From The Inside Out

"Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders." (Matthew 15:17-19) 

I remember hearing statements like: "You are what you eat!" (or) "What goes in, must come out!"

When the apostle John wrote about loving the world, instead of loving God, he spoke of "the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life." 
(1 John 2:16) These things of the world that we focus on, motivate our thinking, and our actions. And the very downside of all of this, is that in time, we become enslaved to these things.

How can we break the mold? How can we shake the addicting thoughts and actions? We can't do it by ourselves. But here is where this famous verse of Scripture really applies: "You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world." 
(1 John 4:4) 

More than overcoming the false teaching of today, God will help us to overcome all that the world tries to defile, and destroy us with. If we want to live as true Christians, God will help us to do so. The question is:
Do we want to? GP

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Sin Chasers

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 John 2:15)

 Today "storm chasing" has become a hobby for some, and for others, a profitable business. The objective is to get as close to a tonado without being hurt. But for me, (and I would boldly say, for the majority) we would rather climb into a cellar, or go to a basement, or any place that would provide shelter, before a tonado comes our way.

When John wrote in his letter about "the world" he was talking about
*"all that belongs to this life that is opposed to Christ. It is Satan's system, society opposed to God, and taking the place of God"

Everyday there is a choice which we must make, because we are faced with it everyday. Are we going to determine to live our lives according to the teachings of the Bible, and practice a pure clean life before God; or are we going to indulge in the thinking, practices, and pleasures of the world?

We become "sin chasers." Chasing after the things that are in disobedience to the will of God for our lives. Jesus said: "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one, and despise the other. 
You cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew 6:24)

What is your choice today? GP

* Warren Wiersbe's Expository Outlines Of The New Testament
(1 John 2:15-17)

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