Garbage In, Garbage Out

By Les D. Crause

Psalm 119:9 How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.

How easily sin seems to trip us up when we are trying so hard to serve the Lord faithfully and do what is right. It reminds me of how things always seemed to be with me when I was much younger. I did not need to try very hard to get into trouble. It always seemed to be looking for me. In fact, the more I tried to escape it, the more it seemed to increase its pace. Eventually I just gave up trying to run from it. Don't get me wrong. I was never one to look for trouble or act rebellious, or be aggressive. I hated strife like the plague. I wanted to glorify the Lord in my life and tell others about Him. But yet I always either did or said something that upset someone. I was always messing up even though I tried hard not to. And then if that was not enough, I found myself being tempted by the world and all the uncleanness that it had to offer. I could try to control my actions; but it was the thoughts that were always the problem. And so it is for most young men. The World System is set up to lead them astray. They are bombarded on all sides with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, as John mentions in his epistle. But then I found a way to overcome it all. I found a way to purge my mind from hanging on to the evil that was all around. All I needed to do was to fill my mind with things that were upbuilding and edifying. Why do you suppose those who do not know the Lord are always led into sin? It is because they pay attention to the things that are being fed into their minds. All we need to do as believers is feed our minds with the things that will lead us into doing right. For the Scripture says, "As [a man] thinks in his heart, so is he." Why does a dog bark? Because he thinks like a dog! Why does the sinner sin? Because he thinks as a sinner? Why does the Christian have faith? Because he thinks as a believer. What are you spending time thinking about? It will soon show in your actions. Try taking heed to the Word and meditating on it. Pretty soon you'll be thinking like God. And who knows how that will affect your actions! You might start turning the world upside down like the Son of God did when He walked the earth.

ETERNAL PROSPERITY

Most Christians live their lives for the acquiring of material possessions. Their purpose in life is very little different from the Ungodly, for as Jesus said, "After all these things do the Gentiles seek!" (Matt. 6:32) However, the people of God, instead of pursuing temporal prosperity are to be willing to give up houses and lands, honors and comforts, life and limb –if need be, in order to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. Instead of being, a thing of
Shame, Dedication is rather a Blessing, and like a spiritual thermometer, indicates our love for Christ and His Kingdom. It is Materialism that when allowed to fester within a man will cause him to despise devotion.
Yet how rare is it to find saints who know what to do with material things other than to make gods of them, or: to consume them upon their lusts! Like all God’s gifts to us, possessions are committed to us to use for His Honor and Glory. We are but stewards who will one
day be called upon to give account as to how we have Used or Abused His gifts. On that we will all wish to be found SEVERELY dedicated.
While a Selfish man declares, "A man’s first responsibility is to himself!" and the Materially-minded man claims "A man’s first responsibility is to his family!" yet, Jesus was most emphatic when He said, "If any man come to Me and hate not his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple!" and, "Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not ALL that he hath he cannot be My disciple." (Luke 14:26,33) He who is not willing to deny himself comforts to be a disciple of the Lord --who is not willing to hazard his life to be one, is not worthy to be one. And he who is more in love with his family or his possessions cannot be one.
The man who regards the excellency of a thing by its temporal benefits is a Worldly man--he is Wise in Time but a Fool in Eternity. To measure the value of Dedication to Christ by monetary value is the height of Carnality, and he who does so is no better than Lot’s wife, or he who puts his hand to the plough and looks back --he is not fit for the Kingdom of God. (Luke 9:62)
The disciple of the Lord may be called upon --
" ...to labor Unrewarded;
To serve Unpaid, Unloved, Unsought, Unknown"
But such is not to his shame but to theirs among whom he has labored. A life of Dedication and Devotion to Christ lived in a place like Uganda or Cambodia may be regarded with great admiration, but lived in the midst of affluence, it becomes a constant irritation to materially- minded people.

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http://truereligionworks.net/Dec_81.htm

Repentance, renewal and restoration

By Jennifer Stutzman, custodial supervisor

Scripture: Malachi 3:1-4 (NRSV)

See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?

For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

Devotional:

The second advent of Christ will be one of judgment and purification. When I read this scripture I hear myself giving testimony of how Christ is at work in my heart and mind refining me. When I share with others what he has and is doing in my life, I believe it gently calls them to Christ, similar to the first advent of John the Baptist who was a voice crying out in the wilderness, sharing his message of repentance and baptizing with water.

Return is the key term in Hebrew prophets for repentance, renewal and restoration. Amazing how much that word explains my journey. Countless times I turned and walked away from Christ. As a result I endured some painful consequences. This became a way of life, a miserable one, for many years until finally I truly repented and returned to Christ, giving him everything, asking for his forgiveness and receiving mercy, grace and love. Miracle is the only word to describe the renewal and restoration process taking place in my life.

Many years ago I met my spiritual mentor. She was my teacher at beauty college. She had shared that she had just given her life to Jesus and what was happening as a result of that decision. She told me about her life before and how God was changing her heart and how addictions were removed. Changes were happening in her husband who was a guitar player in a rock band that played in clubs for years. He came to Christ shortly after she did and for as long as I can remember he had a Christian band in their church. As the years went by our relationship grew. She invited me to her church, prayed with me, encouraged my faith and followed me through the years. I saw the fruit of her life develop. I thank God for my friend and am inspired to be a mentor to those placed in my path.

The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin

1John 1:7

“Cleanseth,” says the text-not “shall cleanse.” There are multitudes who think that as a dying hope they may look forward to pardon. Oh! how infinitely better to have cleansing now than to depend on the bare possibility of forgiveness when I come to die. Some imagine that a sense of pardon is an attainment only obtainable after many years of Christian experience. But forgiveness of sin is a present thing-a privilege for this day, a joy for this very hour. The moment a sinner trusts Jesus he is fully forgiven. The text, being written in the present tense, also indicates continuance; it was “cleanseth” yesterday, it is “cleanseth” to-day, it will be “cleanseth” tomorrow: it will be always so with you, Christian, until you cross the river; every hour you may come to this fountain, for it cleanseth still. Notice, likewise, the completeness of the cleansing, “The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin”-not only from sin, but “from all sin.” Reader, I cannot tell you the exceeding sweetness of this word, but I pray God the Holy Ghost to give you a taste of it. Manifold are our sins against God. Whether the bill be little or great, the same receipt can discharge one as the other. The blood of Jesus Christ is as blessed and divine a payment for the transgressions of blaspheming Peter as for the shortcomings of loving John; our iniquity is gone, all gone at once, and all gone for ever. Blessed completeness! What a sweet theme to dwell upon as one gives himself to sleep.“Sins against a holy God;Sins against his righteous laws;Sins against his love, his blood;Sins against his name and cause;Sins immense as is the sea-From them all he cleanseth me.”

C. H. Spurgeon