Not to company with fornicators

Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 24; 1 Corinthians 5; Ezekiel 3; Psalm 39

1 Corinthians 5:9-10 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

The apostle had instructed the Corinthian believers not to keep company with fornicators. The Bible is here helping us understand that we must be in contact with immoral and idolatrous people who are lost. There are going to be neighbors, work associates, acquaintances, and extended family members who are not followers of Jesus. They are ‘of this world’. As followers of Jesus we must live IN this world. We must not be OF this world. Jesus prayed for his followers:

John 17:14-15 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

Jesus wants us to remain in this world to be a witness to him. He does not want us to be of this world and he prayed for our protection from the evil one while we are here. So the fornicators that believers are not to keep company with are those who are ‘so called’ believers.

1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

The Bible tells us that a person who claims to be a believer and lives an openly sinful lifestyle is the person we are not to keep company with. A true follower of Christ will desire to leave this old sinful lifestyle behind.

2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

If we claim to belong to Jesus, we must depart from iniquity. So we must not ‘hang out’ with people who live openly sinful lifestyles and claim to know Jesus. We are doing them a disservice. If we don’t help them understand that they are living inconsistent lives, they will not know that what they are doing is sinful. We may also be influenced by their immoral behavior. A believer who is living a sinful lifestyle needs to be corrected.

Let’s live consistent lives in Jesus!

In Christ,

Rody

I as a deaf man

Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 23; 1 Corinthians 4; Ezekiel 2; Psalm 38

Psalms 38:13-14 But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.

David had people who spoke evil and untrue things about him. They were his enemies and they wanted him to come to ruin.

Psalms 38:12 They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.

Have you ever had someone who spoke evil things about you? Have you ever had the rumor-mill running rampant spreading untruths about you? What should you do when that happens?

David said he was like a deaf man. He could not hear what they said. Oh, he could hear them and there are always those who will be glad to tell you what others are saying, but he chose to be AS a deaf man. He chose not to hear. You and I can do that. We can be selective in our hearing and we can choose not to listen to lies. He also chose not to retaliate with words. He said he was AS a dumb man that did not open his mouth. He would not try and defend himself. He would not answer back in reproof trying to prove them wrong.

Why would he do this? Why wouldn’t he set the record straight? Because he knew that they would not hear even if he told the truth. He would not defend himself. He would instead trust God to be his defender.

Psalms 38:15 For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.

Would you do that? Would you stop trying to defend yourself and put your trust in God? He knows! He hears! When you and I try to defend ourselves the temptation is to make ourselves out to be innocent. We are NOT innocent. We may not be all that enemies are saying about us, but we are not innocent. We must leave place for God’s vengeance and never take our own vengeance.

Romans 12:19-21 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Let God be your defender. Let God handle the situation. He can do it right. We are to overcome evil with good!

In Christ,

Rody

The steps of a good man

Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 21, 22; 1 Corinthians 3; Ezekiel 1; Psalm 37

Psalms 37:23-24 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

When the Bible talks about your steps it means your lifestyle or your walk through life. Wouldn’t it be great to know that your steps were ordered by the LORD? That would mean that God really had a plan for your life and he knew your outcome! It would mean that you could be led through life by God himself. Imagine a man who has to walk through a mine field. He has a radio and a partner is in a high tower who can see the field from a higher vantage point. The man on the ground is not able to see the mines, but the man in the tower is able to see them because of his position. As the man traverses the mine field, he is led by the radio as the man in the tower gives him direction. If he were alone, he would be doomed, but with the guidance from above, he can safely navigate the field. God can see the traps! He will order your steps.

Now we do have a problem with this verse. It says the steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD. Since there is none good, no not one (Romans 3:10), we must understand this to mean a person who is trusting in Christ. The believer has the Holy Spirit yielding the fruit of the Spirit in his life which is goodness (Galatians 5:22-23). Not only does God order our steps, but he delights in our way. Isn’t it wonderful to know that God is delighting in the path you are taking through life? He smiles when he sees you prayerfully make decisions. He smiles when he sees you make Biblical choices.

Even when we are being guided by God, we get off course sometimes. We sin. For the believer who is held in the hand of God, he can know that those falls will not be a slide to the bottom of the chasm. The LORD will uphold you. His hand will catch you. You will not be utterly cast down. You will not be lost!

Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

This makes our walk secure. There will be falls but they will not be away from the LORD. He is holding us and he will pick us back up.

In Christ,

Rody

Eye hath not seen

Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 20; 1 Corinthians 2; Lamentations 5; Psalm 36

1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Have you ever heard this verse quoted and then the person say something like, “We cannot even imagine how wonderful the things in heaven will be that God has prepared for us? Some day we will experience these things when we get to be with Jesus there.”? Unfortunately that is not the whole truth of this verse. Yes, God is telling us that with our natural senses we cannot perceive how wonderful the things he has for us who love him. But the next verse tells us that we do not have to wait until we get to heaven to know these things.

1 Corinthians 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

Notice that the Bible is speaking in the past tense when it tells us that he has revealed them to us by his Spirit. The revelation of God’s Spirit in a believer’s life is his giving us an understanding of himself and his magnificent plan for our lives. He searches all things, even the deep things of God. Things that we could never understand or experience without the Spirit’s help are made known to us because the Holy Spirit lives IN us! As a believer, this is God’s way of teaching us.

1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

When God gave you the Holy Spirit, he gave you the mind of Christ! The thoughts that God has for you can be understood by you. This does not happen apart from the Word of God. God uses the Bible and his Holy Spirit reveals to you the mind of Christ. This is why a person who is not born again does not understand God, his Word or his ways.

1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

God wants his children to understand the things that he teaches us by his Spirit. What a privilege we have knowing that we can understand God’s Word because his Spirit lives in us!

In Christ,

Rody

All speak the same thing

Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 19; 1 Corinthians 1; Lamentations 4; Psalm 35

1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Can you hear the apostle begging this church? To beseech means to implore passionately. He wanted this for them in a big way! It is not that this was just Paul’s idea that he dreamed up – he is beseeching them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the will of God for the church. This is the will of Jesus for us today! Can you imagine what a wonderful fellowship a church would have that all speak the same thing?

Now does this means that Jesus wants a bunch of clones? That is to miss the point. It means that when it comes to a Biblical worldview, the church is one with do divisions among them. To have the same mind and the same judgment or discernment is God’s will for the church. What would that look like?

It would be a church that was so steeped in the Word of God that they were all listening to the Holy Ghost. If we are all following Jesus, he is only going in one direction! It is men with agendas that lead us in different directions. If we are all following Jesus, we will all be going the same direction! No divisions, no sects, no selfish agendas! How do we get there?

Philippians 2:5-8 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

To have the mind of Christ, we need the humility of Christ. We need to be teachable disciples who are constantly feeding on God’s Word. Would you become a servant for the sake of the name of Jesus? Would you do away with selfish ambition and replace it with a Godly ambition that longs for Jesus to be glorified above all else? Would you see God’s church as a family with a common purpose to glorify God?

In Christ,

Rody