Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15.
Between the associations of the followers of Christ for Christian recreation, and worldly gatherings for pleasure and amusement, will exist a marked contrast. Instead of prayer and the mentioning of Christ and sacred things, will be heard from the lips of worldlings the silly laugh and the trifling conversation. The idea is to have a general high time.
Worldly pleasures are infatuating; and for their momentary enjoyment many sacrifice the friendship of Heaven, with the peace, love, and joy that it affords. But these chosen objects of delight soon become disgusting, unsatisfying.
Some of the most popular amusements, such as football and boxing, have become schools of brutality…. Other athletic games, though not so brutalizing, are scarcely less objectionable because of the excess to which they are carried. They stimulate the love of pleasure and excitement, thus fostering a distaste for useful labor, a disposition to shun practical duties and responsibilities…. Thus the door is opened to dissipation and lawlessness, with their terrible results.
The true Christian will not desire to enter any place of amusement or engage in any diversion upon which he cannot ask the blessing of God. He will not be found at the theater, the billiard hall, or the bowling saloon. He will not unite with the gay waltzes or indulge in any other bewitching pleasure that will banish Christ from the mind. To those who plead for these diversions we answer, We cannot indulge in them in the name of Jesus of Nazareth…. No Christian would wish to meet death in such a place. No one would wish to be found there when Christ shall come.
If we venture on Satan’s ground we have no assurance of protection from his power. So far as in us lies, we should close every avenue by which the tempter may find access to us.
The Faith I Live By p. 238
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray that Eileen and Mike have safe travels. Rose
—-Please needing emergency prayer for one of my sons. He has PTSD and is suicidal at times. Connie
—-Please pray for my cousin and his family. Daisy
—-Please pray for my cousin’s family. My cousin died this morning they think a heart attack, he was only 50. They are not Christians. Shirley
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Dear Friends,
We recently moved after having lived in our mobile home for over twenty-four years. As we moved the furniture, I was aghast and ashamed at the dirt and various items that had accumulated since I had rearranged my house. I think those who helped us move thought I am a very poor housekeeper indeed. How I wished I had moved my furniture more often.
Just so, it is good for us to do a little spiritual rearranging inside us as we prepare for our Soon-coming Saviour. It might shake us up and make us aghast and ashamed to see what is in our heart, but we must be ready to meet Jesus when He comes to gather His loved ones home. In that process, we must pray as did David, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” “Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.” Ps 139:23, 24; 119:133 Paul urged us to do some spiritual housecleaning when he said, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Phil 2:12, 13 He goes on to speak of a type of rearranging that our Heavenly Father does to get us ready to meet Him, “My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” Heb 12:5-11
Jesus is coming soon and now is the time to prepare. Now is the time to “work out [our] own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in [us] both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Phil 2:12, 13 Peter advises us, “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:10,11 Get ready! Get ready! Get ready!
Rose