10.19.07
“DARE TO BE DIFFERENT!”
II Corinthians 6:16-18
“For we are the temple of the Living God. As God has said; ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people. Therefore come out from among them and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.’ “
I heard of an irate mother who called the police to report that her son had been robbed of his pager. She reported that it was not the first time this had happened to him. An officer investigated, and soon located the cell phone another boy had stolen. He returned it to the boy while his mother stood beaming.
The officer asked the mother what the pager number was? She couldn’t answer. He asked why she bought the pager for him? Her response? “All of the other kids have one, so I wanted him to have one also.” That my dear friends is a danger which is prevalent in our modern society. Such an attitude leads us far from holiness!
We are far from holiness in heart and life in our modern churches. What will it take to restore our people to the place God wants us to be. Let me be graphic. We have some Christian girls (and women) who dress like street walkers. Some have tattoos on their bodies which are sometimes referred to as “tramp stamps.”
Some young men who are professing believers dress like gang members or at least in a worldly manner. I won’t even venture to mention the music and movies that are the common diet. Business practices that were once frowned upon as being “worldly” are now the norm for some Christians—even ministers and ministries.
Who is to blame for this compromise with the world in the way we look and the way we behave? I think it rests at the doorsteps of parents and spiritual leaders. We have sacrificed standards of decency for the sake of getting numbers into our churches or other Christian organizations.
In today’s Scripture, Paul gives us the Lord’s commands on the subject; We are to be different from those around us! Since the Daily-E-Votional goes out to several thousand readers each day, I realize that some of you are from holiness denominations that profess to be fundamental and holy. Please dear hearts, do not be smug! Virtually all of our churches have fallen far short of what God considers holy! It is a malady of just about every religious group - large or small.
The first step we need to take is to examine our hearts and pray for the Lord to show us how He sees us. We are not to judge ourselves from the world’s point of view, but from God’s. The blessed Holy Spirit is faithful and will speak tenderly and will show us what we need to see.
The second step is obedience. Paul gives us that instruction: ” - - come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” This is also our answer. We are to be separated from the things and behavior patterns of the world. Our aim is not to be socially accepted and part of the “in crowd,” but rather a worthy child of God who delights in pleasing the Father. May that be our goal!
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing.
- - - Pastor Cecil