Of all men most miserable

(1 Corinthians 15:19 MKJV) If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

All of our hope, all that we live for cannot be found in this life but that which has been promised and if that is a lie and all of our hopes die when we are placed in the ground then we who believe are of all men most miserable!

We are to deny our flesh and live our lives according the purpose of our Lord Jesus Christ so all things that would kill the seed within us are instead killed. This seed which is planted when our bodies buried is therefore instead stripped clean so that on that day when Christ returns that which comes fourth from the ground is something new and whole but if this hope is lost then the sacrifices we have made in this life have been for nothing and we’ve missed the mark by not living for the flesh but instead for the spirit within us. Take hope, for we believe because God’s Spirit is witness to ours that Christ Jesus is alive and preparing a place in heaven for us where we will one day live in His presence, under His reign forever and ever, amen.

(Psalms 6:9 MKJV) Jehovah has heard my cry; Jehovah will receive my prayer.

Loud and Clear

(1 Corinthians 14:8 NLT) And if the bugler doesn't sound a clear call, how will the soldiers know they are being called to battle?

There are a lot of buglers today and the vast majority of those are unclear though the original message may be meant for good it becomes convoluted with branches leading to nowhere, only to confuse the hearer. As a result what we end up with is system overload because all the buglers are sounding at the same time from all different origins with no clear direction. 1 Corinthians 14 Paul is talking to the church about the spiritual gifts. It seemed the Corinthians desired to have the gift of speaking in a heavenly language over other gifts but Paul tells them this…

(1 Corinthians 14:18-19 NLT) I thank God that I speak in tongues more than any of you. But in a church meeting I would rather speak five understandable words to help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language.

Paul’s point is understood, if someone prays in tongues that person’s spirit is strengthened but when someone prophecies he strengthens the entire church. But today this spoke to me differently, many times when a believer is led to share God’s Word with someone other things get mixed in with the message God intended for the listener to hear. Now I understand we each add flavor according to our own understanding and our own stories and that is good for we become witnesses to God’s deliverance in our own lives but the messenger also needs to understand they are simply the vessel God chose to deliver His message and sometimes it’s not about the delivery of the message but the message itself. Simply put be mindful of what God is doing through you as you speak and do not add or take away from His purpose.

(Psalms 5:7-8 NLT) Because of Your unfailing love, I can enter Your house; I will worship at Your Temple with deepest awe. Lead me in the right path, O LORD, or my enemies will conquer me. Make Your way plain for me to follow.

Lord, help my ears to hear you clearly. Strip away the sounds of the world, wash me so I may enter your courts with praise and thanksgiving and then prepare me for the things You would have me do and say today. Help my tongue and lips to say no more and no less than what You have prepared for those I come in contact with. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Lift up and instruct

(1 Thessalonians 5:12-14 TNIV) Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

For the most part Christians who live in the United States have lost our God-given purpose but I can tell you that does not relieve us of our responsibility unto God and therefore I pray He awakens us. As followers of Jesus Christ the older are to instruct the younger and the younger are to respect their elders by listening and following their instructions as it aligns with the Word of God and apply it to their own lives and God-given dreams. It is the elder that has the heavier responsibility and it is the same that will be judge more harshly if this call is ignored but that does not relieve the younger from their responsibilities either – none are exempt and we all will give an account of the choices we make, not to man or man’s law but to God and on that day one cannot point to another and say it is because of him, no you alone will answer for your decisions!

At the core of America’s problems is a thread that is woven into everything we do – selfishness and pride. Selfishness pushes us onto the goals we set for ourselves and pride makes us believe obtaining those goals makes us better for it. Unfortunately, if we are not listening to God’s voice while we are working out our schemes, by the way ignoring our elders sets us up for ignoring God’s voice as well, then we will have spent our entire lives pursuing things that lead to spiritual death and destruction and that which we have worked so hard for will be viewed for what it is – worthless heaps horded by a hollow heart, for without Christ our plans will only bring sorrow and pain.

So much could be gained if we as a people would align ourselves with God’s precepts. God does not give instruction to punish us but instead to set us free from a life lived following after things that hold no spiritual value. It all starts at home – parents will you give up selfishness and pride so that your children may know God’s will? Children, will you do the same so that you may gain your parent's wisdom, that which was given to them by their parents? Obedience does not mean surrendering your hopes and dreams, your challenge is to learn from your parents and apply it to your own lives so that you can see above your peers as you stand on the shoulders of your parents. As parents there is no other pursuit in this life that will bring more joy than children who long for Christ Jesus to be present in every decision they make, who run to their Heavenly Father when you cannot be there for them. If this is what you want then replace selfishness and pride with holiness and edify one another, pushing one another on to the hope God has placed within them.

Edify – To instruct and improve the mind in knowledge generally, and particularly in moral and religious knowledge, in faith and holiness. (Webster)

Whether You crush me or You raise me up

Lord whether You crush me or You raise me up it’s all for your purpose. Whether I fall or I stand You are the One who will be glorified and You are the One who will bring about good out of the appearance of evil. You are amazing, from the barren You bring forth a bountiful harvest and in the waste land your spring of Living Water flows. For I know if I am laid low I will once again stand and if You place my feet on a mountain top You will give me the courage to face my enemy in the valley. Where my path leads in this life matters not but only that I am following You, for one day I know You will call me home and though I pray that day is soon I know You have a work that is to be done through me, here and now and therefore I will wait. Lord, help me not to miss it because of concern for my own comfort. So if You should lead me to the valley I will go and if I am to climb the mountain then I say, “let’s go!” Whatever your purpose is bring it to pass so that I may live this life with no regrets and help me to be wise so I don’t unwillingly bring these things upon myself. Lead me Lord so that I may know You better and cause me to be open about what You have done in my life with others.

(Psalms 3:1-8 TNIV) A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom. LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, "God will not deliver him." But you, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, the one who lifts my head high. I call out to the LORD, and he answers me from his holy mountain. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me. I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side. Arise, LORD! Deliver me, my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked. From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.

(2 Samuel 18) Absalom ended up falling before king David but not at David’s hands and stranger yet was the way he fell. For Absalom was a son filled with pride and it was by a symbol of his pride that stopped him in his tracks – his hair! His hair became tangled in tree branches as he was riding his mule during the battle which left him hanging at the mercy of his father’s army and though king David told his men to protect Absalom for his sake some of David’s men did not have the same restraints as the king did for his son. Absalom died that day at the hands of those he threatened and pride and arrogance were the things that bound him, holding him before his enemy depending on their mercy even though he intended to destroy them and exalt himself over them.

In turn when king David found out about his son’s death David cried aloud for his son and wished it was he who died instead. Even though the king had to run from his son it tore him apart to learn that Absalom had been killed in battle. To be betrayed and pursued by those whom you love is a difficult thing indeed, when Jesus died it was not the nails or the soldiers or the Jewish leaders that held him on the cross that day but his heart for his people. Even though Jesus was left alone He was filled with compassion as we see Him having mercy on the dying thief in their last moments and asking His Father to forgive those who came to watch Him die, Jesus died that day not from the physical abuse but of a broken heart.

The advice of the wicked

(Psalms 1:1-6 NLT) Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly. For the LORD watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

How do we live in a world but be not of it? Balancing the laws of man with the leading of God’s Spirit? Discernment is given to those who delight in God’s leading and those who find comfort in His staff. Even man’s best attempts lead to hollow promises and unanswered questions; for their counsel keeps appearances of wisdom but the foundation of it is far from wisdom. Those who judge, those who mock should be warned for it is by the same judgment they give that they will be given but those who know God hold fast to His promises, they love His ways, and they trust Him with their very lives. No matter what storms may come or how intense the winds blow they cannot be moved for they know man’s laws cannot bring about salvation nor does it bring joy but contempt and revenge. It is during their testing and trials that they will bear fruit and it is by this fruit their hearts will be revealed but the world cannot see it for they lack the discernment. The very things man’s systems try to prevent it instead creates a breeding ground for, leading to only worse events than the original wrong. This happens every day yet mankind and its systems cannot offer another solution and therefore continue down this path which leads to destruction. Psalms 1:4 “They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly.”

How I want to love

(1 Corinthians 13:1-13 NLT) If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would have gained nothing. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! But when full understanding comes, these partial things will become useless. When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

This has always been one of the chapters in the Bible that I keep coming back to again and again. I cling to it, not because I’ve got it down but because this is who I want to be. Of the things that have no spiritual value riding motorcycles is at the top of my list. Because of the risks involved I take every precaution each time I ride, including wearing the right gear, riding safely, watching and anticipating other drivers, and learning from those who know more than I do about the sport. In the motorcycle safety course I took I was taught to keep my eyes on where you wanted to go, not what you wanted to avoid. When going around a curve you are to look at the exit not the guard rail, when there is an obstacle in the road you are to fix your eyes on the way through it not on the obstacle itself. This is good to know when riding but it is also good to know when living life. Keep your eyes on what love is (1 Cor. 13) and move towards that, as you lean around that curve you may not be steady, you may feel like you are going to fall but you are learning. Concentrate on where you want to go, what you want your life to look like, who you want to be. Eventually, your movements from one curve to the next will flow and you will be steady regardless of obstacles in your path. God’s love will eventually become second nature and it will replace the human, conditional love that really isn’t love at all.

To each one a purpose is given

(1 Corinthians 12:11 TNIV) All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

We each come to Christ Jesus through the work He has done, drawn by God’s Holy Spirit we confess that He is Lord. Then God is faithful to give us new hearts and minds free to love Him for who He is and what He has done for us. In this process the Holy Spirit gives to each one gifts but not for our good but for the good of the body of Christ so that He might be glorified and so the world will know there is a Heavenly Father that cares for them by the things we do and say as we operate in the gifts the Holy Spirit has given. Not only that but we are to minister to each other caring for one another as we would the parts of our own body. If you stump your toe on the chair do you not immediately pull your foot back to protect it from further injury without thinking about it? Your whole body feels pain and so it is with the body of Christ if a brother or sister is hurting, without hesitation our concern should be for them and how God might use us so the one hurting is reminded of His love. To move in unity as God leads, to know each other as close friends would, to offer yourself and to pour your heart out for another. When the church learns to do this its number will increase and God’s purpose shall be done. Ultimately we are to love God so much that our hearts are filled and overflowing with His love until it infects those around us and to the outer most parts of the earth shall the work He has done be known.

Better to judge yourself

(1 Corinthians 11:31-32 TNIV) But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.

Pay attention to God’s leading and do what you can to stay on the path of the righteous for if you don’t judgment will come but if it does know that God has brought you to this place so that your soul remains in tact. I think sometimes Christians get the idea that we are exempt from God’s correction and because we’ve been shown “the way” somehow that makes all of our future decisions holy but that couldn’t be further from the truth. We find Paul correcting the Corinthians and though his words sting a little bit it is better than God’s judgment.

(1 Corinthians 11:28-30 NLT) That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God's judgment upon yourself. That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died.

But even God’s judgment as His children is better than what God has reserved for those who refuse to follow Him and on that terrible day those who received God’s correction while on earth will be glad for the hardships and difficulties faced because the alternative is beyond human comprehension. God is more concerned about the state of our souls than the comfort of our flesh.

(Matthew 25:41 NLT) "Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, 'Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.

I recently watched a documentary on Hell. It was by religious people interviewing other religious people and I was surprised how far people would venture from the truth to explain something that confounds them but there was one interview of an atheist and his perspective was closer to the truth than any other. It seems the religious world gets tripped up on how a God being good could condemn people to a place of untold pain and horror but if we take what Paul told the Corinthians it is clear there are lines set before us that we cannot cross without facing consequences, these lines were set in place before man appeared on the scene. God does not make us cross those lines, as a matter of fact God made a decision when He made man to allow us to have free will and without taking that away from us He does everything possible to keep us from choosing spiritual death. God gave us the law so that we might know right from wrong, He corrects us to show us when we’ve made a bad decision that will ultimately hurt us, He has sacrificed His Son so that the price we owed for sin might be paid, and after all of this there are those who still refuse to turn from their wicked ways. So I ask you, who condemns us? We do by our own free will! I believe those who have never heard about Christ Jesus will still be judged justly. I believe God has the ability and right to judge them based on the amount of truth that has been revealed to them. I don’t pretend to know how, I only know who and I know holiness and righteousness requires payment, why else would God send His only Son to die? Was that fair that a righteous King should send His only Son to die for sinners already condemned to die? And if that is required why wouldn’t our decision to live life according to God’s righteousness be required? If an ultimate payment is not real then what is all this about, doesn’t life lose its meaning?

So that others might be saved

(1 Corinthians 10:31-33 NLT) So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Don't give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God. I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don't just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.

Paul placed his wants and needs to the side so that he could please others, not for the purpose of puffing himself up through the pretense of false humility but for the purpose of glorifying God by bringing them to Christ Jesus so they might be saved. This is a sign of the totally surrendered life and the place where I would one day like to be. For most of us life just simply gets in the way, we’re busy providing for our kids, our spouse, and every once in a while you are able to take some time for yourself but that leaves God out, resulting in your world being very small. Paul was not married and as he said earlier his attention was not divided but celibacy does not automatically make one dedicated to God. If I were single I definitely would have more time but if I did not keep God centered there would be other things that would get in the way, maybe even more so. Daily sacrificing one’s wants and needs so that you are able to minister to others takes training and dedication just like praying and study every day. Prayer and the study of God’s Word is the foundation for the work Paul was doing but he went beyond that, he put his faith into action and he kept his eyes on the goal given to him by his Savior, whom he loved. Paul was God’s instrument and was used by God consistently. Have you ever had a moment in your life when you knew God was using you for a purpose beyond yourself? Do you remember how you felt? Well now imagine that happening every day! For Paul this was a lifestyle but it did not come from pushing himself or others to do better but by being totally surrendered to God and proving himself faithful. As he completed the simple things God gave him bigger things to do and we see God continually equipping Paul to do His work. By this means Paul was transformed into someone he tried so hard to become before meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus but could not. I believe all too often we too want this God-centered life but like Paul we try to get there on our own but it is only after we come face to face with our Lord that our feet are set on the right path. Then we start out with baby steps until one day we find our lives completely surrendered to Jesus.

Lord, thank you for working on my heart for I have allowed the world to twist and shape parts of it and still other parts are hard and parched and are not currently ready for the things you created me to do. Wash me in Living Water so that these parts will become pliable and reshape the twisted parts until it resembles Yours. Thank You for building this foundation in my life and help me not to delay the process You are doing that will put this faith to action. Thanks God for loving me as I am so that I can grow into what You meant for me to be. Amen.

Opposition from without and from within

1 Corinthians chp. 9 we find Paul defending himself from accusations made from within, the very group of people he led to the Lord, how hurtful that must have been. To have those whom you love assume the worst about you and without regard for the whole truth they broadcast their accusations to others so that they might win support. What’s worse were those who knew better choosing sides with the accusers, believing their half-truths and doing so after only hearing one side of the story. Neither they nor the accusers had the right to appoint themselves as judge or jury but they did and they fed off of one another’s contempt and prejudice but Paul knew who was behind all of this and was therefore able to see past the thin disguise. Paul was a true warrior of the faith filled with a righteous indignation, fleshing out what he believed and yet elsewhere we see his tender, sensitive heart for God and God’s people.

Exercising Your Freedom

(1 Corinthians 8:9 NIV) Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.

Those who are older in the faith and loves God and is known by God has learned many things, which has provided a freedom from the laws of man they once followed. Knowing that these laws cannot cleanse the inner man, this person is freed from the law’s hold. This new freedom is a wonderful gift for it removes the weight and the burden once carried but it is not to be exercised in all situations. There are many comforts I enjoy in my own home but would not expect to do the same anywhere else, likewise Paul uses the example of eating meat. In the act of eating meat there is no wrong but if it causes a new believer to doubt then by doing this you have done more damage than good or if you being older in the faith set an example that causes those weaker to join you, going against their own conscience, you sin against Christ and destroy your brother by your knowledge!

You begin to understand that labeling something sin is more difficult than it might first appear and reason is given to withhold judgment on others. Yes there are absolutes but there are also things God’s Word does not make clear by words alone but by the Holy Spirit does He lead you. Why do you think there are so many different types of churches? Very quickly this topic goes very deep. It would seem along with absolutes there are other things God requires of us individually based on our knowledge or revelation of Him. Paul also said this to the Philippians…

(Philippians 2:12-13 NIV) Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

Know this, God does not contradict His Word. If you sense God is leading you to do something His Word says not to do then abandon that thought quickly, for it is not God’s voice you are hearing. Also beware of those who impose their thoughts and ideas upon you; just like the Pharisees added to God’s commandments and puffed themselves up there are those today who lie waiting for the weak so they might show their strength. Like Peter you too will learn this freedom God gives has a specific purpose, yes you may enjoy it but as you have come to learn the character of God there is also a calling that goes along with it.

(Acts 10:9-16 NIV) About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat." "Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean." The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

This vision was given to Peter, by God so that he would understand it was alright, even required of him being a Jew to enter the house of a Gentile so that God’s will may be done. In doing so Peter broke a Jewish law, which he had been freed from so that he may know God’s higher calling. If you claim freedom in Christ Jesus know that you have been given much and if you have been given much know also that much will be required of you (Luke 12:48).

(1 Corinthians 4:1-2 NIV) So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.

Don't be enslaved by the world

(1 Corinthians 7:29-31 NLT) But let me say this, dear brothers and sisters: The time that remains is very short. So from now on, those with wives should not focus only on their marriage. Those who weep or who rejoice or who buy things should not be absorbed by their weeping or their joy or their possessions. Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away.

No matter if you are married or single, a worker or a boss, you have possessions or you own nothing, if you belong to Christ Jesus you know this time is short and we have a higher calling. The concerns in this world will one day fall away, for a time is coming when the important will have little meaning and we who know Christ Jesus have a responsibility of telling others to prepare for this time in their own lives, even now while they can choose for a time will come when all will confess Jesus is Lord. Some will accept what you have to say but most will not however, that is not what you are to concern yourselves with no our concern shall be upon the will of our Heavenly Father and whether or not we are pleasing to Him or not.

God, help us not to worry and teach us to let go of our frustrations, for we are not in control and these things we cling to only lead us away from You. Remind us Father that You have always been in control and help us to find our peace once again. We know You will take care of those who call out to You, “Abba Father”. Whom shall we fear if we hide ourselves in You? For Your name O, Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into and are safe! You welcome us into Your presence and we humbly come to you knowing the price that was paid that we might do so. We are loved by You and in turn we give ourselves wholly to You. What a wonderful day when the created returns to the Creator. You simply do not give up on us and we are so thankful for all that You are!

It Is Better To Be Wronged

(1 Corinthians 6:1 NLT) When one of you has a dispute with another believer, how dare you file a lawsuit and ask a secular court to decide the matter instead of taking it to other believers!

(1 Corinthians 6:6-7 NLT) But instead, one believer sues another—right in front of unbelievers! Even to have such lawsuits with one another is a defeat for you. Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated?

Have we become so consumed with the ideal of being treated fairly even to the point that we jeopardize our own way? What about our roll as ambassador to a world lost without Jesus? 1 Corinthians 6 tells us it is better to accept that we have been wronged than to seek the justice this world has to offer so that we don’t forfeit God’s purpose. Everything happens for a reason but that reason may not be because of a choice you made. What if you went to the bank and while you deposited your check the bank was robbed, the police arrived and the robber took you hostage. Before it was over you were shot and on your way to the hospital. What choice had you made? Your choice to deposit your check was not wrong, the wrong was clearly that of the person breaking the law, yet you paid a price. Why? It’s quite possible God was working something out in the life of the person who made the decision to rob the bank and you being His child were used in this purpose. Would this not make you, a child of God, depend upon Him more? Or would it point out where you needed to depend on Him more? Either way God used His vessel to accomplish His will and in the end that vessel was called to a seat of honor for being willing to allow God to use him in this way. Still it all came about because of a choice not made by you. Yet if we cling to the justice that is due us we bypass the purposes of God. So choose carefully the next time you have been wronged and consider God’s purpose and even if you cannot see it at that time know that God is your Heavenly Father and He wants what is best for you even when you feel He is going about it the wrong way.

Immorality

(1 Corinthians 5:11 NLT) I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don't even eat with such people.

Do you remember in high school being instructed not to date the immoral person, having the ideal that you could change them for the better? What about your friends you choose to hang out with? It’s because their constant justification for living the way they do begins to wear down your own resistance to sin and without realizing it you adopt their reasons for giving in to temptation. By walking into their camp you affectively allow this person to put blinders on you so you cannot see God’s direction any more. Instead we are to shine God’s light and be steadfast with roots that run deep next to His Living Stream. As we shine God’s light people will be attracted to you not the other way around. Paul made it very clear that coming in contact with this kind of person (the unbeliever) isn’t the issue he said, “You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that.” but having this person in your inner circle, one who claims to be a believer, he goes on to say, “Don’t even eat with such people.”

As a believer you have been adopted into a kingdom unknown by the world. God paid a high price to be able to call you His own and we are to guard our hearts and keep them set apart for Him alone but when we listen to the counsel of the immoral person we turn our backs on the very One who died for us. The enemy is cunning and he knows a frontal attack would only brazen us and cause us to stand firm for what we believe but if he could send spies into our ranks he would eventually be able to turn us. The key is communicate with our Lord regularly asking for His guidance and help with where you should go, who you should see, even the smallest of things and He will be faithful to guide you. The moment you lose the ability to follow and hear His voice you should be concerned and if you notice not being able to hear Him when you are around certain people examine their lives to see if they are immoral. Paul also says, “But it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning.” He wasn’t talking about judging people in other churches he was referring to people in your inner circle, he was telling you it is your job to guard your own heart so that it may remain soft towards the things of God.

My Choices

(1 Corinthians 4:5-7 NLT) So don't make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For He will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due. Dear brothers and sisters, I have used Apollos and myself to illustrate what I've been saying. If you pay attention to what I have quoted from the Scriptures, you won't be proud of one of your leaders at the expense of another. For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn't given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?

This world’s systems have been setup to cause the individual to promote one’s self, thinking if I promote myself then I will become what I want to be but remember who has been given temporary power of this world…

(Ephesians 2:1-5 NLT) Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God's anger, just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!)

We have been deceived and every time we take credit for something we have done we affectively set that hook a little deeper. My choices don’t make me stronger, instead they make me more depended on the structure and the systems of this world. It is only by Christ Jesus are those chains broken and like Paul told the Corinthians, “And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?” What’s worse is this worldly thinking is taking control of our youth. As if it is not hard enough for my generation to make the choice to humble ourselves and look to Christ Jesus as the answer, our children grow up in a world that has become saturated in pride and self-promotion! Shame on the older generations for not teaching their children how to make Godly choices for they will held accountable. As this world makes its downward spiral a remnant will be saved and when Jesus returns those who made choices based on God’s Word will be delivered from God’s wrath. For God is not only merciful but also righteous.

(Revelation 8:13 NLT) Then I looked, and I heard a single eagle crying loudly as it flew through the air, "Terror, terror, terror to all who belong to this world because of what will happen when the last three angels blow their trumpets."