1 John 2:28
And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.

I was just listening to a song called 'Unashamed' by Paul Oakley. It's rockin'. It talks about being unashamed and unafraid about Jesus and the hope we have in Him, unashamed before men, choosing to live for our God no matter what comes our way. That's the way I want to live.

We have nothing to be ashamed of before men, Jesus is the answer to all our problems, He can satisfy all our desires and He has provided a way that we can know God and be saved, by dying for us on the cross. He's done it all. All we need to do is trust in Him.

I was thinking about being unashamed and that we should also be unashamed before God. Whatever we've done, He has paid for and dealt with through His blood when He died for us. We are called to live a Holy life. We're called to live a Holy life because God is Holy. We need to strive to be Holy in every area of our lives. We are saved by Grace, God did it because we could never be good enough. That's the good news, but God wants us to strive to live the kind of life that pleases Him and brings Him Glory.

It's not easy to live that kind of life and it's very easy to live with compromise in many areas of your life. It's not easy because living a holy life is actually contrary to what the 'flesh', or the sinful nature of your heart wants.

Galatians 5v16-18 & 24-25

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law...

...Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

If you belong to Christ then you should live by the Spirit. It's not something that happens automatically. It says that we need to 'keep in step with the spirit'. That's something that we have to do. We can't pray to God asking Him to help us live a Holy life and for Him to make us all that He wants us to be, and then go and live exactly how we want, not thinking about if it's hurting God or not.

God has provided a way that we can know Him, He died for us. We have to live for Him. Our Father is so full of Grace, Love and Forgiveness - be so thankful for that, because we will fall and make mistakes. However, focus on Jesus and live the kind of life that He wants you to live. Sure, we'll fall, but why focus on that, always aim to live a Holy life and in everything you do make your desire be to bring Glory to God. He's given us everything we need to live for Him, He lives within us..the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us!

Don't compromise. Be Holy. Fix your eyes on what is lasting and forever, put all your hope there and you wont be disappointed.

Be unashamed before God.