Titus 1:16

God has been teaching me a lot and I'm so thankful for that.Sometimes God shows you things that are hard to wrap your mind around. I've been praying a lot about women I am discipling and came across this verse: 

Titus 1:16 "They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good."

Now those are some harsh words that Paul wrote. But we know all scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit. And the context of this information is where Paul is writing to Titus and passing on his knowledge. He talks about rebuking those who fail to do good and it's something God brought me to in the word today. Something that has rocked my world. I may have read this verse before but the realities of it have been hitting me. I know what Jesus says about being lukewarm. I know that many will say Lord Lord but they don't know Him. But not only do they not know Him even though they say they do, not only are they something to be spit out, but this group of people in the world that gives lip service to being a christian but they dont' know him. This verse doesn't sugar coat that. This verse rips apart anything that says "well I'll get to it" or "God knows my heart" This verse... is heartbreaking to me because I know so many that have "Christian" on their facebook profile but then if you took a peek through their pictures and statuses you would think something didn't add up.

I was this person. I had a "Jesus Fish" on my foot, but those same feet where carrying me a lot of places I shouldn't have been.

detestable

disobedient

not fit for doing anything good.

these words keep echoing in my head. Because this is what I was named until I truly learned about the grace of God. I'm SO thankful that God turned my life around. I'm so thankful that He didn't let me keep walking around being...detestable. disobedient. not fit for anything good. and it breaks my heart that I know people that are still here. (Please not I'm not calling anyone these things. I'm just talking about what the bible says.)  I wish I could say that my past mistakes are a thing of the long long long distant past but they aren't. They affect who I am today. They affect how I deal with situations, the things that hold me back from running after God faster, they pop up in my dreams, ect. But here's the thing, I always knew I wasn't honoring God, but I always thought I'd get to it, or it was ok because I already had messed up or I took advantage of knowing that we are forgiven in Christ.

So what's my point?

Friends. There are people right now in your life that are here and we have an opportunity to encourage them and grow them. We have the ability to help share truth with them, be accountability with them, disciple them. We can be praying for them.

Now the sad truth is some of you reading this might think "well I'm a christian but maybe my life doesn't reflect it's ok." I'm going to say this: It's not ok. Not because I am saying that but the bible says that, Jesus said that. but what I need to say most is that God does want you. No matter what you've done, where you have been, how much you haven't honored Him He wants you. He doesn't want you to be called these things He wants to call you His. Beloved. Saved. Forgiven. Paid for.

So if you find yourself convicted by that verse then stop now and talk to God. You don't have to know how to do everythign you just need to know how to ask Him for help.

and if you read that verse and you know people who are lost and they don't know it start discipling them. help them. Don't let them stay where they are at. You wouldn't walk away from an injured person asking you for help, but yet we walk away from people who are missing so much more. Let stop just watching them with judgement and start loving them.

Let's love God and love people. those are the greatest commandments. <3