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| Holy is SeparateSO God calls his people to be holy for He the LORD is holy, why do we not understand this?
Where does this topic come from? It comes from a conversation on Wednesday with a gal that is Christian???
What am i getting at? Well, first since i thought she was Christian, i mean she goes to church and professes Christ Jesus as Lord right? SO i think... Anyways She says something totally off the wall. Yes she was talking about television shows and all that jot, but what does this have to do with anything?
OK i'm going at a tangent. Getting back, what stuck out to me was that she (the "Christian girl") says and i quote, "Why can't you be more worldly?" I was shocked. Why would a Christian say this to another Christian!?! Yes she was speaking of television, but what is profitable for my spiritual life that is now on television? From what all i have seen, all i see is sex and beer and parties with beer. I see people wanting to be in the limelight so they can boast and i see people full of greed and hunger for power.
This is what i see, I see no edification, i see nothing worthy of Philippians 4:8 which says "Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is love, whatever is right, whatever is commendable (of good repute), if there is any excellence or anything worthy of praise, think (dwell) on such things."
Look, if you want to tell me as a Christian to be in the world and not of it, that's one thing, but to tell me to be more worldly is just blasphemous!!!
WHat do i mean? Let me ask this, what is your Biblical standing to tell someone to be more worldly? What is your standard of morals? what is your standard of even doing this on this earth? If it is not God and His Word then i don't believe i need to listen to you.
If it is just your opinion then that's a separate issue, but if it's to make me cuss more, be more sexually explicit, be more murderous, be more abusive, then I WILL NOT HEED YOUR WORDS!!!
Do i sound angry? Then be aware, i am grieved at people that say they are Christian but do not have a Christlike mindset, namely being holy as the LORD God is holy where do i get this reference?
Well starting with Leviticus 11:44 and Leviticus 20:7,26 and 2 Timothy 1:8; 2:21, and finally 1 Peter 1:15.
Each states we are to be holy, separate for God to use for the good works he has for us to do.
Will you heed this? or will you say to your brother or sister in Christ, "go be more worldly"?
Will you heed this and say God says to be holy so let us strive to be holy for God.
What will you choose this day?
As for me, I will choose God and strive to be holy as He is Holy. What will you choose? (refer: Joshua 24:14-15)
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| What is Purity?Many times i have wondered what purity is, like is it a state of being? is it a journey what is it? what does it have to do with me?
Now why all this talk about purity? well my small group is starting a little course on Every YOung Man's Battle and we're getting organize for it.
Apparently my first impression is wrong, it is not a state of being it's a point in time in this journey we all go through. indeed being pure is like a walk from school to home or from some distant place to home or something like that.
This brings me to the point of saying, "in the first sense i have lost the war already. Yet in the second sense, i have a chance, i can beat this monster inside of me dead." Indeed I have lost a sense of purity for in this depraved world, purity is only for girls and purity cannot be in men because men are impure from the start. I have to say this is untrue, i started down the path of impurity when i was 5 and am ever on the way back from that horrid path.
In saying all this, i must say, i believe i am ready to consider finding my purity ring and wearing it again. I know, it sounds weird- a guy wearing a purity ring!?! Come on only girls do that!!! When i thought about it i said that as well, but without anything to be holy like Christ, what can i do? i can only meditate on the WORD and pray, but that does not produce actions that prove what is in the heart. Yes it changes and transforms the heart, but beyond that there is nothing unless we do our part to become holy as the LORD GOD is holy.
Let me say this though, seeing the word purity, makes me think of the following verse:
Philippians 4:8 "Finally Brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."
SO brothers and sisters, will you be with me in this struggle to be pure. To edify one another to be pure, to think of what is lovely, true, pure, right, honorable, excellent, commendable, even praise worthy? I pray you will join me in correcting our minds, our tongues, capturing wicked thoughts, edifying each other in the LORD, whom we should be relying on for everything that is good and pure and holy. Memory Verse for the week: Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
How true and terrifying this truth is to this world. For that against such things there is no law!!! WOW, we need patience, love, self-control, gentleness, faithfulness, and all of it in order to be of the Spirit. Does this not terrify you? that without even one of these there is no law, that without this there is not justice, no love, no care and compassion for others. Let us also remember 1 Corinthians 13 which describes what true love is all about. | | |
| down to the basicsWOW. it has been a couple weeks since i've written and much has happened.
THere were a couple of funerals, a couple of tests, a couple of crazy moments all in the past few weeks.
WHat can i say?
It all has led me back to the basics of life. Loving God and loving others.
Yes i know it sounds like i'm repeating myself, but seriously it has come down to that.
I can say i'm finding i am so unworthy to be a Christian with my past, with what i am guilty of, and yet, that is not what being a Christian is all about. It is focusing on the cross of Jesus Christ and knowing, believing, trusting that what was done there was for me and why i am who i am now. It comes to being a repentant, humble person. It has been an interesting past week.
I need to be more patient, loving, and other oriented.
I continually am convicted in these areas and yet, i am starting to be numb to it. Oh i pray that i will once again be broken and made sensitive to these areas and go back to being what i am not.
It comes down to being sanctified by God, so i pray even more that God will transform my heart and make me more and more like him. Namely "be Holy for the LORD is Holy."
I am surviving CHinese and Econ. i can just say it is beyond me why i'm doing okay and not flunking out. Indeed i should be, but i'm passing, and it is what makes it all the more amazing for me.
Praise the LORD for his grace and mercy to such wicked sinners as us!!! (none are righteous, no not one)...
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| ALMIGHTY.... YES MY GOD IS THE ALMIGHTY MOST HIGH GODSo this song stuck out to me as i sang it the other day in worship to GOD with the fellow brethren at UCLA
it is called ALMIGHTY... it's by Brooke Fraser
goes like this...
Baring all I stand here before you
All my hurts exposed
in the depths of my despair
I cry out to you, make me whole
there is nothing i can do to make you love me more
nothing i can do to make you love me less
i get on my knees and lift my hands to worship and confess
Chorus:
You are the LORD God ALMIGHTY
I fall at your feet
and I fall oceans short of your Glory
yet you stoop down and make me great
ALMIGHTY GOD
Everyday i choose again to love you
to keep your word in my heart
give it all you you now LORD I will surrender
Take every part
(chorus)
I think i found one of the few songs that tell how grateful and thankful for God's grace towards a wretch like me.
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| SPRING BREAK is oVER!!! Praise the LORD.... (funny isn't it?)OK with that said, much has happened over the past many days, week actually.
Starting with Every Young Man's Battle, Ending with catching up with friends from many different churches... my old church had a Speaker's tournament. All the speeches were thought provoking and made me think much about the truth in God's holy WORD.
Every Young Man's Battle is exactly as it states, the battle all men face, all youthful men face after they hit puberty and until they die. It is an on going war that never cease and something women don't seem to get much. (not criticizing anyone in particular). Seriously when was the last time you heard of a woman dressing modestly in America just because she wanted to protect her brother's eyes? THat's right!!! rarely!!!
So, We guys must guard our eyes, our minds, being careful where we put our hands and where we walk, capturing all thoughts captive for the LORD. OF course this only applies to those who long to be holy and pure before God so they can know God personally.
Heard a message on Repentance the other day. IT has been so long since i have heard a sermon on Repentance. I have never heard it taught like this before. What strikes me the most is that it is not by us we are even able to truly repent. It is God leading us from our depravity into becoming more and more Christ like. Something we forget is that it is not by works (old testament ex. sacrifice.) if it were then it is by works that saves us. IT is so true that it is Christ that provides even the way of escape from sin to be set free. We forget that even as Christians. More to come on this later.
Another thing i have learned more like review is love. love is patient and i am not patient. IT has been amazing the more i am humbled by God, the more i am graced with God's graces the more i come to realize all that i ever get is a gift, even the breath i breathe right now. the only thing i deserve is death. HOW TRUTH THIS IS, YET CHRIST DIED in my place once and for all for all my sins past present and future. AMAZING!!! YET i have forgotten that.
Even the discipline i am able to have comes from Him it is truly amazing.
PRAISE THE LORD!!!
Another thing i learned is to praise the LORD in all things even for our suffering, even for our trials and tribulations. Funny isn't it? we always thank God for the good things, the blessings, the healings, but when it comes to bad things we are always angry and mad saying things like "WHY, WHY did this have to happen!?! to me of all people? why me!?!" FUNNY last time i checked God causes all things to work for good for those that love him, giving a hope and a future. That right ALL THINGS, not just the good but also the bad. WHY DO WE FORGET THIS, MORE OVER WHY DO I FORGET THIS???
i pray i remember to praise and give thanks rejoicing in all things both good and bad that will discipline and strengthen me to be more and more like him.
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