| Whatsoever
Things Are True
by Pastor Dan Coburn What you believe will dictate your actions. There was a very successful young man in turn of the century New York who enjoyed walking to work each day. It was about a forty-five minute walk which allowed him time to reflect, and greet the passers by. One evening, he found himself compelled to take a short-cut through a neighboring cemetery which would shave a good twenty minutes off his time. After a brief discussion with himself, and considering the full moon, opened the stereotypical squeaky gate and proceeded. This worked so well he did it every night. What he didn’t seem to notice, however, was that the moon was on the decline. It was a little darker every night but since nothing obviously bad had happened, he just kept doing it. (Note: That’s how sin works. Our lives keep getting darker, but nothing “obvious” happens so we think we are getting away with it till something terrible does happen). Anyway, as you might have guessed, one night it is pitch black. You would think he would abort his short-cut, but instead he rationalizes and decides “so far so good” and takes off, blindly bee-boppin through the graveyard. About halfway through, he falls into a freshly dug grave. The walls are very soft, and provide no hand or foothold. He groped desperately for over an hour. He surveyed every inch looking for even a hint of a root, or anything he could take hold of. There was none. Finally, half exhausted, and laughing at his predicament, he curled up in a corner to sleep. He figured someone would come along in the morning and would hear his cries which had been fruitless so far. After a time the town drunk came along and stumbled into the same hole as our friend. He began, in a panic, to scream and frantically grab great hands full of dirt which he was unknowingly pulling down on man number one. At first our hero chuckled to himself, but then decided to do the right thing. “I can save this man a lot of trouble” he thought; so he got up and placing his hand on the drunks shoulder, he said: “You’ll never get out of here!”-----but he did. You see, what you believe will dictate your actions. In Romans chapter 12: and vs 2, there is a verse of scripture that is often quoted, and seldom understood. It reads: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God”. First of all, lets examine the word “world”. Whenever you see it in the new testament, it means not a globe, but a world system. A collection of values and morals. Conformed means to be molded or managed, kind of like a playdough fun factory. The Greek word from which we get “transformed”, is the same word from which we get Metamorphosis; and pictures a literal transformation as in a butterfly from a worm. Remember 2nd Cor. 5: 17? “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new”. Finally, the word “prove”, means to put on display. How would you like to be made new? Jesus is in the -life changing- business. Ask Him today. Then, ask someone who loves Jesus, and consequently, loves you too. He will help you to believe and understand, which will dictate your actions. |
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