Living Lives Set Apart 2
The last blog I talked about what it takes to live your life set apart from the world and for God. Most of us fear being different, yet that is exactly what God has called us to be. We discussed the verses in Proverbs that tell us how to live our lives for God and not the world.
How do we stay on God's path? Proverbs 4:20-24 tells us. " My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words 21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; 22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. 23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. 24 Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. 25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. 26 Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. 27 Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil."
Most people think the Christian life is a bunch of "thou shalt nots". The christian life is not about a bunch of rules, it's about a relationship. Once you have an intimate relationship with the Lord of Lords and King of Kings you follow His commands because you want to out of love. As a Christian there are things that we need to "put off" to be set apart, but there are also things that need to be "put on" to be Godly.
What do we need to "put on" according to Proverbs 4:20-24?
1. We need to put on our listening ears. ("My Son pay attention to what I say") We have to be still to listen to God and then obey Him to be set apart.
2. We need to "put on" the habit of learning God's Word ("Do not let them -God's words- out of your sight, keep them in your heart") to have the knowledge needed to be set apart.
3. We need to "put on" an attitude of discernment to fill our lives and minds with Holiness.(Guard your heart)
4. We need to "put on" loving speech to everyone including our children. (Keep your tongue in check)
5. We need to "put on" a conscious effort to remain Holy. (Keep your eyes on the path and the goal)
Living lives set apart is not an option it is a command. Christians riding the fence are missing out on the best part of the christian life and that is intimacy with God. Having the manifest presence of God with you daily makes a set apart life a joyful life.
Are you missing the presence of God in your daily life? Then maybe you need to evaluate your position. Are you on the fence? God desires for you to be completely sold out to Him and Living for Him with all of your heart, soul, and might. Do others recognize Christ in you?
Have a blessed weekend!
How do we stay on God's path? Proverbs 4:20-24 tells us. " My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words 21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; 22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. 23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. 24 Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. 25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. 26 Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. 27 Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil."
Most people think the Christian life is a bunch of "thou shalt nots". The christian life is not about a bunch of rules, it's about a relationship. Once you have an intimate relationship with the Lord of Lords and King of Kings you follow His commands because you want to out of love. As a Christian there are things that we need to "put off" to be set apart, but there are also things that need to be "put on" to be Godly.
What do we need to "put on" according to Proverbs 4:20-24?
1. We need to put on our listening ears. ("My Son pay attention to what I say") We have to be still to listen to God and then obey Him to be set apart.
2. We need to "put on" the habit of learning God's Word ("Do not let them -God's words- out of your sight, keep them in your heart") to have the knowledge needed to be set apart.
3. We need to "put on" an attitude of discernment to fill our lives and minds with Holiness.(Guard your heart)
4. We need to "put on" loving speech to everyone including our children. (Keep your tongue in check)
5. We need to "put on" a conscious effort to remain Holy. (Keep your eyes on the path and the goal)
Living lives set apart is not an option it is a command. Christians riding the fence are missing out on the best part of the christian life and that is intimacy with God. Having the manifest presence of God with you daily makes a set apart life a joyful life.
Are you missing the presence of God in your daily life? Then maybe you need to evaluate your position. Are you on the fence? God desires for you to be completely sold out to Him and Living for Him with all of your heart, soul, and might. Do others recognize Christ in you?
Have a blessed weekend!
posted by My Nickels Worth @ 8:10 AM
4 Comments:
At 11:22 AM,
Unknown said…
I agree with everything you said EXCEPT the idea of putting on a conscious effort to remain holy. Our holiness does not come from ourselves; thus, we cannot lose it or keep it on our own efforts.
Instead, we must put on a conscious effort to relate with Christ. Some may see this as semantics, but it is the dividing line between the rules you spoke of and the relationship, between the legalist and the abundant life.
Trying to "remain holy" is following rules to make sure you don't break one. Trying to "relate with Christ" is to build our relationship with Him in an ongoing, personal manner. Our holiness comes from Him and our relationship with Him is reflected in us to others. It's our relationship with Him and its reflection in our lives that attracts others to Him, not our working to stay in good graces.
You may have meant that and everything else you said seems to reflect that idea, but I just wanted to clarify because so many people miss it.
At 8:16 PM,
My Nickels Worth said…
Depending on what defintion you give to Holy you can be right. We are never Holy on our own, that's why Christ died on the cross for us. We are Holy through Him. However it is still a concious effort to make choices to strive for Holiness. What I was referring to is the following definition of Holy. from International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, Electronic Database Copyright (c)1996 by Biblesoft)
"But, in the next place, holiness of character in the distinct ethical sense is ascribed to God. The injunction, "Be ye holy; for I am holy" (Lev 11:44; 19:2), plainly implies an ethical conception. Men cannot resemble God in His incommunicable attributes. They can reflect His likeness only along the lines of those moral qualities of righteousness and love in which true holiness consists. In the Psalmists and Prophets the Divine holiness becomes, above all, an ethical reality convicting men of sin (Isa 6:3,5) and demanding of those who would stand in His presence clean hands and a pure heart (Ps 24:3 f)."
We have to "put on" the effort to choose those moral qualities that will make us in likeness to Christ. You are right in saying that you must have a relationship with Him to even think about choosing to live Holy, set apart lives.
I do not think, nor was I implying that we have to work to stay in good graces with God, that is humanly impossible without the blood of Christ covering us. The truth of the matter is people know if you are stiving to live a Godly life daily or whether you just do it on Sunday. My husband always says the worst compliment a Christain could receive would be someone you know saying "really, I didn't know you went to church." If you have the true relationship it will show, but you still have to make concious efforts daily to "stay on the path." I make many choices daily that lead my down God's path or the world's path.
At 3:37 PM,
Unknown said…
This is a funny conversation because it seems I'm having it more and more with Christians. Seems to a santification debate that's becoming more and more prevalent in the evangelical church especially.
The nuances in your statements imply a works-based way of life after the moment of salvation, a "holiness" that is sustained by our effort. My point is that our salvation is through Him and our sustaining is through Him, and that our efforts, instead of pursuing a moral life of "holiness", should be placed toward the pursuit of Him instead.
It's a funny nuance, but there is a difference. Pursuing moral qualities to be like Him results in legalism. Pursuing Him to be like Him results in holiness. He works it out -- it's not our external effort in a physical sense, but more a spiritual realignment from the inside.
You speak of having a relationship with Him before being able to pursue a holy life. But what I'm saying is that the pursuit of Him is the pursuit of Life. You also speak of working to "stay on the path", but what I'm saying is that that pursuit of Him is the pursuit of the Way (aka the "path").
We all acknowledge a shallow, formulaic legalism that has encroached upon the American church. That legalism comes asking Christ to become Lord of your life and then pursuing a moral code instead of pursuing Him personally. If He's your Lord and Master, then no formula or code can direct you day-to-day. Only He, in relationship, through the Spirit, is the proper source of direction.
At 6:59 AM,
My Nickels Worth said…
Ok you are correct, but you are still not getting what I am saying. Pursuit of Christ should bring out the best in born again believers. The only wat to heaven is through a relationship with Christ (Jn 14:6). What I am saying though is like Jesus says in John also true born again believers will bear fruits. He furter explains that to bear much fruit means that you oby His commands. Just because you have a relationship with Christ doesn't mean you can live your life any way you want and just ask for forgiveness.
I am not saying we need to work to get saved or work to please God, both are impossible. I am saying everyone has choices to make and we should make good choices OUT OF LOVE FOR GOD NOT TO PLEASE HIM.
Example: I used to watch soaps and a lot of other trashy programs on tv even after I was saved. Once I started really studing the Bible, God convicted me that I was not making good choices as to what I put into my mind on a daily basis. He used phil 4:8-9 to show me that He does care what I watch and truthfully what you put into your mind is what comes out ie. garbage in, garbage out. I had a choice to make, obey God or ignore. I can tell you from personal experience obedience is much more pleasant.
Out of love for my Savior I choose to do good. My best will never be good enough alone, so the blood of Christ is purifying me.
I also know from experience the better your relationship with Christ, the more you want to make the right choice, it is an overflowing of love.
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