IBOGIRLLIVING

Let me first and foremost apologize for not uploading any posts last week. I had two of my wisdom teeth extracted during the week and I simply needed a minute to deal with the pain and recuperate. Once again, I'm sorry guys but we're back now so let's get into today's post shall we?

I really believe that God has been trying to get my attention for the longest time. I feel like I noticed His pull as early as my mid to late 20s but like most that age, I believed I could never fully serve God or give Him my all in my 20s. Part of it was because the image I had of God at the time was faulty (the result of faulty teaching from the church) and part of it was also because I did not want to give up many of the things I was doing.

For me, serving God at the time looked like zero fun, praying all day and all night, wearing boring clothes and unable to go to bars, clubs, parties, make out with my boyfriend or drink liquor. In other words, God did not appeal to me and I knew that no matter how hard I tried (because God knows I did), my efforts would never be good enough. All I heard and saw from the Church then was rules and regulations ontop of rules and regulations and an even longer list of do's and dont's. Scary messages of hell and the visual of a God who was distant, strict, judgmental and unapproachable. So rather than waste my time pretending to live righteously, I chose to live on my own terms with the hope that it was good enough for God and earn me a place in Heaven.

Looking back, often with a mixture of regret and sadness, I wish I had been taught differently. To learn about THIS God that I now serve. The One who always loved me even before I knew to love Him. The God who just wanted me to know Him, to know that I could come to Him simply as I was so He could love me into who He created me to be. In many ways the Church back in my day and even some today have failed people but more importantly, have failed God Himself.

The truth is that God, for whatever reason, has chosen to partner with Man on earth so that He can be represented accurately to the world. Not that He Needs man to do anything because He does not. But He chooses to so people can see just how much of a loving, approachable and relatable Father He is. Why would you or I ever think that the One who created us in His own image would not care about our suffering, struggles or pain? Yes, earth was never supposed to be our home. Our home was the Garden Of Eden. We got kicked out because of disobedience that led to sin. BUT even with that, a sacrifice was sent to die in our place, for the same children that rejected the same love that was freely given to us from the very beginning.

Satan, our enemy is truly moving about like a roaring lion looking for whom to devour (1 Peter 5:8) with lies and deceit. The Bible in John 8: 44 refers to him as the "father of lies" and from the moment God created man, he has been on a mission to destroy our relationship with God so we can be condemned as he is to eternal damnation. Today's post really is for anyone, of any age who thinks that God and Heaven is a myth or that Satan and Hell are not real. All you have to do is look around and you can see just how real both are. You can serve God with your full chest no matter your age! He is a Holy God so there are definitely things you can not do if you choose Him and you shouldn't even want to do them anyway because they profit nothing  See Mark 8: 34-38.

I wish I knew better but the good news is that as long as you're breathing, it's never too late to choose God. It is not His desire for any one of us to perish (2 Peter 3:9) which is why He is so patient with us. Hell was never made for us, but for the Devil (See Matthew 25:41). It is the Devil that wants to take you and I there with him. I ain't going!! Don't know about You!!

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Ibogirl