In The World But Not Of It
Good afternoon sisters!
There was much witnessing going on as brother Jim had many opportunities to share the gospel.
As we were camped out there I was thinking about how we are not citizens of this world but a remnant of the Lord, doing His work until He calls us home. Beside the park was a busy road with people driving by, going here and there and right on the other side of the fence was this quiet refuge.
While we were in the park we had a storm come over...
It actually hailed, which surprised us because we're used to having hot summers where we're from but Wyoming is different with more pleasant weather and hail in the summer?
We enjoyed the experience and were thankful to our Father that we didn't have a terrible storm to weather.
I like to watch the birds going about their business (in the middle of a busy city) finding food and feeding their babies and it makes me think of us pilgrims on our path, heading toward the kingdom of heaven because we do what we need to do in amongst the world, not partaking of what it has to offer, just like the birds living in a big city going about their business. It's when we start paying attention to what the world does, allowing it to affect us, that we weaken. I think of Lot who 'pitched his tent toward Sodom'
Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. Genesis 13:12
The next thing you know he's living in Sodom. (Genesis 19)
Then we see in 2 Peter 2 how Lot was vexed by their filthy deeds:
I pray that this finds you focusing on things above, setting your affections there (Colossians 3:2)
As we walk through this world, every single day we have to redirect our focus to the Lord so that we are walking on the narrow path and not slipping onto the wide road. Brother Jim drew this for another brother who requested it.
We see how narrow it is by the rejection of the truth when the gospel goes out. We pray that those seeds will find fertile ground and someday produce godly fruit to glorify our Father in heaven.
We had a nice couple days in a very pretty (free) city park that offers water and showers, with a river running right by it, what a blessing to be able to partake of some quiet beauty.
There was much witnessing going on as brother Jim had many opportunities to share the gospel.
As we were camped out there I was thinking about how we are not citizens of this world but a remnant of the Lord, doing His work until He calls us home. Beside the park was a busy road with people driving by, going here and there and right on the other side of the fence was this quiet refuge.
While we were in the park we had a storm come over...
It actually hailed, which surprised us because we're used to having hot summers where we're from but Wyoming is different with more pleasant weather and hail in the summer?
We enjoyed the experience and were thankful to our Father that we didn't have a terrible storm to weather.
I like to watch the birds going about their business (in the middle of a busy city) finding food and feeding their babies and it makes me think of us pilgrims on our path, heading toward the kingdom of heaven because we do what we need to do in amongst the world, not partaking of what it has to offer, just like the birds living in a big city going about their business. It's when we start paying attention to what the world does, allowing it to affect us, that we weaken. I think of Lot who 'pitched his tent toward Sodom'
Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. Genesis 13:12
The next thing you know he's living in Sodom. (Genesis 19)
Then we see in 2 Peter 2 how Lot was vexed by their filthy deeds:
And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) vs 7-8
We have to live in this world but we are not to partake of it. We are to keep ourselves holy, set apart, and pure as we are the bride of Christ.
James 4:4 talks about being friends with the world makes us enemies of God.
I share all this because we see those who profess to be saints of God who seem to be starting out in the right direction, walking forward in the things of God but they don't let go of the world, and every time we see them turn back.
They stay too closely connected to worldly people, they hang on to sinful items that they have a hard time parting from, they don't walk in full obedience...just going far enough to think they are on the border of obeying but it isn't long and back they turn, away from God and to the world.
God's Word says if something causes us to sin we must pluck it out. (Matthew 5:29) That means everything!
I encourage you to examine yourself, your possessions, your life and the people you are involved with and if it even has the appearance of evil, you must pluck it out for our Father.
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22)
Beware sisters, there are deceivers who can look like, talk like and act like a believer. Their words sound biblical, they seem to have fruit but do they endure in it? We have found that within about 4-6 months, people who are not truly of the Father are exposed. God's Word is a sword....
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)
....and it slices people open. We are to live by every word of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4) and we are to hold others to it as well. Every word, not allowing room for compromise for any reason. Sadly we hear people saying there should be grace or leeway for new believers meaning that they should be allowed to stay in their sin until they decide to repent. But God's word says if a new believer doesn't know something, we don't automatically rebuke them thinking they are rebellious, we are to teach them the Word. Then they are to obey.
For example: a woman is just born again a few months ago (regardless of physical age) and has not understood biblical dress, submission, headcovering etc. She is to be shown in the scriptures and is encouraged to study for herself (and husband if there is one.) In the meantime, she is not allowed in the body until these issues are resolved. No matter how long it takes her, she is to be separated until she understands and obeys. The problem with this grace that everyone dishes out, is that they allow people like that in the body and they are allowed to be in their sin, until they feel like obeying. This is sinful and leavens the whole body. Biblical love holds people accountable to the Word of God.
The Hebrews 4 sword will help the body stay pure if we use that sword and hold people to it. It will slice people open and we will see the intents of their heart through their obedient or disobedient actions. It will protect us from deceivers who try to get into the body but are not willing to fully yield to the Word of God.
We just recently watched this happen when a professed believer was held to the word of God, their sin was exposed and they ran into the dark, vile ways of the world. This person had good words, claimed they had good works in the fruit of the Spirit but when the Word held them fully accountable, not giving leeway for any sin...the wolf was exposed.
So when we think about being in the world but not of it, we have to be careful that we don't allow others into the body who have not left the world behind and are not willing to obey every single word of God. If we allow them in, then we are allowing the world in, we are then of the world. This is our protection sisters. Don't get lonely and compromise just to have fellowship because I can guarantee you will become like Lot and then potentially like his wife. (She looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt.)
You are better to live your life totally alone with the Lord than to compromise even a tiny bit to have another fleshly human being with you. If something happened to brother Jim, I would build a big barrier around me to protect me from my own feminine flesh that can be weak at times so as not to compromise in a weak moment.
All it takes is that second thought, like satan did to Eve in the garden. Stay home, build that wall of protection and stand strong in your fortress with the Lord, testing everyone to the Word, until He brings you home. It's better to be physically lonely with the hope of eternal life than to satisfy a fleshly feeling of wanting someone with you and then finding yourself on the wide road to destruction.
Stand strong sisters, the Lord is on our side.
Have a joyous day!
Love in Christ,
Sister Deb
The biblical gospel...