All the Way In

      When a little boy kept falling out of bed at night, his mom asked him what was happening. He replied, "I guess I've been sleeping too close to the edge."

       Are we living close to the edge in life? What constitutes edge-like living? Some of the telltale signs are:

• Doing things or going places we don't want others to know about;
• Living lifestyles that closely resemble the lifestyles of those who do not serve God; 
• Being constantly preoccupied or losing sleep over choices we have made;
• Being irritable or argumentative when someone who cares tries to help us in a situation; or
• Overall discontentment or lack of peace about our choices.

      This kind of living can move us away from God's best, because the condemnation that often comes with it causes our faith to fail. And long term, it will cause us to grow accustomed to our habits, making them more acceptable to us. Our hearts, or our consciences are the keys to right and wrong; a truthful self examination can reveal where we are.
      If we find ourselves "further out" than we know we should be, the good news is we serve a merciful God who is always willing to forgive us and help us.  If we will become teachable and listen to our conscience and to others who care about us, we can get back to where we should be.
      The more we obey God, the freer we will become. Life is much better when we get all the way in. There's peace and blessing there.

Scripture Links:  I John 3:21; I John 1:9; Acts 24:16; Philippians 2:13; Psalm 138:8

To Receive Jesus as Lord ad Savior:(Sinner's Prayer) Dear God, I am a sinner. I need a savior. I need Jesus. I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose on the third day. I ask Jesus now to come into my heart and to become Lord over my life. Satan has no more power over me. I say with my mouth that Jesus is Lord. Father, help me to live for you, and thank you for saving me. John 3:16.

To Rededicate Your Life to the Lord (after falling away):Dear Heavenly Father: I confess to you that I have sinned. You said if I confess my sin you are faithful and just to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I turn away from sin and turn to you, and I ask you to forgive me. I forgive myself also. Father, thank you for forgiving me, remembering my sin no more and allowing me to have right standing with you again. In Jesus' name, AMEN.