January 11, 2012

“Aliens and Strangers of Purpose”

Blessings Folk!

I continue to be amazed at how folk will strive and struggle to do things “for God”, yet they will not simply do what God commands.

So many go the way of Cain.
They seek to approach God in “their way” and by the fruit of “their labor” rather than in the way the Lord instructs.
They seek to be “relevant”.
They seek to be “seeker-sensitive”.
They seek to be a part of something “emergent”.

The cute strategies and buzz-phrases of men continue to increase as does the darkness of the world.

Yet, most are powerless.

They forget/reject the Truth of the Lord.

They refuse to walk in Who we are…

We saw previously that we are Living Stones, a Peculiar People, a Chosen Race, A Royal Priesthood, A Holy Nation.

We are also Aliens and Strangers to this world.

Yet, so many who would profess to be such, seek lives that pursue the world.

Give heed…

1 Peter 2
11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.
12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.

We must abstain from fleshly lusts...in all its flavors.
It wages war against our very soul.

Our behavior before “those outside” testifies to them.
They are watching.
What are they seeing?

We have a calling.
We have a purpose.

1 Peter 2
21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH;
23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;
24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

The purpose?
Follow in His steps.
Revile not in return.
Entrust ourselves to Him.
Die to sin.
Live to righteousness.

Christ set the example…
Suffered, without uttering threats
Committed no sin
No deceit in His mouth
Reviled, yet did not return such
Bore our sins in His Body
Healed us.

Live in and by Him.

Blessings!