Impure

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Deuteronomy 23:9 Stay Away From The Impure

When you encamped against your enemies, keep away from anything impure. Deuteronomy 23:9

In every nation there will be times that battles will occur for the military to take care of. During the battle the soldiers must remain focused upon their mission. Soldiers must be careful not to allow themselves to become distracted with anything that could prevent them from accomplishing their mission. Along with staying focused, they must also keep themselves in good health.

Staying physically and mentally focused will allow them to be ready to take a stand against the enemy in the defensive or offensive times.

Moses told the Israelites that when they are going up against their enemies, they must stay away from anything impure.

Believers are soldiers in God’s army, though the battle is not a physical one with guns and other physical weapons, but a spiritual battle. The battle is against spiritual forces and sin that arises up in the life of the believer to take him out and destroy him.

As with any battle there will be times when the believer is encamped across from the enemy waiting for a time of direct conflict. One must be prepared mentally and physically for the battle that will come and must remained focused upon the mission staying away from anything impure or sinful.

Any time a believer allows sin in his life, he weakens his defense against the enemy and allows the enemy to gain territory. With sin in his life, he is no longer focused upon God, His word and the enemy, but upon self and sin. The world will see that sin or weakness and find a way to strike at that vulnerable area in the life of the believer.

Keeping away from sin allows God to rise up and destroy the plans of the enemy.

There will be times in your life in which there will be a lull in the battle as you are encamped near the enemy. Do not allow yourself to become unfocused and to allow sin in your life.

Keep yourself away from anything impure so that you will be ready to fight the enemy on the day of battle. Stay focused upon God and His word and His mission for your life. God will fight your battles when you do not allow sin in your life that will distract you from His plan for your life.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will stay focused upon God and His word in times of battle; that God will give you strength to stay away from all sin in your life; and that God will give you strength and direction in defeating the enemies in your life.

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1 Thessalonians 4:7 How To Really Live Life

For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 1 Thessalonians 4:7

All around the world there are many different views on how one should live his life. Each culture has a slightly different norm as to what is expected of a person in living life. Some are extremely focused on education, while others are on careers, and yet others are on family.

The one common theme throughout the world is that one lives to please self without being too separated from everyone else. If it pleases self, then it must be acceptable.

After talking about living like Jesus, Paul tells the people that God did not call them to live an impure, but a holy life.

Living a holy life is something that is different, it is being separated from the world unto God. Very few people like to be separated or different from others. Everyone wants to fit in with those around them.

In reality, the world does not have any set standards of how to live life other than to please one’s own self in whatever way that means or is needed. With that type of mindset, there is no true moral standard.

Sin does not exist according to the world, thus any action is acceptable, causing the world to live an impure, sinful lifestyle in anyway possible. Nothing is off limits.

The believer is to live to a different standard, by God’s holy standard, a pure and sinless life that pleases God. Living in this way is living on a different path than the world. It is choosing to not sin or follow the ways of this world. It is going against the flow of the world around him.

Jesus lived the expected standard, setting the example of how to live life and He gave the Holy Spirit to strengthen and guide a believer to live that same way of holy living.

As a believer, you are called to be separate from the world and its ways of living. Jesus has forgiven you of past sins, so do not go back to those sins or ways of living.

Come out from among the world and live a life that is separate and holy unto God. Choose daily, even moment by moment, to reject a sinful lifestyle and be holy as God is holy.

He has given you everything you need to live the holy life, now live it.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will know the standard God has called you to live; that you will allow the Holy Spirit to guide you in living a holy life; and that God will strengthen you to turn from all sinful ways of living.

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Acts 10:28 Give Them A Chance

He said to them: “You are well aware that is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.” Acts 10:28

Society has often divided itself into different segments in which each does not mix with the other. Some common divisions are the extremely wealthy don’t mix with the extreme poor, or the prim and proper don’t mix with the drug-addict criminal.

This is often done to keep up appearances or to keep from being affected by the lower classes of society.

Peter, a Jew, was called to visit with Cornelius, a Gentile. As Peter meets with them he lets them know that it is normally against the Jewish law for them to meet, but that God has told him that no person is unclean to the point of not being able to meet with them at all.

In the same way that the society has different classes that don’t often mix, the church acts in the same way with others, both inside and outside the church.

There are many believers who will not associate with believers of a different denomination, believing the others are sinners being condemned to hell for their beliefs. Along with avoiding other believers, they refuse to go around and visit with non-believers for fear of being contaminated with sin.

Acting in this way does not give people a chance to believe in or even hear the truth about Jesus. It writes them off before they can hear about Jesus.

When Jesus walked on the earth, He met with anyone and everyone, regardless of status or ethnicity. As the church began to grow, the apostles learned to do the same.

Every believer needs to meet with the unbeliever to give him a chance to believe in Jesus.

There are people in your life who are of a different social status or belief than you. Each one needs a chance to hear the gospel message. God will open doors for you to meet with these people, so that you can tell them about what Jesus has done for them.

Do not allow yourself to be like the Jewish people and refuse to meet with them out of fear of being contaminated. Go in the power and strength of the Holy Spirit and bring the gospel message of salvation to them. Without it, they are dying.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Savior; that God will give you boldness to be His witness; that you will tell everyone you meet about Jesus; that you will give every person a chance to accept or reject Jesus; and that God’s kingdom will be built up through you.

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Revelation 21:27 The New Jerusalem

“Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Revelation 21:27

John just described the new Jerusalem that came down out of heaven. This city is huge, about 1,400 long, wide and high. The walls are about 200 feet thick and made of jasper. The city streets are made of pure gold. The foundation is of precious stones. The gates are made of single pearls.

The city is beyond anything a person today could really imagine. Nothing on this earth has even come close to what this city is like. God is at the center of this city and brings the light to this city. There is no more night. No longer is there any sin or darkness.

I am not a person who really likes big cities. I prefer the countryside. But when I read of this city, it is one I would love to visit, and even live in. It is a perfect city with nothing bad in it. Most people would want to go to a city like this.

As much as people would love to see a city like this, there is a requirement to be allowed into this city. Even today, here on this earth, there are cities that have a requirement in order to get into enter them. In order to enter Mecca, you must be a Muslim. This type of requirement is nothing new.

In order to enter this new Jerusalem, your name must be written in the Lamb’s book of life. Jesus is that Lamb. His book is the book that lists the names of everyone who has accepted the salvation He provides; those who have repented of their sins and have been forgiven.

No one or anything sinful can enter into this city. Only those who are righteous in Jesus can enter.

Are you trusting in the salvation of Jesus? Have you repented of and turned away from your sins? Are you truly following God with all that is in you?

Along with yourself making it into this new Jerusalem are you letting others know about it? Are you being the witness Jesus has called you to be? Are you telling others of the coming destruction? Do not go there alone, bring others along.

I pray that today God give you a vision of the new Jerusalem; that God will give you a vision of the lost still in this world; that you will serve God with all of your heart; that you will turn from all sin; and that you will work at building God’s kingdom.