No Riding the Fence

Worldliness.
It’s a struggle in our own lives and in our churches. There’s no doubt that we have a fleshly side of us that wars against the spiritual side. Many times we live in the world and sadly, like the world. You can’t look the world, act like the world , sound like the world, and smell like the world and be pleasing to God. It just doesn’t work. And it is so saddening that it’s going on with people who have been raised in strong, Bible preaching churches, who know the Word of God and yet choose to do their own thing. I was again reminded of this when I was reading the end of the book of Joshua in my devotions. Read chapter twenty-three in your Bible.

“Be ye therefore very courageous(strong, steadfast) to keep(guard)

and to do(accomplish) all that is written in the book of the law of Moses,

 that ye turn not aside therefrom 

to the right hand or to the left.

That ye come not among these nations…

But cleave unto the Lord your God, 

As ye have done unto this day.

Take good heed therefore unto yourselves,

That ye love the Lord your God.”

Joshua 23:6-8, 11

Instead of writing the whole chapter here, I just picked out some of the verses that stuck out. This was Joshua’s final message to the people before he died, it was a repeat of what they had been told over and over. Repetition is the key to learning, unless you don’t listen.
Joshua was telling the people that God had delivered them into the Promised Land. He had conquered their enemies, He had provided for them. Chapter 24 verse 13 tells of God’s provision, they moved into ready-made cities. They didn’t have to build the cities or start the vineyards and wait for years of maturity until it produced, it was already there.
 Their main command was to stay separate from the remaining heathen nations, to have nothing to do with them. It wasn’t just a command, it was a command that had an attached promise. If they chose to disobey and associate with the heathen God’s blessings would be removed… until they died.(vs. 13) Instead of all the good things God bestowed on them daily, He would bestow evil things. That’s pretty strong language to me.

 “Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him

 in sincerity(without blemish) and in truth(certainty):

 put away the gods which your fathers served…

Joshua 24:14

The next verse is that famously quoted verse, hung on plaques in Christian homes across the world. Joshua says(My paraphrase): “Make up your mind who you’ll obey and follow. You can’t ride the fence and you must make the decision now. I’ve already made my decision to serve the Lord.”

So moving on to the applicable section of my ranting. Like I said at the beginning, worldliness is an issue today. But I believe the lesson from Joshua is still applicable today, because forms of it are mentioned in the New Testament also.

“Love not the world, neither the things 

that are in the world.

If any man love the world, 

The love of the Father is not in him. “

I John 2:15

“…Know ye not that the friendship of the world

Is enmity(hatred, hostility) with God? 

Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world

Is the enemy of God.”

James 4:4

“…keep himself unspotted(not having one spot) from the world”

James 1:27

We are still to be separate from the world, the heathen nations, just like in Joshua’s day. We are to try to reach them with the Gospel, but you can win someone from the world if you are like the world.
This isn’t a dress article. Though I will tell you before we moved down here the Lord pointed out something about my dress. It didn’t have to do with immodesty, it had to do with association. I had to get rid of my Aeropostal clothes, not that I had many, because I found myself wearing them because they are “cool” and that’s the style. I’m not saying burn your Aero clothes, I just had to get rid of them because the Lord spoke to me. I am not called to be “cool” and the Lord doesn’t give me a dress standard in His Word so I can be stylish.
I guess you can say this is an association post. We serve a holy God and worldliness is not pleasing to him, not even one spot of it. We can be like the world and love the things it loves, but it comes with a high price- you will be an enemy of God and not having the love of God in you. It’s more than dress, it’s your whole lifestyle.
If an unsaved person saw you, would they think you are like them because you act like the world, use it’s slang language, dress in it’s stylish clothes?
If they listened to your music would they notice a difference or is it something that they would listen to and like?
You cannot ride the fence, Choose who you will associate with - a Holy God or the Heathen Nations.

Lovely Books

To say I like books would be an understatement.

I’ve always liked them, used to get in trouble for reading to much.

Since moving down south I saw a book at the library about a woman who escaped

From the FDLS - the Mormon radical group.

Since I wrote my comparative Religions class in college about Mormonism

I thought it would be interesting to read.

So I finally got around to checking it out from the library.

I was reading it, and got about half way through but it was too much.

I just wasn’t comfortable reading about all their messed up ways

And the Holy Spirit kept pricking my heart as I read.

I knew I had to quit reading it.

I hate not finishing a book.

But I laid it aside.

While I was in Bible college taking classes on teaching,

I loved the class about teaching reading - one of our assignments was to read children’s books.

And there was a series of books recommended for

Middle School age children that I have collected over the last few years.

I didn’t read them before I started collecting because they were recommended.

My sister knows what they are,

I let her borrow them to read them, but she gave them back,

Let’s just say that they are definitely different.

So I had this series that my sister gave back to me,

I wanted to read them and see what they were all about,

I had read the first book but decided to read it again.

Easy reading- I finished the book in a day.

And I determined it was kinda creepy and sad,

And despite the intriguing mystery I didn’t like it.

I looked up the series and author in Wikipedia.

The series was classified as Gothic type.

I hadn’t known that.

 They were recommended at Bible college.

I decided not to read the other books in the series.

The whole time I was reading these books a song kept coming to my mind.

It’s not just a song,

It’s a Scripture song of Philippians 4:8.

“Finally, brethren,

whatsoever things are true,

Whatsoever things are honest,

Whatsoever things are just,

Whatsoever things are pure,

Whatsoever things are lovely,

Whatsoever things are of good report;

If there be any virtue, and if there be any praise,

THINK ON THESE THINGS.”

It’s hard to read when the Lord is sending this song over and over through your mind.

I couldn’t get over three of those traits:

Pure : Innocent, clean, modest

(in the children’s book there was basically reference to possible incest, the relative was going to marry the 14 year old to inherit the fortune)

Lovely: Friendly, acceptable

As a believer, there is a Friend who is always with us. Would I read this outloud to Him?

He knows what you are reading anyway

Good Report: Reputable, well spoken of

Well, the series was well spoken of at college, but I don’t think it would be something

The Lord would recommend. Death, morbid destruction, scary people.

Nope, nothing I want my children to read.

I just thought I would share something the Lord specifically spoke to me about.

I’m so thankful for the prompting and reprimand of the Holy Spirit.

I don’t want to do things that sadden Him.

I need to focus on lovely, pure things.

And just for those who are wondering,

I’m reading A Gown of Spanish Lace

By Janette Oke, I forgot how good,

And pure it is.

A lovely book.

Simplicity in Christ Part 3

The Big Deal

Paul had a passion to see the Corinthians live right and not be led away by false teachers. He wanted so badly for them to remain pure, unspotted and away from the world. Not away from the world in the sense of hiding yourself away from everything and never going into public places, but not having a behavior(lifestyle) that reflects the world but one that professes godliness.

Paul knew if they left the simplicity in Christ and were corrupted by the world they would have scars of sin and their ministry would be less fruitful.

It is important to be free from the bondage

Of that corruption. We can live in freedom,

In the simplicity that is in Christ.

Simplicity in Christ Part 2

II Corinthians 11:3

"...The simplicity that is in Christ..."

Simplicity - singleness, sincerity, generosity, bountifulness

The word Simplicity mentioned here is the same Greek word for the phrase “singleness of heart” used in other parts of Scripture.

Paul wanted these believers to be the real deal- true, sincere believers bestowed by the bountifulness of God. After researching the words of the first two verses you find strong language from Paul.

Vs. 1 “Bear with me a little in my folly”
Paul  is asking for forbearance and endurance(“bear) in his senselessness, recklessness (“folly”)

Vs. 2a “I am jealous over you with godly jealousy”
Despite the word jealousy being used twice in the same verse, they are slightly different meanings. Paul speaks of  the first jealousy, meaning his warmth of feeling for them. The second a godly jealousy, speaks of heat and zeal, venturing to say Paul’s passion.

Vs. 2b “Espoused you…that I may present you…a chaste virgin.”
Paul was the one who introduced them to Christ, and now he is ready to stand by and “give them away” just like a father gives away his daughter at a wedding. But he wants them to be a pure, modest bride, not covered by the fornication of the world.

  What Difference Does is make?

Simplicity In Christ

 I Corinthians 11:3

"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve

through his subtilty,

So your minds should be corrupted from

The simplicity that is in Christ."

Paul is writing this letter to the Corinthians out of love for them. He has helped them come to Christ but now false teachers are trying to lead them astray. Paul knows that the world and all it’s holds take away and distract us from the simplicity we find in Christ.

We cannot stay pure and unspotted for Christ if we leave the simplicity of him and live in the world, like the world.

But it’s tricky. Just as Eve was deceived, we can be deceived and beguiled in this world.

This Simplicity,

 What is it?

A Little Cleaning Up

As you can tell something is going on...

I've decided to re-vamp this site.

One of my goals for this year is to post more on this blog,

ideally I will try to post at least once a week.

 I realized how slack I had become.

And as I began to think I began to realize that I need the accountability

of sharing what I've been learning.

To push me further in my learning.

So part of my cleaning has to do with what I feel

the Lord had showed me for the new year.

Normally I seem to have a focus passage

that the Lord impresses on my heart around

the beginning of every year.

This year:

2 Corinthians 1-3,

particularly the end of verse 3 

"...from the simplicity that is in Christ."

A Post Coming to You Soon!