This past Sunday we talked about living a pure life (100% milk, or your other favorite beverage). The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. Create in me a pure heart Lord! But "How can a young man keep his way pure, by living according to Your word." (Psalm 119) Seriously, lets be real though. How hard is it to live a pure life in this day in age? HARD! Not saying that I don't think it can be done or that God expects any less of us.
As I was pondering purity and my own life lately, I felt utterly discouraged and overwhelmed. That is when the Lord told me to start from square one. Go back to the basics. Jesus says in John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." Remember we must daily wear those shoes of peace: cleats with over 2000 promises grounding us from slipping and falling.
We must also remember where all those temptations come from. For we are not fighting about flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of darkness (Ephesians 6). We are fighting against the devil himself. The world we live in today is filled with his traps: designed perfectly for us to slip and fall into. Among those snares are images, ideas, and idols of this world.
But let us not dwell on the negative. Let us be encouraged by some of God's promises: We already have victory in Jesus, because He did live a pure and perfect life, and by His blood we are washed white as snow. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. So there you go. Jesus is the key ingredient to purity. Yes he wants us to learn to recognizes Satan's specific traps for us, to lead us not into temptation, deliver us from the evil one, and to call on Jesus' name, ask for His forgiveness, grace and mercy when we do fall into those traps.
The last thing God wants is for us to live in Satan's bondage. Not only did He intend for us to live a life of peace, hope, and joy, but a life sharing that with others. Jesus tells us in Matthew 5
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot." If you fall into Satan's trap, not only do you loose your flavor or righteousness, but you are not preserving the Good News about Jesus. If you do fall, "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9 Thank you Jesus for making us salty ;o)
Jesus also says in Matthew 5: 14 "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Remember we live in a dark world. In a room full of 30 people, how many people do you think are truly following Jesus? My guess is 1 to 3. In that dark room, if only 1 person has a flashlight (and you are that person), how differently would you live? Why else aren't we in heaven yet? God left us here to love God and love others by sharing the good news about His Son Jesus our Lord and Savior from sin and death. How else can we better do that, than by being the only light in a dark room and leading others to Christ? Jesus said in John 8:12 “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Follow Jesus, be the light of life today!
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