Children imitate what they see and hear. How intimate would our children’s relationships be with Christ if they imitated our relationship with Him? How much time in prayer and the Word would they spend daily or weekly? Would they tithe or even know how to and why? I’m afraid that in our culture of self-gratification instead of practical holiness our children would know more about the ATM machine than the books of the Bible and have a greater understanding of American Idol than God’s plan for their lives.

One night in a dream God simply asked, “If I took everything from you that you have put before me what would you have left?” It was a simple question that left me in a panic! The first thing I did was run to the baby’s room and checked on him. Second, I checked on my husband. After that I lay down and began to answer the question. When I got to the kitchen broom I gave up. Even sweeping floors had taken precedence over Christ at some point and time. The realization that there was nothing that I hadn’t put before God was sickening. What would you have left if He took everything from you that you had put before Him? How many times have we engaged in gossip knowing full well it was wrong before the first word was uttered? There goes the tongue! How many times have you bought a dress, a meal out, a motorcycle, or tickets to a game with money that should have went to paying tithes? How many mornings have you slept instead of having quiet time, or in the evenings watched television instead of meeting with God even if only for five minutes? No more bed or television! Let’s face it; it would be an incredibly pitiful sight of possessions if God took inventory of our lives in response the question. Though the works of the Lord are great, though He is full of grace and compassion, though He is ever mindful of His people and His precepts are sure, standing fast forever and ever, we still put ourselves, our wants, our sinful lusts and desires before all that is Wise, Righteous, Honorable, and Glorious. We have found pleasure for a time in what our credit cards, bank loans, and wallets can find to buy, surfing the web, face booking, sports, television, work and our children, filling the hours of our days with all but God.

Pray that God will always go before us making our crooked ways straight, the broken pieces of our lives mended, turning our chaos into peace while directing all of our ways.

Isaiah 46:13 says, “Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted, who are far from righteousness; I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off; My salvation will not linger.”