From that time many of His disciples went back and walked
with Him no more. —John 6:66
{CHAMBERS} “When
God, by His Spirit through His Word, gives you a clear vision of His will, you
must “walk in the light” of that vision (1 John 1:7). Even though your mind and
soul may be thrilled by it, if you don’t “walk in the light” of it you will
sink to a level of bondage never envisioned by our Lord. Mentally disobeying
the “heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19) will make you a slave to ideas and views
that are completely foreign to Jesus Christ. […] Don’t compare yourself with
others or judge them— that is between God and them. When you find that one of
your favorite and strongly held views clashes with the “heavenly vision,” do
not begin to debate it. If you do, a sense of property and personal right will
emerge in you— things on which Jesus placed no value.”
{ELGIN} I have
become more and more aware of late at how insensitive Christians have become to
those things that are obviously contrary to the Word and nature of God. We seem to focus on the “good” and accept the
“bad” as if it were a necessary evil. The alternative is to reject certain
aspects of our culture and its habits and what it sees as valuable and
entertaining. And that is exactly the
life we have been called to. I recall a
number of cautionary verses addressing the struggle …
(1 John 2:15-17) “Do
not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the
love of the Father is not in him. For
all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the
pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust
of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” I don’t think most Christians want to
believe that what they have affection for, fits in that verse. They want to qualify
their affections for things of this world. But the Word is clear. If they would take the time to lay their
affection alongside the Word of God they would be faced with the Truth. And the nature of their sin.
(Matthew 6:24) “No
one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other,
or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”
It’s deceptive thinking that it is “OK” to
“belly up to the cultural bar” during the week and then saunter into the “Throne Room of Grace”
on Sunday morning to glorify God. I am
concerned that people do not seem to get the point. Or perhaps they just don’t
want to get the point.
I really don’t enjoy writing devotions like this, but I trust that
the Lord guides me in all of them. The
reason I don’t enjoy them is that, at times, I feel like a voice crying in the
wilderness. But “cry” I must. And don’t think that I am spared from the
same temptations, I am. Mine are mostly limited
to what comes through the television and movie theaters. You always have a choice of turning the television
off or changing the channel, or not going to the movie. But I can tell you we don't always choose well. Lord give us strength and bring conviction so we
might show the world Jesus. Jesus came
to seek and save the lost. (Luke 19:10) If we blend in with our
culture, we cannot be true to our calling.
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