A Good Reputation

 "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold." Prov 22:1 (KJV)

     Do you understand the implications of this verse?! A GOOD NAME is better than silver and gold! It is better to have a godly reputation (like Daniel or Joseph in the Old Testament) than to great riches. Our culture has this backward. They view the supreme object of value to be obtaining the easy life with riches and lots of stuff, for:

   "And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. 16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
Luke 12:15-21 (KJV)

Experience--the best teacher?

     Experience is the best teacher—this old saying is known to most people, but modern education usually does not seem to believe the claim. However, in ancient times, and actually until the mid-1800’s learning by experience was common. Is it better to learn by hands on activities and immersion into a chosen field of interest or are textbooks and lectures sufficient? Surely we can learn something from the past by examining history. Perhaps history will reveal a pattern which answer the question of experience versus textbook.

     Throughout most of human history mankind has learned trades and skills from the generations before them. Rarely were textbooks and classrooms for years upon years used to teach the masses. Instead, a man would often be apprenticed to a master in his chosen craft or area of expertise for years to learn and grow. In ancient Israel, Jewish fathers felt that it was their responsibility to teach their sons a trade because without a trade their son could not provide for his own family. Leaping forward a couple of thousand years, one will see a similar model in early America. The colonists would send their sons to apprentice someone at the age of 7 to 13 or 14 or else they would train their sons themselves to learn a skill to provide for their future family’s needs.

     However, in the mid-1800’s “modern” schooling began to grow more popular. More children began to attend schools to acquire knowledge and very soon, high school was developed and implemented across the United States. Prior to this time, high school only existed in the form of a few trade schools which very few attended. Once you were done with what we in modern times would consider 8^th grade you moved on to fulltime work or college. So, essentially, thirteen and fourteen year olds were going to college and graduating by seventeen or eighteen, while those who did not attend college began work, got married, and lived life.

      Today, many colleges and universities are beginning to implement the benefits of earlier forms of learning because of demand. There is such a push by students to get back to old methods of apprenticeship and shorter study time to get into the workforce that many students  are seeking online degrees while working or interning to earn practical experience for their field of interest. This shift is not just occurring in the secular world though. Those entering Christian service are beginning to move in large numbers to churches and denominations who have developed schools on their church grounds or regional headquarters instead of college campuses. In addition, distance learning options and practical ministry activities are beginning to take the place of years in seminaries and Bible colleges. Perhaps Christianity is returning to the model of Jesus, that is, discipling students through real life experience over a period of a few years like Jesus did for 3 years training his disciples everywhere he went.

     In light of the areas examined, we can conclude that experience is one of the best teachers there is. Just reading about a subject may not prepare students adequately. Just like a novelist will not learn to write by just reading but by writing, so those involved in Christian service or secular fields will not be adequately well-rounded for their fields by just reading about what to do. But above all the philosophies on the subject, there is definitely a historical backing to the statement that experience is the best teacher. So experience is a hard teacher?—Debunked!

The Media: Good or Bad

The Media: Good or Bad

  The people of the world want truth delivered to them through the “media” that they watch, listen to, and read. These media sources can be majorly grouped as GOOD or BAD. Indeed, the “media,” in many cases, has used fear tactics to control people and cause them to live in constant alertness. Indeed, the “media” has often strayed from its original purpose which consisted of presenting the “news” on a truthful and moral manner.

  The positives of the “media” include the following: important “news” can be made known to the vast majority of people and can influence the world’s opinion rather easily if one does not filter what he sees, hears, and reads. However, a few negative attributes have been ascribed to the “media” in the last century or so. Not to group all the “media” in the same ship, but many “reporters” use fear tactics such as “exaggeration-of-the-truth” and “double-sided speech” (lying) to scare their realm of influence in to believing their opinion rather than the truth which they choose not to search out. Many a person has become a brainwashed creature that blindly follows the monstrous leader of the common “media.” The “media” is appalling by the type of fear and control that it possesses and instills in its listeners, readers, and viewers.

     People can retaliate against the affects the “media” have on them. One is that we can pray that God heals the brainwashed and deceived areas of our mind that the “media” has instilled in us. Another way is to replace some of the time that one spends on the “media” and replacing it with Bible reading to listen to God. Still another is to pray that God will change the hearts of the “media” drones and broadcasters.

     In conclusion, the “media,” for the most part, has fallen from its original purpose and we must combat it for it is mostly corrupt. Make the truth known to those you converse with and most importantly spread Christ. Since Jesus is the TRUTH He should be the focus of Christian “media” workers. Therefore if the people of God ban together and spread the Gospel we are doing the best that we can to change the “media” by planting seeds of Jesus.

What is "True Beauty"?

       Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder or at least that is what the old saying says. Amanda Peet argues that “Beauty is only skin deep. If you go after someone just because she’s beautiful but don’t have anything to talk about, it’s going to get boring fast. You want to look beyond the surface and see if you can have fun or if you have anything in common with this person.” Is beauty something that is “only skin deep”? Or is Mrs. Peet correct in saying that “You want to look beyond the surface”?

        As a child, I always had a “love” for girls. I repeatedly went after girl after girl between the ages of 3 to 12 or 13. As the typical guy, I tried to show off my strength or something that I was good at to get a girl to like me, but over and over again I met defeat. Girls were more often disgusted or annoyed than impressed by what I did. Furthermore, around the age of 11, the Lord spoke to my heart and said that He wanted me to stop chasing the girls and seek Him. Yet, I spurned the prompting and responded that “I wasn’t ready yet.”

       I continued going after the pretty face that enamored me the most. But this time, there was a more tragic ending. For two years I had a crush on this one girl and it was made known by a friend. I developed a closer friendship with this girl than I had with any other: we talked, joked, and sat by each other. This time; however, her father got involved. After I wrote a note expressing my feelings about her, she got very upset and her dad talked to my dad. In short, I ended up having an uncomfortable talk with my father about the situation all because I didn’t listen to God’s warnings over a year and a half prior to this talk.

      I had some things in common with the girls I pursued. We had things to talk about and I had something in common with every one of them, but it was just heart break after heart break. If beauty is only skin deep that is a disheartening reality. From my own experience with the ladies, I have come to believe that true beauty is not how I perceive someone or how well I know them, but is a pure heart toward God. The Lord has transformed my mind and heart from seeking after “the ladies” to waiting for one that has beautiful character. If a woman is not beautiful on the inside, but a monster, will she be someone to pursue?

      In short, Mrs. Peet’s argument is very well grounded; however, it still seems to lack emphasis about the importance of character. Nonetheless, when she says, “You want to look beyond the surface and see….” she touches on an important principle. I only pursued young women because I liked the way they looked. Their physical features were my only attraction criteria and it in resulted in painful heartbreaks. Beauty is not about the looks only, there is much more involved, namely, the condition of their heart.

Sources Cited: Amanda Peet
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/amandapeet411620.html#Q0G4JEzYjsMftDDK.99

Conversation

Conversation

 

  Guys, today I want to ask you to pause and think about your conversation. When I was 11-13 I was a gossip and frequently shared laughs over dirty jokes with my friends. Now, I will be honest, that even up to this day there I times that I’ve laughed or taken part in something I shouldn’t. But every time I do, the Holy Spirit pricks my conscience and reminds me that what I am doing is not Christlike. I know you are under many pressures guys. Hormones rage (trust me I’ve been your age not so long ago) and the thrill of talking about so and so’s relationship and such and such physical jokes produce such an emotional high that they are addictive.

   But, guys, what about our future wives one day? Will you be able to look her in the eye and tell her how you lived as a young man? And what about the Lord’s heart that we break as we talk about the things done in darkness that He tells us not to discuss (Eph 5:12). For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. Eph 5:12 (KJV) One day, I pray that you will all be raised up by the Lord to be Faithful Men in this country and our perverse generation. I pray that you love your wives with a Christlike and passionate love that you have for no other, but guys, talking about sex in the locker room simply cheapens the intimacy you have with and the value you will place in the companionship of your wife in the future. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 2 Cor 6:17 (KJV)

 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

Psalms 119:9 (KJV)

   God wants your relationship with Him to be vibrant. Think of the intimacy with God the prophets had, Jesus Christ had with the Father, the Early Church had with the Holy Spirit, and Adam and Eve had with God. But, what you watch, listen to, and say affect your heart in tremendous measure. I’m not saying it will be easy. Medical science says that the high men get when looking at porn and discussing sexual content is more addictive than heroine. But guys, there is REAL LIFE. What feels good is actually not good for you. God has given you intense sexual desire because He created you that way. It is right and proper for you to have that passion for your wife. But until marriage, God expects you not only to abstain in your physical body, but your spirit. Because if your heart is corrupt, your whole body is in darkness. God will give you the strength, guard your minds!

 

Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

1 Cor 10:12-14 (KJV)

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Phil 4:6-7 (KJV)

 

 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. 9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Phil 4:8-9 (KJV)

 

“By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified.”—Leviticus 10:3 NKJV

 

Sex, Love & Kids

Sex, Love & Kids:

Three Idols that have never Changed

 

       An old French saying states that “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” Is this statement true, or just a concoction of someone’s imagination? Well, to start off examining that question, I recall a verse in the Bible book of Ecclesiastes that says that nothing new happens under the sun. Let’s examine three areas that mankind continues to be the same even though things have changed over centuries of time. Those areas are Sex, Money, and Child Sacrifice.

    First let’s take a look at sex. The ancient Israelites worshiped a god of sex called Baal. As they did so they went through perverted rituals of prostitution and the vulgarity of practicing mass prostitution parties. Today, we see the same thing happening in the form of pornography, prostitution, human trafficking, rape, and pedophilia. Perverted forms of sex are any sexual activity that takes place outside of marriage between a man and a woman. Today modern peoples such as the United States and England who are considered “civilized” are enamored by the same lust for sex as the ancient Israelites. Looks like things haven’t changed to much.

    Second I want to show you the god of Mammon or as we will better understand, money. Again we see the ancient Israelites living life and trying to have a good time. They end up catching the glimmer of gold and all that it can buy. Their ancient lust for material items led to another display of lust which would eventually lead to their destruction. We read in the Bible (Nehemiah and elsewhere) of the Israelites lending money and coning each other as well as the excessive taxation of kings or foreign authorities to keep their pomp and luxurious lifestyles afloat.

    Third let’s look at the most devastating of the Israelites false gods: the god of child sacrifice. The children of Israel used to offer their children on the arms of a statue-god named Molech. As they did so, they displayed their lack of dignity for the sacredness of life and utterly destroyed the future of their nation by killing them off in this perverted form of Genocide. Today, we see the same icon of child killing across the most “civilized” nations of the world. It is called abortion. The several types of horrendous procedures range from cutting a child in the womb into tiny pieces and suctioning them out to giving birth to the child and stabbing it in the back of the head with scissors. Are we really any different than Israel? We are destroying the future for what—a few more years until we’re ready to take care of a child? Or perhaps we want a career or just don’t want the trouble of taking care of another life. Wasn’t Israel this way? We have some idols, but maybe they are not made of stone or wood.

    Three examples: the Israelite idols of Money, Sex, and Child-Sacrifice prove true in modern society too. The book of Ecclesiastes was right, nothing new happens under the sun and that old French saying of “the more things change, the more they stay the same,” well that one is true as well. People chase money, the intrigue of sex and convenience of child-sacrifice to appease some idol in their own life. While the idol may not be made of wood or stone, it certainly exists in the form of an ideology, philosophy, or opinion. We are, essentially, the same despite the ages.

When God says to Get Off your Face

But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel. 2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. 3 And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few. 4 So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. 5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.

6 And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. 7 And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! 8 O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies! 9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?

 

10 And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? 11 Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. 12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you. 13 Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you. 14 In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the Lord taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the Lord shall take shall come by households; and the household which the Lord shall take shall come man by man. 15 And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel.

 

16 So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken: 17 And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken: 18 And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. 19 And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me. 20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: 21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it. 22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it. 23 And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the Lord. 24 And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the Lord shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. 26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.

Josh 7:1-26 (KJV)

Settle for Less than you Deserve?

      Maureen Dowd once stated that “the minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get less than you settle for.” In the United States today this message is believed and practiced. Businessmen to career women run the rat race of life trying to achieve their financial, educational, or fame goals. They put forth determined effort, stay focused, and conquer the odds and all the obstacles they meet. They climb the ladder of success and leap over the mountains of difficulty. With sweat, blood, toil and tears they trudge the warzone of life with their eye on the goal.

       Picture a young man who has grown up in a poverty stricken slum. He rarely gets a complete meal and is determined to get rich when he gets older so that he will not have to go through this same drudgery. As he gets older, he excels in school. After graduation, he lands a high paying job which he leaves after three years to devote all of his time to his own business endeavors. The young man achieves wealth and fame over the years of his toil! But. . . .in the midst of all that he has achieved, he pridefully comes to look down on those who grew up in the slums like him. He will not hire the many who come to him from that region for he doesn’t trust them and he ends up dying a bitter, Ebenezer Scrooge of a man.

       In contrast to the final state of the aforementioned young man there is another young man with similar humble beginnings who one day in his early childhood had a life changing experience. He accepted Jesus Christ into his heart. As grew older, he devoted his life to grow closer to the Lord and to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33).” He experienced a love for God and a love for others flowing out of his life. The man was never wealthy, but was generous and held everything that he had with an open hand. When he died, this young man had a smile on his face despite the horrendous pain he was suffering. In fact, his last words were “Praise be to the Lord! He has blessed me so abundantly!”

         Both stories present a stark contrast to each other. The purpose of theses stories was to show the futility of Mrs. Dowd’s statement. The young man in the first story never settled for less than he thought he thought He deserved/needed (wealth), but the young man in the second put everything else second to knowing his Lord. Contentment is a quality which far surpasses the illusion of wealth. In fact, without contentment wealth is worthless and a curse—it cannot be enjoyed. I think of the young mothers who made a decision to give up their career and stay home with their children. Years after that decision, and the trials and hardships of raising those kids, those women were much happier and contented in life than those women who continued in their career. I also think of families. Families which are closely knit experience a love and affection much deeper than those who are out competing in the marketplace all the time. The demeanors of those who love spending time with their family tend to be more patient and wise. They give you straight answers to your questions and if the conversation is too long tell you they need to go because they have an appointment with their family. But those out chasing what they thing they deserve, never “settle” to enjoy the relationships in life.

       The minute you settle for less than you deserve, you will begin a journey where you will reap more than you would have pushing for a goal. Now, goals are not bad and neither is doing your very best in everything you do, but true contentment and lasting happiness with people and with your God are so much more rewarding than a goal or wealth or whatever else you won’t “settle for less” on.

The Lord is at Hand by Vance Havner

 

 

The Lord is at Hand by Vance Havner

The Similarities between Rome and America

 

 

Rome and America by Probe Ministries

Begin at My Sanctuary by Nancy DeMoss

 

Begin at My Sanctuary by Nancy DeMoss

Repentance as a Church Priority by Vance Havner

Repentance as a Church Priority by Vance Haver

 

 

 

Vance Haver, was a powerful preacher of the last century.

Young or Immature? Big difference

You can be young only once but you can be immature for a long, long time. Adrian Rogers

A "Good Man"

A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion. 6 Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. 7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. 8 His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies. 9 He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour. 10 The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.

Psalms 112:5-10 (KJV)

A Thought on Riches

 

 

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

 25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

 26 He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.

 27 He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him.

 28 He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.

Proverbs 11:24-28 (KJV)

Revival

  Oh, to have one's soul as a field under heavenly cultivation; no wilderness, but a garden of the Lord. Walled around by grace, planted by instruction, visited by love, weeded by heavenly discipline, guarded by divine power. One's soul thus favored is prepared to yield fruit unto the glory of God.

 

--Spurgeon

What Can Hinder Our Surrender?

Taken from Each New Day by Corrie Ten Boom

 

 

    What can hinder our surrender? Sins, sorrows, possessions, family, our will, rights and duties. Sins such as doubt, fear, inferiority feelings, materialism, envy, self-centeredness and self-consciousness. All are the territory of the enemy.

 

    Search me, O God, and know my heart!

    Try me and know my thoughts!

    And see if there be any wicked way in me,

    And lead me in the way everlasting!

                                                                                                                Psalms 139:23, 24 RSV

 

  Lord Jesus, put Your searchlight on my life, and show me where I need Your cleansing blood.

 

Heart Wholly Seeking the Lord

So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years. 2 And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God: 3 For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves: 4 And commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment. 5 Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him. 6 And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the Lord had given him rest. 7 Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the Lord our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered. 8 And Asa had an army of men that bare targets and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these were mighty men of valour.

 

9 And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah. 10 Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. 11 And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee. 12 So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. 13 And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the Lord, and before his host; and they carried away very much spoil. 14 And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the Lord came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them. 15 They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.

2 Chron 14:1-15 (KJV)

 

And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded: 2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. 3 Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law. 4 But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them. 5 And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries. 6 And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity. 7 Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded. 8 And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the Lord, that was before the porch of the Lord. 9 And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the Lord his God was with him. 10 So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. 11 And they offered unto the Lord the same time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep. 12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; 13 That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. 14 And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets. 15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the Lord gave them rest round about. 16 And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron. 17 But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days. 18 And he brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels. 19 And there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa.

2 Chron 15:1-19 (KJV)

When A Believer Has One Remaining Fault

But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.

2 Chron 15:17 (KJV)

 

     Sometimes, even when revival and repentance has come into an individual’s heart, not everything under the command is reformed. For example, godly King Asa did much to encourage Judah to turn back to God; however, he never destroyed the high places (places of worship usually on mountains).

     May we glory in the Lord that a Brother or Sister has turned to the Lord with their whole heart, but may we not get caught up on the one thing they fail to do as they should.

Called Out to be Separate--Not Conformed

Called out to be separate—not conformed

     We have been called out of our old sinful lives to live lives separate—wholly devoted, dedicated—to the Lord.

      One aspect of holiness is living a life of godly choices. We daily have choices on what we will place before our eyes, our ears, and where we will go. What we view, listen to, and attend/visit will affect us; either for our betterment or detriment. We must choose to feed ourselves with what is going to help us and others follow the Lord. For example, taking a youth group to an outing with a hotel stay afterwards gives you, the leader, choices. Will you let the youth watch whatever they want? Bloody, violent movies and sex-saturated, passionate movies will only harm them. It is not usually a onetime view that destroys people, it their continual choices down a faulty path. Your path determines your direction. Stick to the straight and narrow, not the broad (anything goes & don’t take stuff to seriously) and wide (tolerant & all-encompassing) road which leads to DESTRUCTION! Our choices have consequences on ourselves and others. The unbiblical dating frenzy today has produced a couple of generations with a lustful and physical view of love, multitudes of divorces, and an impractical view that one can find the “perfect” someone. Be careful how you live.

 

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. 22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

1 Peter 1:13-25 (KJV)

1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

1 Peter 2:1-3 (KJV)

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Titus 2:11-14 (KJV)