In the world but not of the world...

1 John 2: 15-16  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

We all live here in the world but according to the Bible, God requires that as Christians we do not become attached to the worldly things that we see around us everyday. "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." Those are pretty strong words. We cannot be loving the things of this world since then the love of our heavenly Father will not be in us.

Worldliness is the enemy of holiness. God is holy and he wants to make us holy through Jesus Christ.

Worldliness is satan's way. We must not love anything that is in satan's domain. Unbelievers being a part of the world system oppose Christ. This is obvious in their lifestyle - living for self and for the things of the world.  Christ demands our complete loyalty and devotion. We cannot be on the fence with this. Choose to live wholeheartedly for the Lord and do not allow self and worldliness to rule your life. We are living in worldliness when we allow our fleshly desires to control us - that is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. It is an evil attitude, it is a heart that says " I want this for me and I want it now, I don't care if others are hurt by my actions". As Christians we can not be living a life that serves self and the world. Neither can we live in worldliness and live for the Lord Jesus at the same time. There are many things that people will use to try to satisfy themselves, to fill that loneliness and the emptiness of their heart. Examples are money, hobbies, travelling, job, food, sex, music and entertainment. The truth is that Jesus is the only One who can fill that void in our lives.

Proverbs 11:6  The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.

The unbeliever is trapped by his own evil desires. Each of us is accountable to God Himself for our actions. God does not play favorites and each one will receive accordingly to what he or she has done in this life. This is why it is so important that turn our lives over to the Lord and we take our sins to God. We need to confess our sins to the Lord God, turn from them once and for all. He is faithful to forgive us when we come to him in this way. God doesn't give anyone a break or make excuses for anyone's sin - no, he poured it all on Jesus. Jesus took our sin to the cross and died there in our place. Our sin was paid for by the Lord Jesus Christ. Repent of every sin and turn your life over to Jesus. May I encourage each of us to CLING to JESUS!!

Ephesians 5:8-10  For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

A Veggie Tales Fan!!

Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
 We are Veggie Tales fans! What is Veggie Tales you ask? Veggie Tales products are geared for children to teach them valuable lessons while having fun at the same time. Books, toys, DVDs and videos. Many of the DVDs  tell Bible stories and others just teach valuable lessons. Over the years as our boys were growing up, they have enjoyed many of the Veggie Tales videos and DVDs. I have even heard many parents say that they themselves find these movies quite entertaining. As I have written before, our daughter has down syndrome and therefore learning comes harder for her. But Veggie Tales helps her to better understand the Bible stories and life lessons. She just loves every single one of the movies Veggie Tales puts out. I am always on the lookout for the next DVD to come out. Soon to be released is one titled -  The Penniless Princess which I hope to get for my daughter shortly.
So just to give you an idea of what I am talking about I took a picture of some of my daughter's Veggie Tales treasures.

The stories are played out by many veggie characters - Larry the Cucumber, Bob the Tomato, Junior Asparagus, Laura the Carrot, Mr Nezzar etc. If you have never seen any of the movies I would highly recommend it especially for children under 14.
Some of the Bible stories are Esther - the girl who became Queen, Josh and the Big wall which is the story of Joshua defeating Jericho, the story of the fiery furnace in Rack, Shack and Benny, the stories of Gideon, Moses,  also a couple tell the stories of King David and the stories of Christmas and Easter. These movies can in no way replace the direct Bible teaching that we as parents are called to do with our children. And of course it is also advisable to discuss the content of a movie with your children before and after having viewed it.
So what is my personal favorite? It has got to be Princess and the Popstar. It is not one of the Bible story ones ( though I like them a lot also).  I like this one because it teaches little girls that the famous life is not really a fun life at all. So many children want to grow up to be like Hannah Montana etc and they idolize these celebrities. This Veggie Tales DVD teaches children the truth about the awful celebrity life and the joys of the simple life and  having a family who loves you. In the story a girl named Princess Poppyseed lives on the farm with her parents and many siblings. She wishes she could be famous like Vanna Banana - her favorite child pop singer. She has all Vanna Banana's posters and music and one day by chance, Princess meets Vanna Banana on the playground. Vanna is in town to give a concert. Vanna Banana longs for the simple life of family having seen  Little House on the Prairie on TV. Vanna dreams of having brothers and sisters and a pony etc. but all her life consists of is practicing for her next music show and performing in front of millions of people (people who do not know her and she does not know them). So when Vanna and Princess begin to talk on the playground, they discover they look almost exactly alike and they each have what the other wishes they had and they decide to switch places. So Vanna Banana experiences the ordinary farm life with a loving family and Princess experiences life as a famous person - dressing in rich clothes and singing in front of a huge crowd. Each girl realizes that the life she was longing for does not fulfill her dreams, and the story of course ends in a happy way.
So if you've never watched one of these DVDs with the children in your life, may I suggest  you do - you would have fun and it would make their day if you did!

Planning for Tomorrow and for Life...

Life is a continual path of making choices and decisions and plans. Some of the decisions we must make are clear and straight forward while others are very difficult and in our minds we toss around the pros and cons. Praying for God's guidance, and seeking His direction from the Bible are the most important ways to receive the input that we need in our decision making. In James 4:13-15 we find these words:
¹³ Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
¹⁴ Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
¹⁵ For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
From this passage we understand that our lives are in the Hand of the Lord. The fact that we are breathing and have life in our bodies today is a gift from the Lord. We need to recognize that it is a gift from the Lord that we are able to have a job, earn money, and that His purposes for our lives override anything that we think we may personally want to do with our lives and for ourselves.   If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
We look not to what other people have in their lives, or what they do with their lives and thereby choose to do what they do in order to live a happy copycat life.... No - we seek the direction and path that God has chosen for us as individuals and ask - Lord what do you have planned for me - how can I serve You and fulfill the plan you have for me?? The road God has chosen for you may be very difficult and unglamorous but still by the power of God filled with hope and joy as you see Him working and proving the truth of the Bible over and over again.
Where is God leading me and what does He want from me? - these are hard questions for many people but we need not doubt the Lord in His plans for us. No matter who we are or what age and stage of life we are in - God has plans for us.  Many elderly people wonder how they can be used of the Lord in their later years. I would like to encourage anyone who is house bound for any reason to take up the role of "prayer warrior." Pray for our churches leaders and Pastors to follow the Lord and  not shrink from their responsibilities in these last days, that they preach the truth and not give way to the soft fuzzy feel good preaching that abounds today. Pray for our children, students, and youth to say NO to the culture of moral corruptness that is everywhere. Pray government leaders to stop the homosexual movement and make God honoring choices for our country. Pray for the pornography and vile entertainment business to be shut down.  Pray for health for your loved ones etc. Pray for salvation for the lost and for a spiritual awakening in our land. Keep praying even if you don't see results in your lifetime.
For a stay at home Mom as I myself am, I know that having spent most of my so called "good years" raising my three sons and now caring for my special needs daughter, my life seems very unglamourous to many people who have careers and who travel and spend time in many different places. I want to be faithful to the Lord in what He has called me to do, to be a person of prayer,  and  I add my voice to John's and say with him in 3 John 1:4  where he says:   I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

1 Peter 4: 19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
So if you are in a place today where you are making plans and choices for your future or just wondering what you can do for the Lord in your stage of life, - may I encourage you to seek the Lord and remember to lay up your treasure in Heaven - forget about living a life of pleasure and ease, forget about the "American Dream" and rather serve the Lord in the place he calls you to serve.
In Jeremiah 29:11 the Lord says  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Bullying - In the news, an elderly lady

I think by now, most of us who watch the news will have heard the awful story of the elderly lady who got verbally and physically abused on a school bus. This is an utterly disgusting story, but I might add that it seems to be a sign of the times - that we are living in what the Bible calls the last days. 2 Timothy 3: 1-3 pretty much describes those kids on that bus . It says -But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good.

The question that I have is - How much of this sort of stuff is going on?? We should be thankful that a fellow student was able to capture the whole ordeal on his cellphone. Without that - would these children be facing any disciplinary actions at all?? Perhaps the bus driver could have somehow shown his support for this bus monitor lady and together they could have contronted those kids right there on the bus. I like the line the lady used when she said to the kids that if they don't have anything nice to say then to not say anything at all. That was how I was brought up also and what I have tried to teach my own children. Those placed in authority must speak up and take action.

We may wonder where such violence and bullying has its roots. One answer would be that we have all been born with a fallen sin nature and without the love of Christ we can only act on that sinful nature. But I think there is more to the answer than that. It is plain to see that as nations in general, God is being pushed out of our lives,  out of schools and government. People want to live their lives separate from God and the principles taught in the Bible. Many people would rather live the way of the world.  I believe that when we saturate our minds or the minds of our children with the garbage that is on television, in the movies and magazines etc,  this garbage grows within a person and becomes the natural way for a person to behave. It is the sowing and reaping principle on which I posted an article on this blog. You can find it on my blog titled " My Vegetable Garden - Sowing and Reaping".

What ever a person puts in his or her mind is a tool that has been given to satan that he will then  use against us. It might involve entertainment - watching a violent or sexual arousing movie, pornography, unwholesome language, lust, listening to secular music that stirs up the flesh, living beyond one's financial means, desires for things that are not ours. Whatever evil we put in our minds will work its way into action eventually. You plant the seed and it will grow.

Of course if we fill our minds with the things of the Lord and dwell on Him, this too is a seed that will produce fruit. Good fruit that the Lord is able to reward. Philippians 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

We can see that the seed the entertainment business has been sowing now  for the last twenty - thirty years now with our culture has produced its fruit. The fruit is ripe now. We see it in the violence, the homosexual movement, the way women are dressing very immodestly even in the Christian community - showing their breasts, skin, etc with no shame at all. These are grievous evils in the sight of our Father in Heaven and people and nations will face the consequences of their actions. God will not be mocked in this way. He has given us his Word , the Bible where it teaches us to live in a pure and undefiled way.

Galatians 6:7-8
⁷ Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
⁸ For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.