Sunday, December 6, 2009

Deckie 'Thought of the Day'

It's all too easy to look around at how others are living and compared to them... we're doing o.k.  We're not the best kids in class, the idolized examples - teacher's pets, but we're not the worst either - the ones always testing their limits and getting into trouble.  Just somewhere in between.  It's comfortable here in the middle.  People aren't watching you, pointing and saying, "See?  Be more like her" or watching waiting to catch you in your next defiant act as "the bad boy."  People don't really notice you.  You can blend in.  Go with the flow...  Everyone is five (or 10 or 15) minutes late; it's just ship culture.  So I'll be five minutes late too!

Bummer I read this verse:

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.
1 Tim. 4:12

"SET AN EXAMPLE???!"  But that means I have to stand out!  That means I have to stand up, and live to this higher standard-!  Let's look at the five aspects we're to set an example in.

1. SPEECH 
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Eph. 4:29

2. LIFE
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
1 Peter 2:9, 11-12

In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
2 Tim. 3:12

He didn't say it would be easy.

Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.  Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments because you know they produce quarrels.  And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.
2 Tim. 2:22-24

3. LOVE
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive, as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Colossians 3:12-14

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Eph. 5:1-2

4. FAITH
Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.  But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
1 Peter 1:13-16

Dictionary definition of holy:  Holy: morally or spiritually excellent

5. PURITY
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people.  Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or course joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
Eph. 5:3-4

Look at the words I've put in bold; 'any'... 'only'... 'SUCH good lives'... 'not even a hint'.  Doesn't leave much room for a grey area.

Finally, brothers we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living.  Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.
It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him.  The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you.  
For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.  Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
1 Thess. 4:1, 3-8

God has called us to live to a higher standard than the world.  Everyone is five minutes late.  Make it, everyone is five minute late, except one - YOU.  Dare to be different.  Dare to model the life that most of us truly desire to have.  Be five minutes early.  Don't be satisfied with a life that's just ok... there is NO LIMIT to the high standard we can strive for.

Go ahead!  Sit in the front!  Don't wear that right-on-the-edge low cut top.  Walk out on that movie.  God has given us the power in his Holy Spirit; why settle for less?!



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