Hello there! Once again, back on another Monday, if you haven't already, please check out the Facebook page by clicking ---> HERE <---, there's a voting poll to your right, so if you get the time I'd love some feedback! If you have any suggestions for topics, or anything of the sort, please let me know! I really, really appreciate feedback! From bible verses to read up on or even ideas to add/take away, anything, I so appreciate it! Anyhow, dig in.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God- Having a form of Godliness but denying it's power. Have nothing to do with such people.
Have you ever found yourself around people like this? Or, maybe, do you see any of these character traits being reflected in your life? I know in this verse it asks is to have nothing to do with such people, but that kind of left a question in my mind... who does this leave us with to evangelize to!? If we are not supposed to associate ourselves with such people, why are these the kind of people Jesus spent so much of his life around? I thought about this for a while, and another bible verse came to mind- John 15:19- If you belonged to the world, it would love you as it's own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. that is why the world hates you. When you put these verses next to each other, you see what God means to us- to be with these people, but not of their nature. Do not fill yourselves with what these people bring to the world, because we only get out what we put in- we "reap what we sow", but, be among these people, transforming their lives. It's like the proverb of the wineskin- Mark 2:22- And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the bottles destroyed; but new wine is to be put into new wineskins. Basically, not only are we told not to fill ourselves with what these people bring to the world, but we are warned that to be of them would "burst the wineskin", or more literally, ruin us. We can not be part God, part Sin. God's grace removes the sin when we repent and seek his heart, but it is stupidity to think God's grace extends to the unrepentant- He still loves you, but continuing in sin won't save you. You need to fill your wineskin with the wine it was intended for, or bear the consequences.
One of the troubles I have with this, Is not to reflect what people like this can bring to you. Hanging with the wrong crowd too often leads us to begin to conform and fit in with what and who they are. It's good to be there and reflect a light, but only when you know your not going to fall over! I had to move school recently, I to'd and fro'd with the reason why, but ultimately, and admittedly, I didn't have a strong enough foundation to stand in the place I was standing. I was persecuted, that didn't stop me loving the people there, many are still my friends, but I couldn't cope with what was going on. I was becoming more and more "of the world" as I spent more time with them, and it was literally tearing me apart. I'm still dealing with this now, but I suppose what i'm saying, is don't let pride get in the way. If you need to remove yourself from somewhere, you can. If the people you are with are hurting your faith, you can step back and refocus for a while. God always provides a way out. Sometime our foundation isn't ready to face the storm we're standing in, and it's okay to step back. Remember being a Christian isn't about the comfort life. Luke 9:23- Then he said to them: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me" We're called to serve, often in conditions that can harm and hurt us, but just because that's our calling doesn't mean you need to risk losing your faith for the cause. Make sure your heart, and your faith, is in the right spot before you start evangelizing, if not, you may end up doing them, as well as yourself, more harm than good. Be Blessed.
Until the Whole World Hears- Casting Crowns
Romans 10:9-10
Fantastic mate! Such a great idea to blog this stuff, helps your own growth and accountability as well as feeding others. I might take a leaf out of your book!
ReplyDeleteKeep it up! You've got an awesome heart for God and really open up in these posts!
To stand among sinners - true, it isn't a bad thing in the way that you can reflect God's light. But we are human, there is a point we can't handle. And a lot we can't honestly stand there in if we want to appear different.
I've just started my journey through the Psalms (considering attempting memorising them, haha) and Psalm 1, the very opening talks about sin as a progression. From walking among sinners, to standing like them, to sitting like them. One feeds the next. "But blessed is the man who delights in the law of the lord, and on his law he meditates day any night." Sometimes I myself have to leave the presence of my school mates just to embrace God a bit and avoid that progression. I can see that's been you're key motive in moving schools and commend you so much!
Keep taking up your cross mate! God bless ya buddy! - Jono Hill (just in case it doesn't appear!)
that's awesome man, you should so do it! Keep it up :) Bless you even more man, you're fully sick beans. Hahaha and thanks man, I soo so so love getting feedback! :)
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