set apart
when god calls people to follow his son, jesus, we are to come out from the rest of the population.
just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "be holy for i am holy. 1 peter 1:15-16.
this does not mean that we wear a halo and are perfect. there has only been one that is perfect. Jesus. what it means is that we are to be "set apart". to live in the world but we no longer live as the world does.
we are a new creation. the old has gone and the new has come. 2 corinthians 5:17.
with regard to your former way of life, you put off your old self, which is being corrupted by it's deceitful desires, to be made new in the attitude of your minds, and to put on the new self, created to be like god in true righteousness and holiness. ephesians 4:22-24.
the first step in doing this is to repent or turn away from our sins
and turn toward jesus
repent and turn to god so that times of refreshing will come. acts 3:19
this means that we will no longer act as we once did. we will no longer go to the same places and engage in the same activities. we will think and speak differently. our desires and attitudes will change.
little by little, we will not be INticed by the desires of this world and SATISFYING our own selfish lusts as we once were. we will loose interest in things that do not edify.
instead we will begin to desire to live in an upright mannor seeking ETERNAL things rather than the things of the world.
we will begin to re-evaluate our priorities and how we define success.
we will start to slow down and to seek god and to know him.
we will no longer plan anything without including god in the equation.
the family and friends we associate with will notice these changes. they may even start to avoid or even mock us because they are uncomfortable when we are around.
we will find ourselves not being included in the social circles that we were once a part of.
we may be the only one in the croud that is standing with biblical standards and against the tide of the cultural, popular opinions.
this is not an easy path to walk and will be resisted in the culture.
jesus told his disciples, “whoever wants to be my disciple, must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Matthew 16:24
jesus makes it clear that we are either with him, or we are against him. Matthew 12:30
there is no middle ground.
when god calls us out into deeper waters with him, we may find ourselves standing alone. but remember that he said that he will never leave us nor forsake us.
the lord himself goes before you and will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. do not be afraid, do not be discouraged. deuteronomy 31:8
the more time you spend with the lord, the more you will grow. the more of him you will desire.
when i was a child, i talked like a child, i thought like a child, i reasoned like a child. when i became a man, i put the ways of childhood behind me. 1 corinthians 13:11.
soon you will begin to seek to please him alone: your audience of one. no longer burdening yourself with what the world thinks of you.
jesus is calling you to come out of your comfort zone. step out of the boat and move toward him. with your eyes on him, you can rise above all things, maybe even walk on water!
"come" he said. then peter got down out of the boat and walked on water and came toward jesus. matthew 14:29.
i pray that you will have the courage to "step out" and to “take up your cross” and live out the rest of your life "set apart" trusting in the lord WHOLEHEARTEDLY, EARNESTLY seeking him concerning yourself soley with him and his ways rather than men and their ways.
let him draw you out away from the shore into deep waters in the realm of the unknown.
it is only there that he will reveal many mysteries to you that you did not know.
here is a very important truth:
all this in preparation for the great, final separation that is coming:
Jesus told us that he is coming back one day for his “chosen ones” for those He has “set apart”
this is referred to as the rapture.
He said “i am going to prepare a place for you, and I am coming back to take you to where i am so that you will be with me” john 14:3
this is clearly described in the bible:
“the lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of god and the dead in christ will rise first and we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the lord in the air and so we will be with the lord forever.” 1 thessalonians 4:16-17.
i am encouraging you with these words.
"when the son of man comes in all of his glory and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. all the nations will be gathered before him and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. he will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. then the king will say to those on his right: come you who are blessed by my father, take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.”
matthew 25:31-34
“then he will say to those on the left, depart from me you who are cursed into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. then they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” matthew 25:41, 46
today could be the day!
are you ready? it will happen without any warning. there is nothing else that has to happen before he returns.
once it happens, there will be no second chances.
you do not want to be left behind!
you want to be counted with the sheep and not the goats!
give yourself to the lord jesus. right now!
Jesus told us “i am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the father except through me” john 14:6
only by believing in jesus and accepting his sacrifice on the cross for our sins can we obtain eternal life with him either through death or the rature if we are still alive when he returns.
take this step of faith today..it will be the best thing you ever do in your life!
