lifestyle Archives – Sonshine's Journal

June 24, 2018

Who Are You Walking With?

crowd walking 1Thess 4 “Which Crowd Do You Walk With?”

The Pharisees were hypocrites because they were like the whitewashed tombs outside the city. They looked the part of righteousness and acted the part of the righteous but inside they were full of dead men’s bones. We are the same when we walk with the Jesus crowd on Sunday and walk with the worldly crowd on Monday. Often we partake of communion with the saints on Sunday but partake of liquid spirits on Monday. Those we meet do even recognize we are different because our “walk and talk” are just like theirs, the Gentiles/unbelievers. Our behaviors are no different and we justify it by saying “everybody is doing it.” Really? If charged as a Christian would there be enough evidence to prove it?

Paul reminds the Thessalonians that they are on view before the unbelieving world. Their lifestyle had to be pristine if they hoped to win others to Christ. He challenged them to look at the crowd they were a part of. Were they walking circumspectly or like the world? The first test is to see if you live a life of holiness and separateness from the world in purity without promiscuity.

Everybody is NOT doing it so why do you use that argument?

May 16, 2015

The Power of Prayer

One of the subscriptions I get monthly is “Voice of the Martyrs.” It encourages and challenges me to be more Christ-like in a world that seems to have gone astray from the biblical teachings of our Lord. We are being bombarded by the voices of the deceiver seeking to draw us away from the truth of the gospel message. But, in times like this our character is revealed when we are not deceived but remain fixed upon Christ even when persecuted. It is then that we prove more than ever that we are as those who the deceived mockingly call us “the people of the cross.” What they mean as derogatory is really a badge of honor. For that we should be most grateful. They have coined a phrase that we can honor by our lifestyle, our character, our words and actions. However, we who reside in the west are being told we are being persecuted which is far from the truth. It is those that are living in the “east” or “middle east”, or even “far east” who are the ones revealing to us what true persecution is and how we are to respond to it if it should reach our shores. We who are free ought to be praying diligently for those who are experiencing true persecution. When they are asked what can we do for you their immediate reply is this: “pray for us”. Paul shares with us in his letter to the Thessalonians how to actually do this. The following post is what I wrote on this for today’s reading in 2Thessalonians chapter 1. You can read it here along with the other posts I have done: https://www.facebook.com/bible.org My goal is to walk with you day by day encouraging you to be strong no matter what comes your way and to encourage you to pray and pray some more and then pray again for those undergoing persecution.

Here is the Facebook post for today. Come and join us as we walk the pages of the NT, Psalms and Proverbs each day.

“talent is formed in solitude, but character in the storms of life” [Goethe] How true those words are and evidenced as we watch from the sidelines those who are persevering in the midst of affliction. What was true in the time of Paul, in the time of Nazism, and in our present age is this; the arrows of evil seek to divide and conquer but what is meant for evil is used by God to bring about a harvest of new souls. In doing so the character of our brethren’s flourishing transformation not only humbles us but challenges us to join in partnership with them.

We accomplish this through the avenue and the privilege of prayer because it is our spiritual weapon against the powers of darkness. Paul never prayed what one author called “Father Christmas prayers for health, wealth and happiness.” Instead he prayed for these who were facing persecution to faithfully endure under fire so that they may be made worthy of God’s calling. He prayed that they reflect the truth that God who began a good work in them will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. He prayed that the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit would assist them in enduring under pressure. Lastly he prayed that they seek to glorify the name of Jesus. This is how we too can voice our prayers before God for our persecuted brethren.

April 21, 2015

The World is Watching and Listening

Peter continues to reveal to the beloved Christ followers how they can live, behave and react to those who live in a darkened world. Our walk with Christ begins in the home and moves on to those beyond to the entire world.

The home is the foundation and what is done there is revealed in how one lives in the church and in the marketplace. Family members must exhibit behavior that will turn the hearts of unbelievers to the Lord. Our walk and talk inside the home prepares us for our walk and talk outside the home. The home is where our lifestyle of harmony, sympathy, brotherly kindness, kindheartedness, humility, forgiveness and blessing will be noted by outsiders. The family is the preparation ground for how we are to answer anyone who asks about the hope we possess. And when and if we are accused and or slandered remember this principle: “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head.” [Rom 12:20] for in doing so we are following the principle found in the first chapter: Be ye holy as I am holy. That is the imperative that will win others to Him.

Today, is your home a sanctuary where you are living out a lifestyle that will turn the hearts of unbelievers? If they should ask why you live, behave and respond as you do what would be your answer?

Photo courtesy of truthforlife.org

September 17, 2013

A Higher Law! 1Cor 8

Teddy Bears bring out the best in me. In fact, I have two of them on top of the nearest book case to my desk. They remind me that when I am down I can see their faces looking sweet and often even looking up. They live to the “higher law” of love and teddy bears bring out the sweetness in us…I have yet to meet anyone who didn’t like a teddy bear, have you? But life was not all teddy bear sweet in the Corinthian church as we have been seeing. There were disputes and on going dialogs as to what is right or wrong. When Dr. Keith Krell shared his sermon for bible.org, the title was “More than Meats the Eye.” You are reading right! Meats not meet because this next dispute was just about that. The dilemma was this:

Why can’t I choose to eat meat that has been used in idol worship and then marketed; I know the difference. (sounds rather pugnacious to me) This is when we stop and say it is not what you “know” but what you “do.” It is not about you, but about those new babes in Christ who have joined your fellowship. This is a “hello!” discussion. Ready?

So that was the question and here is Paul’s response formed in a question back to them. What is more important? Knowledge or Love? Freedom to do as you please or a new believer’s stand? Eating meat that has been sacrificed to idols and then marketed or not eating meat because it causes another to stumble? The answer should be obvious to the stronger brethren [sort of what we say a “duh”]: love supersedes knowledge, a new believer’s needs/questions supersedes your maturity, no meat at all supersedes a new believer’s stand. In Corinth idolatry was rampant and meats used in that worship, often the very best cuts of meat, were then marketed after the service. To the unknown buyer, or to the mature believer it mattered not because they knew that idols are just that, idols made of wood and stone, with no life within them. They knew and worshiped the One True God! But, to the new babe in Christ who has just left this belief system it was still questionable as they struggle to walk circumspectly. Won’t others who knew me before question why I still am living as if I were an idol worshiper? [GREAT QUESTION!!] New believers have all kinds of questions and this one ranks right up at the top! Paul said: dear beloved, know this! The higher law supersedes what you may know and what you choose to do.

To put this into today’s world we might use the example of alcohol. Many today say it is ok to have a glass of wine. New believers question whether it is ok and ask: What does my lifestyle say to those who have heard about my life change? Peter addressed this : 1Pe 4:4 4:4 “Of course, your old friends don’t understand why you don’t join in with the old gang anymore.” [MSG] Also remember what Paul said in earlier “your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own” which he will repeat in the 2Corinthians 6:17 “you are the temple of the living God.” Your lifestyle can be instructive to show that where the Word does not exactly condone or condemn, we choose the higher law which is to walk differently than the world. For you who are the mature believer, it is better to walk and live so that the new believer can see that Christ supersedes anything even if is not definitive. There is a higher law. There is a way we are to stand apart from the world.

The bottom line is this: what is more important? Your liberty/freedom to eat/drink even if you know it is OK if it might cause a new believer or even another believer to stumble and possibly fall? Discernment is the key. Choosing wisely is the key. Choosing love is the key. Putting others needs ahead of ourselves is the key.

Here’s your question: Do we cling to knowledge over love? Is “my” lifestyle more important than the walk of a new believer who is questioning? When it comes right down to it: Choose the higher law.