Read: Hebrews 11:13; John 17:14-19
"Dear friends, I warn you as "temporary residents and foreigners" to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very soul. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors..." 1 Peter 2:11-12.
The moment we open our heart to Christ and invite Him in we change. 2 Corinthinas 5:17 says we become a new creation. In fact we are engaged in a battle for the souls of mankind and when we choose Christ we switch to the winning side. In this process of switching sides we become temporary residents and foreigners. We are now in this world, but not of it.
When I look around today at many Christians I am overcome with grief, sadness and sometimes an anger because of what I see. I see many people squandering the gifts and callings God has placed in their life all in the name of entertainment and it tears me up! I see people who are supposed to be in this world, but not of it, yet when you take a closer look they are in this world and of it.
There has got to be a difference between someone of faith and someone of no faith. If you go to all the movies your friends of no faith go to, listen to all the music, watch all the shows they watch and visit all the websites they do and the only difference between you and them is that you go to church once a week on a Sunday, is there really a difference between you and them?
Sure you may not be at the parties and you are not committing the same sins they are, but in their eyes they see someone who is no different. Holiness is not committing no sin it is committing your life to God and only Holy people are powerful people.
I'm not saying that you should never see a movie, listen to music, watch TV, go online. I'm saying that you need to examine your life and your choice of media and ask yourself if God would be pleased with your selection. Ask yourself will this movie, TV show, Music, internet site help me or hinder me from the call of God on my life. Will it make me more effective in fighting the battle for souls or destructive towards fighting that battle.
There are many people that need the message you have received, but in order to have a platform to speak that message to them you have got to sacrifice some things out of your life and one of those things is your choice of media. Are you in this world and not of it or do you look exactly like those you are trying to reach? It's time to live properly!
Prayer: God help me to be in this world, but not of it.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
P Travis
You are amazing, i think your word on Sunday was totally uplifting and brang our family back to where we needed to be after being away from church for as long as we were for personal and selffish reasons and now that the tragedies of life have brung us to need to get back im starting to realize how selffish we were to punish ourselves over things we should not have let get the better of us.....my personal family, we dont have alot of material things and was proud upon a recent garage sale rid ourselves of movies and music cds we no longer were in need of the enjoyment we once thought they brang, ironic that you posted this message because i could almost be sure that HE wouldnt be pleased with them, was it wrong that we gave them away for pennies at a garage sale to collect money for a down payment on a new car that we had to have with a new baby coming in October?? I hope now that im sitting here thinking was it anymore right of us to " poison" someone elses mind of lives with the trash and garbage that was in some of those movies? How does one become in the world and of it or is there a way to have both those things?? I have made bad choices and know im not the only one but in the midst of all the tragedies and sickness that come to us this family has always managed to work through it with the power of God watching over us, is it wrong to feel that way or being selffish, i only ask because im still learning and want to do things right and havent slowed down long enough to learn and want too, thanks so much for your word on Sunday, pure awesomeness!!
Thank you! As far as your wanting to know whether or not you should have sold those things, I'm reminded of what Paul said that everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. If you feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit about it, repent and move on. After that if you feel bad that is condemnation and that is from the enemy and you don't receive it. Just repent and move on my friend, don't let it hold you back.
We become in the world and of it when we take on the culture. When we act like the world and take on the customs and way of thinking. You can certainly watch tv, listen to music, movies etc... I would not want you to read this and think I have to get rid of everything that is of the world that would be religious and we know that religion only brings death. Rather go to God and give Him permission to tell you what He wants and doesn't want in your life. Then be obedient and He will bless you! The most important thing is to listen and hear what God is saying and obey, not live under religion.
Bless you my friend I pray that God continues to bring you through and provide the vehicle you need!
Post a Comment