Monday, December 30, 2013, 12:46 a.m. – the Lord Jesus woke me with the song “Courageous” playing in my mind. Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Revelation 18 (NIV).
Babylon Today
Babylon was a real place that existed long ago. Yet, I believe this passage of scripture is speaking of a real modern physical location which will be judged by God in the end of time. Still, Babylon has also come to symbolize the world’s system of evil from which God’s people are to come out and be separate and to touch no unclean thing. We are not to be partakers in this sinful world, we are not to be on friendly terms with this sinful world, and we are not to be yoked together in agreement with those who choose not to believe in Jesus Christ, for scripture teaches us that there is no fellowship between light and darkness. This also means that we should not allow ourselves to be entertained by this sinful world via movies, TV, the internet, etc., for even by watching it for entertainment purposes we are participating in this world of evil and are standing in agreement with it by our entertainment choices.
Every Impure Spirit
Wow! Where to begin? The 20th - 21st Centuries have certainly given us so many more options to choose from for how to fulfill our sinful and lustful desires. Sin has not changed, and God has not changed his definition of what constitutes sin and impurity in his eyes, yet the whole world of evil is now available to us in the privacy of our homes, at our fingertips, with the move of an electronic mouse or the stroke of our fingers or the push of a button, which then can take us just about any place our sinful hearts desire.
With the ample supply of cable and satellite TV, the internet, Social media sites, smart phones, tablets and laptop computers, from the comfort of our own homes we can walk into a strip club, participate in all kinds of seductive spirits and abominations, go to houses of ill repute, be involved in romantic and/or sexual affairs, go into “adult” book and video stores, and view dirty magazines, etc., much of which we would never do if it were not for the convenience, easy access and privacy involved in having such ready access to all these things in one single and private location – our homes.
I think sometimes we fool ourselves into thinking some of these things are innocent fun or acceptable means of entertainment and that no one gets hurt. I know I used to do that. Oh, how wrong! Someone always gets hurt, even if it is just ourselves, but we impact more people than just ourselves. You may or may not be able to imagine here the number of times I have read or heard about those who profess Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives telling about a movie he or she watched which contained impurity of some kind, and then excuse it away by saying, “Well, there is only a little bit of bad in it, but the rest is good.” I used to do that, too. So, I know. That is like saying it is ok to have just a little bit of poop in your brownie. Would that be ok with you? Or it is a lot like saying, “Well, it is just a little bit illegal,” or, “It is a white lie.” We can’t dress it up and make it ok. Either it is sinful or it is not sinful, and if it is sinful, then we should not participate in it in any shape or form, or amount. God said we are to come out and be separate and to touch NO unclean thing!
Adultery
As well, there does not have to be actual physical contact for adultery to take place. Jesus Christ said that if we lust after another person that we have already committed adultery (or fornication) with him or her in our hearts. In reality, sin begins in our hearts before we ever end up acting it out in real life. When we entertain sin in our minds, or rather we are entertained by sin, we have given Satan an opening into our lives to tempt us to take it the next level up. The reality is that people get bored with their level of sin, and so they take it up a notch, then another and another because they are looking to sin to bring some type of fulfillment in their lives, but it will only leave them empty, unfulfilled, ruined, and craving for more. If we entertain our minds with images of adultery, romantic affairs (extramarital), sex outside of marriage, et al, then we are more likely to end up looking for ways we can fulfill these passions and desires in real life with real people. It never ends well.
Pornography and Addiction
Pornography gives its victims a euphoric high which replaces true love and intimacy in real human relationships. Many who once get a taste go back for more and it often turns into addiction. For the addict to now keep his or her addiction going, added to the porn is now the lies that must be told in order to protect the person's secret life, no matter who gets hurt in the process. So it is no longer just the people looking at the porn who are getting hurt, or just those who for whatever reason found themselves trapped in the industry itself, but it is the people closest to the addict who also suffer the abuse of the addict, in sexual abuse, the cheating, all the lies, and even outbursts of anger and hatred and false blame directed toward the innocent in order to protect the secrets of the addict. It is thus a killer on multiple levels, for it kills true intimacy and destroys individual lives, families and marriages. My heart cries at the thought of so many children potentially going down that same path and it destroying their lives because they have been handed smart phones and tablets (IPads) either with no parental controls or with false security that can be broken.
There is hope, though. Jesus Christ came to set us free, and through him we can be delivered of the chains that once bound us. Amen! And I believe that through prayer and the exercise of godly wisdom and also being willing to talk about these things like this without fear that we can make conscious efforts to protect our children so that they don't end up going down that path, too. We just have to get serious about this and be willing to take whatever steps may be necessary to rid our lives of what is holding us captive to the devil’s will for our lives, and to allow Jesus Christ to truly have Lordship of our lives. Amen!
Courageous! / An Original Work / December 24, 2013
Based off Various Scriptures
The Word of God throughout taught.
Some people heard, but did doubt.
Still others had faith in Christ.
By grace He purified them.
They turned from sin
And they obeyed Christ.
He opened up their blinded eyesight;
Turned them from darkness
To the true Light;
Forgave their sin by His might.
He strengthened them in their faith.
He said, “Remain my faithful.”
He called them to obedience.
By faith, they were so grateful.
By faith, they were to follow Jesus;
To daily sit and listen to Him;
To have such faith that
Mountains could move;
To love those whom He gave them.
Be on your guard; courageous.
Stand firm in faith. Be thankful.
Take up the shield of your faith;
Protect against all evil.
Do not move from
The hope that you have.
Your faith in Jesus let it endure.
Hold to the truth;
Your conscience be clear.
Endure with perseverance.
Babylon Today
Babylon was a real place that existed long ago. Yet, I believe this passage of scripture is speaking of a real modern physical location which will be judged by God in the end of time. Still, Babylon has also come to symbolize the world’s system of evil from which God’s people are to come out and be separate and to touch no unclean thing. We are not to be partakers in this sinful world, we are not to be on friendly terms with this sinful world, and we are not to be yoked together in agreement with those who choose not to believe in Jesus Christ, for scripture teaches us that there is no fellowship between light and darkness. This also means that we should not allow ourselves to be entertained by this sinful world via movies, TV, the internet, etc., for even by watching it for entertainment purposes we are participating in this world of evil and are standing in agreement with it by our entertainment choices.
Every Impure Spirit
Wow! Where to begin? The 20th - 21st Centuries have certainly given us so many more options to choose from for how to fulfill our sinful and lustful desires. Sin has not changed, and God has not changed his definition of what constitutes sin and impurity in his eyes, yet the whole world of evil is now available to us in the privacy of our homes, at our fingertips, with the move of an electronic mouse or the stroke of our fingers or the push of a button, which then can take us just about any place our sinful hearts desire.
With the ample supply of cable and satellite TV, the internet, Social media sites, smart phones, tablets and laptop computers, from the comfort of our own homes we can walk into a strip club, participate in all kinds of seductive spirits and abominations, go to houses of ill repute, be involved in romantic and/or sexual affairs, go into “adult” book and video stores, and view dirty magazines, etc., much of which we would never do if it were not for the convenience, easy access and privacy involved in having such ready access to all these things in one single and private location – our homes.
I think sometimes we fool ourselves into thinking some of these things are innocent fun or acceptable means of entertainment and that no one gets hurt. I know I used to do that. Oh, how wrong! Someone always gets hurt, even if it is just ourselves, but we impact more people than just ourselves. You may or may not be able to imagine here the number of times I have read or heard about those who profess Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives telling about a movie he or she watched which contained impurity of some kind, and then excuse it away by saying, “Well, there is only a little bit of bad in it, but the rest is good.” I used to do that, too. So, I know. That is like saying it is ok to have just a little bit of poop in your brownie. Would that be ok with you? Or it is a lot like saying, “Well, it is just a little bit illegal,” or, “It is a white lie.” We can’t dress it up and make it ok. Either it is sinful or it is not sinful, and if it is sinful, then we should not participate in it in any shape or form, or amount. God said we are to come out and be separate and to touch NO unclean thing!
Adultery
As well, there does not have to be actual physical contact for adultery to take place. Jesus Christ said that if we lust after another person that we have already committed adultery (or fornication) with him or her in our hearts. In reality, sin begins in our hearts before we ever end up acting it out in real life. When we entertain sin in our minds, or rather we are entertained by sin, we have given Satan an opening into our lives to tempt us to take it the next level up. The reality is that people get bored with their level of sin, and so they take it up a notch, then another and another because they are looking to sin to bring some type of fulfillment in their lives, but it will only leave them empty, unfulfilled, ruined, and craving for more. If we entertain our minds with images of adultery, romantic affairs (extramarital), sex outside of marriage, et al, then we are more likely to end up looking for ways we can fulfill these passions and desires in real life with real people. It never ends well.
Pornography and Addiction
Pornography gives its victims a euphoric high which replaces true love and intimacy in real human relationships. Many who once get a taste go back for more and it often turns into addiction. For the addict to now keep his or her addiction going, added to the porn is now the lies that must be told in order to protect the person's secret life, no matter who gets hurt in the process. So it is no longer just the people looking at the porn who are getting hurt, or just those who for whatever reason found themselves trapped in the industry itself, but it is the people closest to the addict who also suffer the abuse of the addict, in sexual abuse, the cheating, all the lies, and even outbursts of anger and hatred and false blame directed toward the innocent in order to protect the secrets of the addict. It is thus a killer on multiple levels, for it kills true intimacy and destroys individual lives, families and marriages. My heart cries at the thought of so many children potentially going down that same path and it destroying their lives because they have been handed smart phones and tablets (IPads) either with no parental controls or with false security that can be broken.
There is hope, though. Jesus Christ came to set us free, and through him we can be delivered of the chains that once bound us. Amen! And I believe that through prayer and the exercise of godly wisdom and also being willing to talk about these things like this without fear that we can make conscious efforts to protect our children so that they don't end up going down that path, too. We just have to get serious about this and be willing to take whatever steps may be necessary to rid our lives of what is holding us captive to the devil’s will for our lives, and to allow Jesus Christ to truly have Lordship of our lives. Amen!
Courageous! / An Original Work / December 24, 2013
Based off Various Scriptures
The Word of God throughout taught.
Some people heard, but did doubt.
Still others had faith in Christ.
By grace He purified them.
They turned from sin
And they obeyed Christ.
He opened up their blinded eyesight;
Turned them from darkness
To the true Light;
Forgave their sin by His might.
He strengthened them in their faith.
He said, “Remain my faithful.”
He called them to obedience.
By faith, they were so grateful.
By faith, they were to follow Jesus;
To daily sit and listen to Him;
To have such faith that
Mountains could move;
To love those whom He gave them.
Be on your guard; courageous.
Stand firm in faith. Be thankful.
Take up the shield of your faith;
Protect against all evil.
Do not move from
The hope that you have.
Your faith in Jesus let it endure.
Hold to the truth;
Your conscience be clear.
Endure with perseverance.