Avoid Footholds In Your Life

I love God's Word so much. I am thankful that He left His Words for us so that we could read them again and again and again. I have to admit that some books of the Bible are easier for me to read and understand than others. I Peter is one of my many favorites. Peter was writing to various churches in Asian Minor where Gentiles were experiencing religious persecution. In chapter 2 he writes about our duty in living a holy life.

Often I reiterate to my daughters the importance of living a holy life. We have to be so very careful about what we allow to enter our eyes and our ears as well as what we allow to leave our lips. Verse 11 of this chapter says "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." I've tried to pound this into my daughter's heads that if they allow even the slightest foothold satan will get into their lives and 'war against their soul.'

A foothold can come by watching something ungodly on TV or the internet. The TV has very few wholesome shows ~ unless you are watching old reruns of something. Sexual sin is woven through out many TV offerings ~ even the commercials. As for the internet, I've come to appreciate its abilities, and my "pat answer" to a question that I don't know the answer to is most often "google it". BUT it has tremendous capabilities of being a very dangerous device. I've seen many a man fall prey to the internet ~ more folk than I even care to think about.

Footholds can also come in what we listen to. Sometimes I hear lyrics to some songs I used to listen to back in the 70's and 80's and I'm embarrassed that I had even listened to them. And yet that doesn't compare to much of the music on the market today. Lyrics are laden with sex, filthy wording, and 'fleshly lusts.' I constantly monitor what my daughters are listening to ~ to make sure that they are not allowing a foothold for satan to get in.

Have you ever watched or listened to something that you knew you shouldn't have? I know I certainly have. At one point in my life I was addicted to soap operas for over 12 years. There are things in my mind that will be there for the rest of my life ~ things which warred against my soul when I was viewing them. I'm not proud of it ~ and I have paid a price for that sin ~ but it serves as a constant reminder to me to protect my "eye gates" and strive daily to only let those things enter that glorify God.

Folk, God calls us to be holy BECAUSE He is holy. We are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, A PECULIAR PEOPLE (I Peter 2:9a). We are simply strangers and pilgrims in this land ~ awaiting our Lord's return. Let's strive every moment to be holy ~ not just for our own sakes ~ but for others who are watching us live our lives. You maybe the only Christian someone knows.

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

I Thessalonians is a rather small book in the New Testament but it is certainly packed with a punch. It contains a great deal of exhortation (advice) on how we as Christians should be behaving while here on earth.

In a day in time when intimacy and seduction is used to market just about anything ~ the Bible is very clear that this is wrong ~ and I Thessalonians brings it home very clearly. In chapter 4 and verse 3 God commands the Christian to abstain from fornication (having an intimate relationship outside of marriage). Christians are to abstain from this ~ walk away from it ~ do not be a part of it. God commands us in verse 3 of this chapter to possess our vessel (our body) with sanctification and honor. We are to use our body in a way that is honoring to God ~ in a way that does not dishonor ourselves ~ in a way that does not dishonor another. So often Christians watch things on TV or even view things on the internet that catapults them into situations where, with the use of those images in their mind, they engage in activity that is not godly. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. What a tremendous lesson in that one verse. Oh, if we would post that verse on our hearts, in our minds, across the doorposts of our homes ~ to only do those things that are holy and to flee from those things that are unclean ~ how much happier and easier life would be for all of us.

For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

I Thessalonians 4:7

Amen and amen!