Because those in the world are so quick to live vicariously through their children, to catalog their successes in conversation and on social media, we Christians are tempted to follow suit. We want to show the world that our following in the pathway of Christ doesn’t make us losers, but that in fact we are empowered for even greater successes. We Christians herald our outspoken athletes and our teenage pop stars and in turn highlight whatever headlines our own children garner. Our standards, however, ought to be different. Our faith isn’t a better path to a better life, as the world defines it. It is instead a different path, a different life, and a different understanding of what we mean by better. We cherish academic success, but smart, I’m sorry to report, is not listed among the fruit of the Spirit. Neither is pretty, wealthy, athletic, musical. There is nothing wrong with those things, nothing wrong with excelling in those things. They are not, however, the goal. They are not the measure of success for those called to pick up their cross and follow Him.
R.C. Sproul Jr.

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BBD 02.15.22 Worldliness (New)

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#1 · February 15, 2022, 11:07 am

Posted by: theburningbushdevotional <theburningbushdevotional@...>

Since June 8th 1998, this is
the 1835th                                   

The Burning Bush Devotional

15 February 2022

 

Worldliness

 

For God did not call
us to uncleanness, but in holiness. – 1 Thessalonians 4:7.

 

I have been
reading a book by Vance Havner entitled, “Holy
Desperation.” As I was reading this morning, he shared
about hearing Billy Graham make a confession about worldliness. Graham said, “I heard
Kenneth Cansler preach the other day on worldliness, and I got under conviction,
and I’ve got to do something about what he talked about. I find myself laughing
at things on television that I wouldn’t have laughed at ten years ago. And I’ve
got to do something about it.”

 

Havner says
that he knew what Graham was talking about. Havner says he used to watch tennis
tournaments on Sunday afternoons. He says, “You wouldn’t
go to hell for looking at things like that, but as I sat there one afternoon, a
voice, not my own, said, ‘You’re preaching tonight to people who are standing
between life and death, between heaven and hell, and there’s a better way to
get ready for it than what you’re doing now.’” Havner says that was the end of watching tennis tournaments on Sunday
afternoons.

 

Jim Elliott
who died a martyr for the Lord Christ in South America once said, “A friend
of mine invited me over to his house to watch television, and God spoke to me
with Psalm 119:37, “Turn away
mine eyes from beholding vanity.” The NKJV puts
this verse as: “Turn away my
eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your
way.”

 

Who among us
can say that we don’t need to repent of looking at worthless
things? I know that I do. I read what these godly
men have said about worldliness and far too many of us, myself included, need
to drop our heads in shame and ask the Lord to “revive me in Your way.”

 

Quoting one of my own devotionals: Is your life covered in the slime of this world? If so, and you want to
be cleansed 1 John 1:9 tells us how to be cleansed, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive
us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Then, turn off and turn down the world’s immoral
messages and instead fill your life with good things like God’s Word; think
about good things as we are told in Philippians 4:8; and fill your life up with, “whatever things are true, whatever
things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever
things are pure….”

 

 

 

Copyright © 1998 - 2022. Ed
Wrather. The Burning Bush website has been online since January 31, 1998. On
June 8, 1998, the email version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.
Ed Wrather began writing devotionals in the early 1990s. The distribution of
those first devotionals was primarily through the Burning Bush Newsletter sent
to prison facilities throughout the United States and Canada.

 

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Please pray about the
situation in Ukraine with the Russian troop buildup on their border.

 

Please also pray about the
situation in Canada.

 

Please pray for God to touch and
bring about His will in these lives: Martha and John W.; Alan Medders; Norman
Cupp; Georgia Bronnert; Caleb Freeman; Pat S.; Buck & Barbara Wright; GWEN
PRUET; James Perkins and his wife; Vonnie; Evi Porter; Jennifer Burge; Kinsey
W; Addison; JoJo, Bailey and Nicky; Ralph and De Chapman; Hilary; Cody
Stahlman; Patsy M.; Brandy and Jadyn’s Dad; John W.; Patricia Rohman and Lisa Butler
who has had a stroke; Scott J.; Karla W.; Clayton T. and Sarah; Clark S.; Lana
Bass; Matthew Collins; Marjean C.; Bradley E.; Fern McVey; Nannie R.; Sarah
Anderson; Beverly J; Larayne S. and Shonda Hutson.

 

Please pray for the coronavirus
COVID19 pandemic to come to an end. Pray for treatments and a cure for the
virus to be rapidly found and deployed. Pray for all those afflicted to be
healed and for our leaders to have supernatural wisdom and ability to lead us
through this pandemic.

 

Please pray for an end to the
rioting, looting, wanton destruction, and the racial hatred in the USA and that
it will be replaced with peace and love. May God help the USA! Many prayer
needs are posted at the Burning Bush website on the Prayer Request page. You
can also post your prayer requests there (Of
course, I am always in need of prayer - please pray for me. Having back surgery in a few weeks. 03.18.18
I accepted the call to be the pastor of Fairview Baptist Church in Elk City,
Oklahoma. Please pray for me and for this church.).

 

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