LIVING WITH GOD IN THE MIDST OF AN UNGODLY WORLD
IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. Genesis 1:1. To me, this verse that begins the Holy Scriptures seems to be very easy to understand. I come with a Belief that GOD IS REAL AND HE IS OUR CREATOR. As a Christian, I believe that God created man IN HIS IMAGE…..that means ALL OF US. For every person, our life viewpoint comes down to a CHOICE. When one makes a choice to view God as our Creator and conveyor of Identity we are making a commitment to give our lives to His Will and to be Obedient to His Commandments and Walk In His Ways. Obedience isn’t always a path of perfect behavior, but it is a path of striving and effort to live Righteously. It is a Desire Of Our Hearts to find Sanctification through endurance and the Leading of The Holy Spirit. Sanctification “sets one apart for the special uses and purpose” God will require of us. We become “A Holy Vessel”. Light and Salt for the world. To say this is a simple task is to delude oneself. The world is full of a multitude of choices and distractions that pull us away from God. Religions also can offer up a variety of viewpoints on who God is that are often tempting, seemingly good, but truly offer very little in terms of Eternal Truth or Life. Within the Christian Church system, there are a variety of Denominations that ALL THINK THEY POSESS THE TRUTH ABOUT GOD AND HIS WAYS. No matter where you stand in your search, I would suggest that Each Of Us must start with a basic desire to SEEK GOD with all of our HEART, and strive for a deep and intimate relationship with Him. HOW ? First, COMMUNICATE directly with Him. ASK for Him to reveal Himself to you ! Secondly, Immerse yourself in His Word, and See and Hear what He has to say. SEEK, PRAY, STUDY, AND MEDITATE. Open your Heart and Mind to Him. The truth is that we only truly pour ourselves into what our Heart Desires. DO YOU DESIRE TO KNOW GOD ? Seek a community that worships God and His Word so you may have fellowship with His Body of Kingdom Citizens. Community is your foundation, and your family.
I AM THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA, THE FIRST AND THE LAST, THE BEGINNING AND THE END. Revelation 22:13
GOD IS SPIRIT, AND THOSE WHO WORSHIP HIM MUST WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH. John 4:24
FOR BY HIM ALL THINGS WERE CREATED, IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE, WHETHER THRONES OR DOMINIONS OR RULERS OR AUTHORITIES- ALL THINGS WERE CREATED THROUGH HIM AND FOR HIM. Colossians 1:16
KNOW THEREFORE THAT THE LORD YOUR GOD IS GOD, THE FAITHFUL GOD WHO KEEPS COVENANT AND STEADFAST LOVE WITH THOSE WHO LOVE HIM AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, TO A THOUSAND GENERATIONS. Deuteronomy 7:9
We are living in a world that has ALWAYS been full of Sin, Violence, Delusion, and Division. It has been present since the fall in the garden. It is in every nation, every society, every culture, and every Religion. It is inherent upon us to SEE AND HEAR GOD”S TRUTH ! I believe that this truth is JESUS CHRIST. When you think about a fallen mankind, and a fallen world, it is apparent that God loved us so much that rather than simply destroy us and end the miserable state of humanity, that sending His Son to Die for Our Salvation was the only way for a Righteous God to bring us “Back” into relationship with Him. Sin had to be defeated. Mankind had to have a Path †o Life. Jesus provides that path. HALLELUJAH ! The Gospel allows us the open door to come into God’s presence and Abide in His Son, and likewise, HIS SON IN US ! It gives us the opportunity to “live” with God and be a part of Him and His Kingdom in the midst of a Fallen World. Jesus came to Set Us Free from the bondage and judgement of SIN, which the Law Of Moses so clearly points out. In Christ, we are REBORN into a new relationship and a new life ! ALL AROUND US AN UNGODLY WORLD SPINS ITS LIES AND FALSE PATHS….but in God, We Are SET APART. We believe differently and we MUST LIVE DIFFERENTLY. We must live with Hope, Peace, and the Assurance that God Is In Ultimate Control, because HIS PLAN IS THE MASTER PLAN. The ungodly world is merely a distraction….and we are to ENGAGE IT AND STAND FOR GOD’S JUStICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS AND KINGDOM. WE are the standard bearers for GODS TRUTH AND LIGHT !
FOR THE GRACE OF GOD HAS APPEARED, BRINGING SALVATION FOR ALL PEOPLE, TRAINING US TO RENOUNCE UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY PASSIONS, AND TO LIVE SELF-CONTROLLED, UPRIGHT, AND GODLY LIVES IN THE PRESENT AGE. Titus 2:11-12
FOR THE WRATH OF GOD IS REVEALED FROM HEAVEN AGAINST ALL UNGODLINESS AND UNRIGHTEOUSNESS OF MEN, WHO BY THEIR UNRIGHTEOUSNESS SUPPRESS THE TRUTH. Romans 1:18
BUT YOU, BELOVED, BUILDING YOURSELVES UP IN YOUR MOST HOLY FAITH AND PRAYING IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, KEEP YOURSELVES IN THE LOVE OF GOD, WAITING FOR THE MERCY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST THAT LEADS TO ETERNAL LIFE. Jude 1:20-21
An Ungodly World. A World In Distress. A World Divided. Wars, and Rumors of War. Perversion, Confusion. Lies and Deceit. Ruthless violence amid the Hunger For Power. Haves and Have Nots. God has seen all of this going on for a long, long time. He Seeks Those Who Will Choose HIM, and the Narrow Path. Those who Trust Him in the midst of an Ungodly World. Think about those before us who lived it, but kept their Hearts and Minds on God ! Daniel, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, David, Moses, Joshua….on and on. What set them apart in their times and their worlds was a Deep and Abiding Love for GOD. JESUS ….doing what His Father had willed, and all those who went forth from Him. Simon (Peter), Andrew, Matthew, James, John, and the others. Paul, Timothy. WILL OUR NAMES BE AMONG THEM ? Proclaim Christ in your loudest voice ! Share the Gospel ! Go make disciples in every place you are. LIVE WITH GOD….even in the midst of an ungodly world and culture…..because HE CALLS YOU TOO ! LIVE IN HIM/JAA
WE PROCLAIM HIM, ADMONISHING AND TEACHING EVERYONE WITH ALL WISDOM, SO THAT WE MAY PRESENT EVERYONE MATURE IN CHRIST. I LABOR FOR THIS, STRIVING WITH HIS STRENGTH THAT WORKS POWERFULLY IN ME. Colossians 1: 28-29