Rant and Rave
Not really an update, just some thoughts that have been rolling around in my head. Melody recently asked a question in her blog that has started me thinking. Melody asked about "Christians" who don't live up to the written laws in the bible. The response touched on the topics of sin vs uncleanliness and how they apply to us as gentiles.
I believe that there are defined sins that apply to everyone. From day one as a Christian we need to know that "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind. And you must love your neighbor as yourself". This is the basis of obedience to God. This is God's law - Love.
I also believe that there are personal sins. These are things that God brings to your personal attention, makes known to you that this particular thing is wrong, and you are now held accountable to obey this commandment. Many Christians come from a lifestyle that is not looked upon as holy or righteous. A drunk may give his heart to the Lord, and give up alcohol knowing it is wrong. Yet he may continue to cuss and smoke. These are a normal part of his life and to him it is not wrong.
When I was a child I spoke as a child. Now I am an adult, it is time to put away childish things. As this new Christian grows he reads the part in the bible that says to avoid all appearance of evil. On this day God convicts him that he needs to begin to watch his language. He needs to study what he says and why. God now holds him accountable NOT to cuss. Yet for me, growing up in a Christian home, I was taught not to cuss from day one. For me it has always been a sin to cuss.
So, what is it I have been thinking about recently. The subtle invasion of Satan's influence in the lives of friends and family. Most recently two specific things have begun to bother me. Let me warn you, after reading this God may begin to convict you about similar things in your life. Just because these specifc thoughts are becoming important to me doesn't mean they will become a personal sin to you. But you never know what God will hold you accountable for in your own life.
President Obama! No, I did not vote for him, and given the same choices, I would not vote for him again. That being said, he is our President. He is MY President, voted into office as a result of the vote I participated in.
Romans 13:1-2 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
I am personnally sick and tired of hearing every other American call for impeachment less than 1 year after a president is put into office. I am paricularly sickened by Christians berating President Obama with every other breath. He was placed in office with our vote, he sits in office by Gods authority. To do anything but to support him while in office with my whole heart is to rejects Gods authority through him.
Speed 55 MPH. What is there to say on this topic, after all EVERYONE drives 5-10 over the speed limit. Then why is it called a speed limit? Even the police allow about 7 MPH leeway when clocking us. They why does everyone panic and slow down when we see a cop? God calls us to obey the authorities established over us. Our government, arguably the greatest that exists on earth today, has defined very specific speed limits for our safety. Just because "everyone does it" has resulted in a nation wide habit of ignoring these speed signs doesn't mean we should follow suit. Wide is the path to hell, but only those who travel the straight and narrow can make it to heaven. Avoid all appearance of evil. Eventually a habit forms to stretch all the rules and laws.
I made a choice to travel the speed limit at all times about 1 year ago. I did this for the sake of saving gas, a personally selfish reason. As a result I have noticed a savings in gas money. I do not arrive home stressed out from the drive home. And I have the chance to watch how everyone looks at me as if I am the biggest jerk on the road for doing 50 in a defined 50 zone. How Dare I! And I have seen some intersting reactions.
I travel half my trip to work in a 50 zone and half in a 60 zone. If I travel 50 in the 50, I will usually have someone behind me, inching up on my tail, mentally pushing me to move faster. Drop my speed to 45 and what happens. They will back off to a safe distance. Speed up to 50, and I lose their headlights in my rear view mirror. Slow down to 45 and they appear to become patient again.
I have had people refuse to pass me on a 1 mile stretch of 2 lane passing zone, only to scream past me in a no passing zone.
Satan is very sublte about how he introduces his evil to us. "Obama is the devil incarnate, block his efforts every chance you get." At face value seems like a statement we can stand behind. But it is in direct contradiction to God's commandment.
60 in a 55 zone, 'just following the traffic so as not to cause a slow down'. Yet 1 MPH over the defined speed limit is speeding and speeding is disobeying the law and disobeying the law is contrary to God's commandment.
OK, I'm done ranting and raving...well raving. I'll probably be ranting for a few years more.
I believe that there are defined sins that apply to everyone. From day one as a Christian we need to know that "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind. And you must love your neighbor as yourself". This is the basis of obedience to God. This is God's law - Love.
I also believe that there are personal sins. These are things that God brings to your personal attention, makes known to you that this particular thing is wrong, and you are now held accountable to obey this commandment. Many Christians come from a lifestyle that is not looked upon as holy or righteous. A drunk may give his heart to the Lord, and give up alcohol knowing it is wrong. Yet he may continue to cuss and smoke. These are a normal part of his life and to him it is not wrong.
When I was a child I spoke as a child. Now I am an adult, it is time to put away childish things. As this new Christian grows he reads the part in the bible that says to avoid all appearance of evil. On this day God convicts him that he needs to begin to watch his language. He needs to study what he says and why. God now holds him accountable NOT to cuss. Yet for me, growing up in a Christian home, I was taught not to cuss from day one. For me it has always been a sin to cuss.
So, what is it I have been thinking about recently. The subtle invasion of Satan's influence in the lives of friends and family. Most recently two specific things have begun to bother me. Let me warn you, after reading this God may begin to convict you about similar things in your life. Just because these specifc thoughts are becoming important to me doesn't mean they will become a personal sin to you. But you never know what God will hold you accountable for in your own life.
President Obama! No, I did not vote for him, and given the same choices, I would not vote for him again. That being said, he is our President. He is MY President, voted into office as a result of the vote I participated in.
Romans 13:1-2 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
I am personnally sick and tired of hearing every other American call for impeachment less than 1 year after a president is put into office. I am paricularly sickened by Christians berating President Obama with every other breath. He was placed in office with our vote, he sits in office by Gods authority. To do anything but to support him while in office with my whole heart is to rejects Gods authority through him.
Speed 55 MPH. What is there to say on this topic, after all EVERYONE drives 5-10 over the speed limit. Then why is it called a speed limit? Even the police allow about 7 MPH leeway when clocking us. They why does everyone panic and slow down when we see a cop? God calls us to obey the authorities established over us. Our government, arguably the greatest that exists on earth today, has defined very specific speed limits for our safety. Just because "everyone does it" has resulted in a nation wide habit of ignoring these speed signs doesn't mean we should follow suit. Wide is the path to hell, but only those who travel the straight and narrow can make it to heaven. Avoid all appearance of evil. Eventually a habit forms to stretch all the rules and laws.
I made a choice to travel the speed limit at all times about 1 year ago. I did this for the sake of saving gas, a personally selfish reason. As a result I have noticed a savings in gas money. I do not arrive home stressed out from the drive home. And I have the chance to watch how everyone looks at me as if I am the biggest jerk on the road for doing 50 in a defined 50 zone. How Dare I! And I have seen some intersting reactions.
I travel half my trip to work in a 50 zone and half in a 60 zone. If I travel 50 in the 50, I will usually have someone behind me, inching up on my tail, mentally pushing me to move faster. Drop my speed to 45 and what happens. They will back off to a safe distance. Speed up to 50, and I lose their headlights in my rear view mirror. Slow down to 45 and they appear to become patient again.
I have had people refuse to pass me on a 1 mile stretch of 2 lane passing zone, only to scream past me in a no passing zone.
Satan is very sublte about how he introduces his evil to us. "Obama is the devil incarnate, block his efforts every chance you get." At face value seems like a statement we can stand behind. But it is in direct contradiction to God's commandment.
60 in a 55 zone, 'just following the traffic so as not to cause a slow down'. Yet 1 MPH over the defined speed limit is speeding and speeding is disobeying the law and disobeying the law is contrary to God's commandment.
OK, I'm done ranting and raving...well raving. I'll probably be ranting for a few years more.
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