and the One who walks with me on it.

Friday, September 06, 2013

Driving in the Rain- Part 2


       We are to keep ourselves “unspotted from the world.(Jm. 1:27) yet as we ‘drive’ through our lives we get muck splashed at us from the world.  So how do we keep from getting spotted?  Here are some of the important ways: 
 
Stay spiritually healthy.
   -Study the Bible. 
We are to follow right and wrong by God’s standards, not right and wrong by the world’s standards. (Rm. 12:2)
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2Tm. 2:15 KJV
also- Dt. 11:18-20; Ps. 119:11; Ac. 17:11; 2Tm. 3:16,17
   -Pray and listen to God. 
Prayer should be like breathing- an automatic response to continue our life.
Continue in prayer and watch in it with thanksgiving, Cl. 4:2
also- Ps. 6:9; Is. 55:6; Mt. 26:41; Php. 4:6; 1Th. 5:17
But He answered and said, It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." Mt. 4:4
also- Mt. 4:4; Jh. 10:27,28; 14:26; Hb. 4:7; Rv. 3:20
   -Meditate on the Word, on God, on righteous things.
(about right living) Meditate on these things… 1Tm. 4:15
also- Ps. 1:2; 19:14; 105:5; 119:15; Is. 26:3; Php. 4:8

Remove spiritually unhealthy or ungodly influences from our lives.
   -Throw out, flee those things that are contrary to God’s Word.
We are to be separated from the world's schemes; their motives; their desires, and all their foolishness.
The world seeks to live for their own desires; true Christians seek to live for God's glory.
Abstain from every appearance of evil. 1Th. 5:22
also- Am. 5:14,15; 2Cr. 5:17; Gl. 5:1,16; Cl. 3:5; 1Tm. 5:22; 6:11; 2Tm. 2:22; Jm. 4:7,17

Obey the Word
as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance, but according to the Holy One who has called you, you also become holy in all conduct, 1Pt. 1:14,15
also- Dt. 11:26-28; 12:28; Pr. 3:1,2; Lk. 11:28; Jh. 14:15; 15:10; Ac. 5:29; Rm. 6:16; Cl. 3:16; 1Jh. 2:4

Avoid the I’s of the World
   -I want                Tree was good for food (Gn. 3:6)   TV, treats, food, money, sex, alcohol,
                                                                           new clothes/ shoes...
   -I must possess     Fruit was pleasing to eyes          Technology, new car, nice house,
                                                                           collections, computers...
   -I must be            Would make wise like God           Successful, powerful, in control, rich,
                                                                          intelligent, happy...
because all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 1Jh. 2:16
also- Lk. 9:23; Cl. 3:5; Gl. 5:16; 6:8; Php. 2:3; Hb. 13:5

Live in Christ
O Jehovah, I know that the way of man does not belong to man; it is not in man who walks to direct his steps. Jr. 10:23
Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, Cl. 2:6
also- Gl. 2:20; 5:16,25; Ep. 5:8; Php. 1:21; 1Pt. 2:21; 1Jh. 2:6

       Only in relationship with Jesus we can be truly unspotted and live a life that’s unspotted by the world.  Though doing is important, it’s way more important to be.  Doing alone only leads to a legalistic focus on rules and regulations, and ultimately in self: what am I doing for God (I being the key word here)? Whereas being focuses on He who made the rules: Jesus Christ, and being with Him. The focus of being therefore is Him. (Katrina Marti)

       The point is this.  We cannot remain spotless on our own, but can only remain spotless living IN Christ which actually entails all of the above.  We need to know Him, His Word and His will for our lives and then follow Him (Mt. 4:19), knowing that we will fail often, but that He will give us strength to get up and try again.  And when the muck of the world gets splattered on us, we’ll go to Jesus to clean it off again- and for a while we’ll see more clearly…


(Jesus said)
“I can do nothing on my own.”
Jh. 5:30
but…
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Php. 4:13