Coffee With The Lord

Good grooming and personal hygiene practices… Some of the things we do every morning “in the public interest” and our own personal sense of wellbeing…  A daily shower or bath, brushing our teeth, deodorant, cologne, fixing or combing our hair… Sometimes we do them with special care – at other times we do them simply because it has become our daily practice.

This morning, during my daily time of “coffee with the Lord” (a daily spiritual hygiene practice of mine) I was reminded of a daily practice by the Lord that I felt I needed to be more careful about as a part of my daily regimen of “spiritual hygiene!”  Truth is, I haven’t done it regularly!  Don’t get me wrong, I believe in its importance, but it took the Holy Spirit impressing it upon me this morning to dedicate myself to doing it with regularity.

Here’s what the Holy Spirit encouraged me to do as a part of my daily “spiritual hygiene” and grooming… I felt Him nudge me to quote two verses prayerfully and determine to do what they urge me to do…

“I now present my body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, as a spiritual act of worship!  I choose not be conformed to this world, but desire to be transformed by the renewing of my mind so that I can discern God’s will and do what is pleasing to Him!” (Romans 12:1-2 adapted for my daily time of devotions)

Hey, I’m not tell you that you need to do it… But I think I need to make it a part of my daily “spiritual hygiene!”  Since I’m convinced the Holy Spirit prompted me to personally do it, I’ll just let Him talk to you about whether or not you should make it a part of your daily “spiritual hygiene.”

To a generation that loves “easy” and “You’re pre-approved!” Jesus said something shocking about “the Kingdom of Heaven”…

“Enter by the narrow gate.  For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.  But the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13-14 ESV)

Sure, Jesus paid the price for our salvation!  You cannot enter the “Kingdom of heaven” by buying your way in or working your way in!  It is a costly gift that Jesus Himself purchased by giving His very life!  But entering the Gate demands complete commitment, repentance (a change of mind and heart) and self-renunciation!  And once inside the door, nothing changes – it’s His will and way all the way to Heaven’s gates!  But the eternal benefits are out of this world!

That’s what caused me to pause this morning, reflect and write in the margin of my Bible… “LeRoy, never, never forget this!

Just a little reminder from the Bible on the subject of how we can be righteous, have salvation, and please God, from Apostle Paul… (Just read it this morning)…

Speaking about his very religious fellow countrymen… “I bear witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they do not submit to God’s righteousness. FOR CHRIST IS THE END OF THE LAW FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS TO EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES!” (from Romans 10:1-4)