The World Or The Word

Context

Throughout this week, i have seen and heard so many things that has just hurt my heart. The world we live in is so busy. Unfortunately, it is so busy, that changes have been made to our country, and we have just sat back and let it happen. We live in a cultural dynamic today that says, “As long as it doesn’t happen here. As long as it doesn’t affect me and mine. As long as it stays somewhere out there, then I am not too concerned.

Because of this, things have happened within this country that has dragged this nation away from God. As a general consensus, the majority of the people in this nation no longer believe that the Bible is the literal Word of God. Because they do not believe that the Bible is God’s Word, they also no longer accept the teachings of what the Bible has to say. Because they no longer believe what the Bible has to say, they no longer live according to the standards written therein. Because they no longer live according to God’s standards, we now live in a day that is a moral, ethical, and mental free-for-all.

Because of our busy lifestyles, we have failed to realize what has been happening right underneath our noses, and now it has already happened. Still, because of our busy lifestyles, we are too busy too notice. Our business has caused us to miss the fact that within the younger generation, there is a:

lack of relationships (they do not know how to communicate anymore)

lack of drive (they want everything for free and do not want to work for anything)

lack of obedience (because of the lack of discipline, they do not have to listen)

lack of morals (manners, respect their elders, integrity, honesty, sympathy, diligence, pride in their work, a care for how their actions affect others’ lives, etc.)

Consistent freedom for whatever (anything goes)

Desire for maturity in all of the wrong places (no framework/foundation)

Lack of strength and boldness to do what is right (they cannot handle peer pressure)

so much more.........

This nation has taken what was once accepted as the final authority on any issue, the Word of God, and throwed it in the mental trash can. They deem it as useless. They say it is full of old wives tales, fairy tales, and nothing more than a fictional story book. The part they fail to realize, is that it has the answers to all of life’s problems and they simply won’t accept that. If it is truly the Word of God, then it “is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every GOOD work.” (2 Tim. 3:16)

It cannot be the Word of God, because if it is then getting drunk is wrong; choosing to sleep with several different people several different times is wrong; choosing to live with and love someone of the same sex is wrong; choosing to lie, cheat, and steal is wrong; being lazy is wrong; and being a glutton is wrong. All of these things go against “To each his own” philosophy, and we definitely cannot tell anyone how to live their lives. They have freedom, they have rights, they have equality.

You know what? That statement could not be any more true. They have the freedom and rights to make their choices, and they also will be considered equal when they stand before a Holy righteous God and are judged based on those very decisions.

Did you know that unidentifiable authors have now released a “Queen James Bible”? It is designed and written with the focus of removing any homophobic passages from the Word of God, so that it is impossible to interpret any verse of the Bible from a perspective of homosexuality being sinful.

If there is one thing that I have learned over the years, it is this: The truth is the truth, whether it is accepted as such or not.

Whether you believe the truth or not, it does not change the fact that it is still the truth. “What is truth”, you say. Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and no man can make it unto the Father without first going through the Son. That is the truth!

This world cannot change what the truth is. This world cannot wish it away. This world can change what they accept and not accept all they want to, but it will not change what God has said, and it will not stop God from being God. Judgment day is still coming. Heaven and Hell are still real. God still determines who goes where. This will never change!!!

Content

Actions of the Flesh (Vs. 19-21)

sexual immorality

moral impurity

promiscuity (lewdness; lasciviousness) - lustful behavior

idolatry

sorcery

hatred

strife

jealousy

anger

selfishness

dissension

factions

drunkenness

carousing (revelries; orgies)

Those who practice such things WILL NOT inherit the Kingdom of God!!!!

Actions of the Spirit (Vs. 22-23)

love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

The law is not against these things. One is in good standing with God when they practice these things.

Opposing Sides (Vs. 17)

There is a battle raging on the inside! There is war for our souls going on inside of us, and we must make sure that we are on the winning side. They are polar opposites from one another. The flesh longs for the things of this world and the Spirit longs for the things of God. Only one side is the right side. God is on the winning side and if we are going to win, we must be on His side!!!!

Walking By The Spirit (Vs. 16; 18; 25)

Walk by the Spirit (vs. 16)

Not under the law (vs. 18)

WALK by the Spirit (vs. 25)

It is not enough to just talk the talk, we must walk the walk. We cannot just relate ourselves with the Spirit, we must obey His leadership and guidance throughout life, so that we might stay on track!!!

Commitment (vs. 24)

As stated in this verse, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires”.

We too must be willing to completely detach ourselves from the flesh and go All-In with the Spirit of God.

We must be willing to crucify, or put to death, any unworthy thing in our lives that might pull us away from God and damage our Holy witness for Him.

We must be willing to put God first in our lives in word and deed.

We must be willing to get out of our own way and let God have the reigns of our lives.

We must be willing to trust God at His Word and live it out in our lives.

We must be willing to remember the grave importance of this decision and what hangs in the balance.