holy not impure

1 Thessalonians 4:7
“God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives.”

A very short, to the point verse for today.
So short and to the point, all I’ll say is this.
We need to live holy lives, not impure lives.

If we believe in Him, we will walk the walk, not only talk the talk, but walk the walk.
And in walking this walk, we must do what He taught.

So it’s not all believe and thats all.
We do need to live holy lives, not impure lives.

Straight, to the point, and short post today.
But it makes us think, or so I hope.

Sober-minded

1 Peter 5:8-9
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

I think I’ve forgotten what people are like when they are not sober, by that I mean drunk. Drunk not on life, but intoxicated on alcohol. I recently came across some drunks, (not by choice of course! But God happened to place me there!)
And all I can say is, wow, what a life they have.
When drunk, or not sober, you really don’t have boundaries. Or a sense of good or bad. Really. Your mind is totally skewed, so much so that your thoughts are incredibly irrational.

[no wonder why people shouldn’t drink and drive!]

But that’s besides the point.

My point is, even in the bible it says we must be sober-minded. To not be drunk so much so we lose our senses. Be watchful, or in some other bible versions, it says to be vigilant. To stay awake and to never be caught off guard. How do you expect to be awake and to not be caught off guard if you’re fast asleep because your senses are switched off due to being drunk??

The next part, is a warning. I don’t know about you, but sure we never get in much contact with lions, as a normal person. But if you’re like me and you’re scared of dogs--it’s a scary thought. Fine, dogs don’t eat you up [but they do bite!] I’m thinking those that are trained to be dog-fighters can really attack!
Or how about snakes that do eat you alive. Or crocodiles. ok. imagination running wild. But we’re talking serious animals that will devour you. To sum, we need to be careful!

It says to resist him and to be firm in your faith and to know that we’re not the only ones suffering--as others are too. How encouraging is that thought! Because actually when we are suffering we seem to wallow in self-pity. But it all seems much better when you know you’re not the only one having a pity party. After all, misery loves company!

But yeh, all this can be done by being watchful, on your guard, being firm in faith [i.e. trusting in God, that He will help!] And being sober-minded-so you can at least walk in a straight line.

In times of suffering we don’t have to turn to drink to make it seem easier.
In times of suffering we need to know that others do understand.
And in times of suffering, we need to remember that it’s times like these that we need to be firm in our faith and know that God rules.
Easier said than done. But it’s a great reminder. Right?

Unchangeable

Malachi 3:6
"For I am the Lord, I do not change.”

Despite how over time by default, circumstances change and over time our thinking and just general attitudes change over time, maybe because of this bad experience with a guy or girl... Or you've been made unemployed suddenly... Or you for some crazy reason, experience financial loss, so much so that you must file for bankruptcy...

Over time, human beings change.
Friends and other relationships change too.
Someone you used to consider dear and closest to you will one day be very far from you physically or emotionally. Why? Too many changes and making it so hard to continue having that relationship. Because friendship is a two way street: Only works if both parties want the friendship to continue. But sometimes it just doesn't happen. And so it becomes a one way street. And then eventually nobody walks down that street, because there’s no point in trying to get through to the other person.

And that's what it's like with lots of people... And their relationship with God.

We say things have changed.
But really... God doesn't change. It's us that has changed. Not Him. God remains the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.
And despite how much we change, either for better or worse (or richer or poorer, sickness and health!!) ... He will not move and change.
He will not be shaken or affected.
Simply put, that's stability for you.

And what's crazy is that the truth always remains the same. And that is, despite how much we change, how far we end up away from God, He will always be waiting for us. It's not really a temperamental relationship like how it is with so and so... It's different. It's not hot or cold. It will always be a fact that God loves us no matter how we mess up time and time again.

With an unchangeable God, with an unchangeable relationship-- who wants to follow the world where fashions change, people change, leaders change, money fluctuates...?
I know I don’t. Do you?

Go and make

Matthew 28:18-20 NIV
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

This is the classic missions verse showcasing the ever so famous great commission. Sure it's overused among certain circles, but it has reason to be overused. And with great significance does this verse hold.

There is one thing that I particularly enjoying doing when studying or meditating on a verse... And that's to think about the verbs used in the verse. Let's do just that today...

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

With those verbs highlighted it really helps us understand the importance of this verse. And to put simply in a nutshell, this verse is telling us to: go, make disciples, baptize them, teach them to obey commands.

And just in case we get a little disheartened along this path of life of Christianhood, Jesus wants us to know that He is always always with us until the very end. That's sweet.

Let's all meditate on those verbs and then the verse as a whole...

Seeds in different ground

Mark 4:1-20 (NIV)

The Parable of the Sower

4 Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge.2 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11 He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outsideeverything is said in parables 12 so that,“‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,    and ever hearing but never understanding;otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’[a]”13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

I know, I know. It's a massive chunk of text. But in all honesty it's such a great parable.

Jesus is so creative to be able to use a story like that to help people in those days AND people of today... To visualize something with a scene in order to explain something that has always been true and will always be true.

I never truly understood this parable, nor related much to it before. But it wasn't until I was the one sowing seeds (sowing as in putting out the seeds so they would grow)... I could relate to it because I was doing just that.
Even still, when I first started sowing seeds (by serving and planting seeds in lives by sharing the gospel)... I just assumed that God knows where all the seeds were falling, in good soil or in bad places with bad growing conditions. I just figured God knows. And it's ok.

But in actual fact, we should care about the seeds.

I want to be truthful here. After many years of sowing now... When I started I wasn't sure about the end results. I didn't know if these plants would grow. I wasnt sure if fruit would florish.
But now as the years have passed, I've learnt a lot about the different types of seeds grown in different conditions. And truth is, it's a sad sad outcome that some seeds will never grow, some will be eaten away by crows, some will be choked by thorns... It's sad but true.
I've seen that happen to some people through the years.

But while seeing the bad, I've also seen the good seeds grow into something amazing!
And well it's encouraging to see!

Yet one thing remains: although it's sad to see that some of the seeds don't end up in good growing conditions-- we shouldnt be discouraged. We should continue sowing seeds. Because the fruit is by far something worth celebrating over.
And at the end of the day, God might just save the bad seeds eventually...
But all in all--it's important to not forget this parable. It demonstrates that God determines where the seed falls. And we should continue to sow for Him.

I challenge you to read it again, slowly and to reflect upon it.

Alive and active

Hebrews 4:12-13
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

I've come to notice a difference in certain public speakers. Or just someone speaking in a speech. I've come to love speakers that are biblically sound and concrete. Backing each statement they make with scripture that isn't just to prove the point of the point being made, but rather using the word as God's original intention, that is to speak to us. And for it to be applied to our lives.

"Alive and active" indeed.
It's as alive as Jesus was after He rose from the dead. 
It's active and moving people in all directions to face God.
It's alive even though it was written so so long ago.
It's active almost like it is so full of energy and is ready to explode in your face (but in a good way!)
It's alive as like God has breathed life into it so its so very alive.
And it's active like its so powerful and influencial so much so when one reads it you can't help but be swept away by it.

The next few parts of the verse are always mentioned as its very visual and descriptive.Yet I do want to say a few words about the bit before the end:
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. vs. 13
I get tremendous encouragement from this verse. Simply because it reminds us that God is watching, nothing is hidden from His sight. Like he has super vision. And I think about those that might be suffering at the hands of those that want to harm or are against God, causing people to suffer. I just think that those that cause the suffering will have to deal and give an account. And God will judge that.

It is not in secret, though hidden to the public, it is uncovered and laid out in the open before God--the judge.
The good, the bad, the ugly.
And God can see everything.God reveals our sins at the very end. All the bad. But I guess we have an opportunity to deal with it. And with God's word (the bible) being so alive and active, and through the Holy Spirit...
We can pray that you'd be convicted (owning up after feeling bad/guilty) and so will change.

Come near

James 4:8
Come near to God and he will come near to you.

This is a verse that I didn’t know existed until I randomly found it, and figured it was appropriate to write it in someone’s birthday card. And then later on the friend tells me it was the second time they read that verse, within the same day. Someone else shared that same verse with them.

It’s a great reminder, is it not, to come near to God. In some versions it’s draw near... get close to...

I was struggling to find something applicable for today, or wasn't able to find inspiration for verses worth devo-reflecting upon. Even looking at other verses, nothing came.
Until I remembered this verse.

And I think in times when you’re absent minded. Or you feel like you don’t know what’s going on. Or just downright distracted, I think whatever happens, you need to do one thing, and that’s to draw near, come near, get close to God. And by default He’ll do the same.
It’s not like we can develop a relationship with someone, or anyone, even God, from a distance.
We have to physically, spiritually and mentally be closer in distance... in order to develop intimacy.
We need to approach Him daily, on a regular basis, in the name of Jesus, in faith and in prayer.

So when you’re stuck. Or if you’re clueless, or if you’re you’re feeling meh.... just come near to God.

I’ll end here and that’ll be my little contribution to this blog for the day. After feeling a bit meh. Time to go near to God.