When the storms come

Last night was a bit hairy around here in Eastern Texas.  We had several storm cells that were dubbed "super cells" by our trusted local weatherman.  The storms were predicted to get so bad that the Discovery Channels "Storm Chasers" were in town chasing down our storms!  Talk about scary!
Our family hunkered down in the living room and watched the weather for 5 streight hours and never got the least bit board!  As soon as one storm would pass us over there would be another form and head our way.  I know for a fact that several people were praying for saftey for our family (among many other families) and it was absolutely amazing to sit and watch on the radar as the tornados would form to the north, south, east and west of us and always be traveling in the opposite direction from us.  Now I'm no expert but I'm pretty sure that can be categorized as an answered prayer! 
I have no problem witnessing to people and tell people all the time that God answers prayers, but when you see a prayer answered that specifically and that blatantly, even a seasoned Christian like me stands in awe of our amazing God.  Not that what happened here on this feeble earth is the least bit amazing in heaven.  I like to think of God sitting in heaven and simply pointing His finger and saying ok Mr. Tornado you need to go that way.  Pretty cool!

I know RIGHT

If you say something to me that I agree with, you will likely hear my signature phrase, "I know right!"  I say that a lot!  I say it so much that some sweet friends found a wall hanging with that phrase on it and couldn't help but buy it for me!  Like I said, I say that A LOT! 

But knowing something and actually living it out are two different things.  James 4:17 says "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." (ESV)

The Bible is chocked full of instructions, there are instructions on what we should do, instructions on what we shouldn't do and instructions on how to follow those instructions.  Who can know them all?  Probably not most of us.  Even if you have read the Bible cover to cover chances are you didn't retain every instruction you read (or understand them all for that matter)  But, the key here is this: If you read something, meditate on it, understand it and receive teaching and/or instruction on it then you are accountable for it.  There is no question that the instructions in the Bible are infallible.  They were good instructions two thousand years ago and they are good instructions now, regardless of weather or not we like them.  So if we know that we are not supposed to gossip and we do it anyways, we are sinning.  If we know we are supposed to put God first, our husbands second and our children THIRD and we continue to undermine our spouses authority with our children; then we are sinning (ouch!)

Over the past year I have been under some deep teaching that, I'll be honest, sometimes I wish I wasn't under.  Why would I say this you ask?  Because when someone teaches me something, I line that teaching up with Scripture and determine it to be doctrinally and Biblically sound, I am then accountable to live according to that teaching!  Oh and by the way, so are you!  Don't pick up a book (Biblically and doctrinally sound one of course) and read it if you do not intend to put the teaching into practice, for if you do you are reaping judgement against yourself.  There will come a day when we will all have to stand before the judgement seat and answer to the Almighty and we will NOT be able to use the excuse of "I didn't know"!!

Be blessed friends!