Look Up and Live!!!

1 John 5:3
New King James Version (NKJV)
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

Kenny has always mentioned a line that his Mom would say at times while he was growing up. I use this saying regularly when I see people walking through a crowded parking lot and not paying attention to where they are going or to the motor vehicles they are walking in front of. I will say to myself, as I watch them, "Look up and live!!!!". It makes perfect sense that walking in front of a moving vehicle is dangerous. Many people are walking in danger without God every day. The above verse says keeping the Lord's commandments is not burdensome. If we do what is right such as look where we are going while walking through a parking lot, chances are better that we won't get hit or even killed.

I can't help but think that there are MANY people, including a lot of young adults I know, that think it is burdensome to keep the Lord's commandments. When we stray and sin, which we are ALL prone to do, we separate ourselves from God. That feels "yucky". The consequences of our sin, depending on our choices, can often lead to depression, anxiety or even death depending upon our actions. Many people are confused about christianity. They think to themselves, "someday when I'm settled down, older, maybe married with children" that will be when I "clean up my act". Then BOOM!!! Calamity strikes. Who is it that one turns to in their deepest and darkest moments? If most people were completely honest with themselves, even if they deny God most of the time, He is the One we cry out to during calamity and traumatic events. If we just take a good look around at the beauty of His handiwork, whether it be the grass, flowers, sun, moon or even our beloved pets, we can see His glory in His handiwork. We can't deny His existence.

Psalm 19:1 states in (NKJV) 19 The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork.

He is the Creator of the Universe and He wants a relationship with us! Doesn't that just blow your mind? BUT it's even better than that, He is the One Who does the "cleaning up" Himself. Those vices that we think we need to "try and stop doing" before we come to Jesus are the exact vices that HE IS ABLE TO DELIVER US FROM!!!! Many people don't realize how freeing it is when God is not only Your Savior but your friend (John 15:15). As I sit here blogging, an urgent AP has come across my phone. "Breaking (9:29AM EDT) NYC fire officials say several people have been shot outside Empire State Building". Literally, this information just came to me while I'm writing. What are you waiting for? If you feel God tugging at your heart and you can feel a struggle going on inside. That feeling comes from a very real struggle going on in the spiritual realm for your soul. You have an enemy who wants you to live in bondage. We don't know what the next moment in our lives may bring. Yield to the voice of the Lord who may be knocking on the door of your heart. Yield to Him now and begin to find true love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness & faithfulness. These fruit are the byproducts of His presence living in You. All you need to do is surrender your life to Jesus, "LOOK UP AND LIVE!!!!!"

John 3:14-15
New King James Version (NKJV)
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but[a] have eternal life.