It's been a wonderful two weeks with my children and grandchildren home. I'm ready to get back to my writing.
My goal for this year is to memorize John 15. I divided it into two parts, and we have complete the first part; verses 1-17. Each week I will "recite" what we have learned and add one more verse.
John 15:18
"If the world hate you,
ye know that it hated me
before it hated you."
John 15:19
"If ye were of the world,
the world would love his own;
but because ye are not of the world,
but I have chosen you out of the world,
therefore the world hateth you."
Do you remember at time when you had your group of friend that you hung out with? Maybe you tacked a sign on your bedroom door saying "NO GIRLS ALLOWED" or maybe you sat with your girlfriends at one lunch table. Maybe you even named your club and had a secret code. whether you were a boy or a girl, the other was your "enemy", and if anyone broke that line, then he was shunned and became your enemy, too.
We laugh because children act this way. It's not right, and many feelings got hurt. As we mature, we know that you can a variations of friendship. Not everyone is your best friend, neither is she your enemy. You learn to be kind and polite and include others in your life.
God draws a division between people, though. Either a person is on His side or not. There is no in-between. The children of the Lord are enemies of the world, or the children of the devil. The ones of the world don't always know that there is a battle, but they feel uncomfortable around God's people. They laugh at them and scorn their ways. Some even make life miserable for the Christians. There are those that determine to rid them from existance.
Often the ones of the world will try to lure God's children into their wickedness. It becomes a sign of victory and eases their guilt to tempt a child of God to sin.
We are warned about the ways of the world in the Bible. (Proverbs 16:29) "A violent man enticeth his neighbor and leadeth him into the way that is not good." (Proverbs 22:24, 25) "Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go, lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul."
This path of godliness is often lonely. Jesus didn't say it would be easy. There are not many who follow it. They all seem to be having a great time on the other road, and we wish we could join the fun. (Matthew 7:13) "Enter ye at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in there at."
God tells us not to join them. He tells us that He will be our strength and comfort. (Psalm 1:1,6) "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way with sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish."
Lord, keep our feet in Your path. Blind our eyes to the ways of the world. Though it hate us and laugh at us and tempt us, may we keep our eyes on You. Amen
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