then tell the world about God and His love, but what about everything in the middle. We all mess up, no one is perfect and yes there is grace when we mess up, but we need to turn from the sin and try our best to stay away from it. I know I am not perfect and I am not condemning anyone. This is just one area that God has laid on my heart and that I know in my life I just need to stay away from things and keep my thoughts on Him. I don't want to sin in my thoughts or actions. I also have a tendency of looking and relying on others before God, which I am working on and trying to keep my mind focused on Him. It is a process and God is still working on me in areas too. Even as ministers God needs to work things out. (side note: Don't think that your pastor/pastors are perfect and have it all together 24/7 because we get hit just as hard if not harder than others. The enemy wants to take us out just as he wants to take every other person living for God out. My husband has a book in the works (which I think he needs to get working on again because its a great book that I think will help many and he is just an amazing writer as well! (shout out to my hubby! Love you HUNNY!!!)) which talks about this, but God is still working on us and we try our best to live a godly life and follow what God is telling us to do.) That is what this life is all about: following after God and obedience to Him! But salvation has more to it than just accepting God, its asking for forgiveness and turning from sin.
I know that sometimes the subject of holiness is taken too far, and that is not good either because that takes away from Gods gift of grace. We need a balance of our Christian walk. We all mess up and we all need God's grace but I see that at times when the whole messages of God isn't communicated fully that we can see grace as an excuse to sin. So Yes, we all need God's love and grace and mercy, but on the other side we all need to know that God does want us to live a holy life. Apart from God we cannot do this because we are imperfect beings, but with Gods help and when we involve God into every area and aspect of our life we can overcome many things and live a more holy life. I think that we need to get the idea that God wants us to take HIM into ALL areas of our lives. We need to live for God every day of the week, not just on Sundays. We need to make God apart of it all, and He will lead us into all truth and help us live a more holy life!!!! God's grace isn't an excuse to sin, it is a gift that is given but we still need to try and live according to God's word. Here is just one verse I wanted to share here.

^{1 Peter1:14} Be like children who obey. Do not desire to sin like you used to when you did not know any better. ¹⁵ Be holy in every part of your life. Be like the Holy One Who chose you. ¹⁶ The Holy Writings say, “You must be holy, for I am holy.”

Be blessed today as you go along your day. I pray that as you go through your day, you will take God with you. I pray you will keep in mind that God desires holiness and desires us to turn from sin, but also know that when we do mess up, HE IS THERE TO FORGIVE US AND TAKE US BACK. I desire in my own life to get so close to God, and I pray that is your desire as well. Desire to know Him better today than you did yesterday!!!