I knew there was something wrong with my heart when I spoke about certain people. Yes, I said all the Christian things, God bless them, I wish them all the happiness in the world. You know the lines, you’re properly doing the same yourself about a few people in your life right now; your ex husband, ex boyfriend, old bosses – all the people who’ve left your life. Some of you might be doing it about people in your life right now. Please don’t try to cover it up by saying you’ve never done it, because we all have at some point. What do we do now, we repent and seek Gods forgiveness for it. We ask Him for the strength, grace and mercy to clean out our hearts, and help us to pray for them.

Why is this important?

What flows from our heart affects our actions, words and thoughts. It affects our relationship with God, people and ourself. If you leave these things in your heart then it will change you and not in good way.

It’s like pouring a crystal clear glass of water, you know the type that’s refreshing to drink and there is nothing wrong with it. Now picture oil, yes oil, black greasy oil. Picture one drop going into the glass, the water isn’t so clear now it has oil floating on the top. If we keep filling the glass with oil you will have a divide and eventually the oil will overflow the glass. Not the water because it’s separated by the oil, the oil has to be removed first before the water can be free.

This is a lot like our hearts every time an ungodly thought appears, your heart is clogged up with things that aren’t from God.

James 1:21-22 (NKJV)

Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

I love this verse, it sums up how we should live as Christians, and this is what we should be striving for. First we need to lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness. What is filthiness and the overflow of wickedness? it’s anything that is contrary to the will of God.

I’m talking about:

Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  

This is some list, adultery this covers even looking at someone with lust. Fornication well in this day and age it’s safe to say that sex is a money-making market, everyone is talking about it and a lot of people are doing it well before the marriage bed. Idolatry isn’t something we think about because we don’t worship idols anymore, but an idol is anything you put before God. Sorcery isn’t something that is hidden now we have practicing witches in the open talking about Wicca, do you check your star sign? this is a sort of sorcery because you are using the stars to check your future and your future is in God’s hand alone. I would spend some time having a look at this list and seeing how it affect us in this modern age.

A lot of them are common place, self ambition is the new thinking, drinking is the new escape and sex is the new hobby. We wonder why the world is such a dark place.

Wonder why when we watch television with violence and other ungodly things on there, God seems so distant and that hearing Him is hard. What we watch, read and listen to is feeding our hearts and minds and that affect our relationship with God. Please be careful of what you submit your eyes to because it will affect your heart, mind and walk with God.

We are called to be like this:

 Galatians 5:22-26 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

I know that most of you have memories them, properly at Sunday school. I wasn’t that lucky and had to read about them on my own, which got me thinking. This is how we are called to live, this is what should overflow from our hearts and affect people around us.

Am I doing this? and can I say I am living like this?

When I’m on top of the world yes I’m living this, I love everyone, I feel so at peace and I have faith in God. I sometime shift focus from God and rely on myself, but I am learning how to have joy in the storm because Jesus can calm any storm. I am learning to have peace when the whole world feels on top of me because nothing is impossible for Him. Self control well that’s the tough one but I can do all thing through Christ who gives me strength. He is everything I need to live out Galatians 5:22-26.

It says after this list we should be walking with the grace of God, living in the Spirit and walk by the Spirit. We need to do this everyday and we have to live this out but why is this hard?

It’s because the list before is also trying to take over and this is where the battle rages in your heart and head. We all have seen the cartoon sketch of an angle on one shoulder and the devil on the other, well this is a bit like that. The flesh is saying its ok to look at the world and join in, but my Spirit is saying no Emma self-control, keep looking at me and I will give you peace. I will help you get you through these temptations.

We are constantly fighting temptations and it’s only by submitting to God and being obedient to Him that we can shake these temptations. It’s not an easy process but worth it because living in His will is so much better than living in the world.

I pray that this has helped you and given you some things to think about, that you can seek God and find Him in all your struggles and temptations. I pray that you continue to grow in the spirit and that you listen to that small quite voice inside that’s guiding you on the path of righteousness. God bless you all and part 2 will follow.