Not of This World

Lately the Lord has been placing many things upon my heart. He has exposed me to many of the enemy's plans and tactics to destroy the church (the body of Christ), to deceive the world into believing a false doctrine ( The New Age Theories) and pushing the Anti-Christ agenda. It is in all the popular movies (Avatar, Transformers, Sex and the City, Twilight), music ( Lady Ga Ga, Beyonce, Rhianna, Jay -Z), television (Lost, True Blood, Dexter) and books (Twilight, Harry Potter, The Secret).
The funny thing about it is that the Bible already warned us that these things will happen. Paul in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 tells us:

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

This passage speaks to the times we are living in. The economy is the way it is because people have such a love for money and wealth. You have movies, songs, TV shows, singers, actors, magazines, books and TV personalities that blaspheme God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit (which is an unpardonable sin). Our society tells us to be lovers of things and ourselves, to be a go getter and go for yours. Instead of loving one another and doing the will of God.
The sad part is that many Christians are participating in this behavior. Believers who say they love Christ but yet they disobey His word. Jesus said in John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments." Okay, so many of you will say but I don't do any of those things Paul speaks about in 2 Timothy. Paul also stated in Romans 1:32

who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

The word approve means "to speak or think favorably of"and "agreeable or good". So by definition if you are listening to these artist, watching these shows or movies or reading these magazines or books you are in a agreement with them.
Brothers and sisters because we are dead in Christ we are not of this world. We are not to practice nor participate in the things of this world. In John 15: 19 Jesus said "If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." The Lord brought me this word a while ago and I had to search my own heart. I still enjoyed reading some fashion magazines that dealt with vanity and sex. I own movies that are totally against the Word of God. I had to stop listening to worldly music as a whole and make a decision to be on the Lord's side. It is a difficult thing to do because the flesh lust after the flesh. But we have to die to all our desires and lay everything on the line to God. I have to repent and ask God to give me His heart and His desires for my life.
We are the light of the world! We can not blend in with the darkness. We are set apart from everyone else in this world. We are heirs of the Kingdom of God. I pray that this word encourages and motivates you at this time. Jesus is coming very soon and I pray when He comes he sees His people living out His word.

1 John 2:15-17 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. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust thereof: but he that does the will of God abides forever.

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Prayer Tip: "It Is Written"

A couple of years ago, the Holy Spirit revealed to me a method to use when praying. I was reading the passage in the bible where Jesus was being tempted by the devil (Matthew 4: 1-11 and Luke 4: 1-13). In the scriptures, Jesus would always respond to the devil first by saying, “It is written”. This really stood out to me and the Holy Spirit touched my heart. I felt the Holy Spirit say to me, “Use this when you pray”. At first I thought that I wouldn’t be effective because I did not know all that was written. I thought that I would need to know the Bible like the back of my hand to pray in this manner.

About a month or so later, I was at a retreat and was asked to lay my hands on and pray for a woman. I was unsure at first. I thought to myself, “Me, how can I lay hands on this woman and pray for her?” I was scared and lost. I felt the Holy Spirit remind me of what He had revealed to me. I began to open my mouth and as I prayed I started to quote some scriptures and as I quoted I started each scripture with, “It is written”. As I prayed, this woman began to be filled with the Holy Spirit! I take no credit for what happened to her because it was not me, it was the Lord and he merely used me as a vessel so that He may be glorified.

I learned, in that prayer, that God would not betray His Words. What God says is true and it will not fail. So remember that God gave you power through His Words, use them! Use them to speak life over your situations and family. Use His Words to ask in His name and use His Words to rebuke the enemy! Get into the Word of God so that your prayers can be more powerful, effective and filled with God’s light!