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John the Baptist |
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| John the
Baptist would never get hired today. No church would touch him. He was a
public relations disaster. He "wore clothes made from camel's hair, had a
leather belt around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey" (Mark 1:6).
Who would want to look at a guy like that every Sunday? His message was as rough as his dress: a no-nonsense, bare-fisted challenge to repent because God was on his way. John the Baptist set himself apart for one task, to be a voice of Christ. Everything about John centered on his purpose. His dress. His diet. His actions. His demands. You don't have to be like the world to have an impact on the world, You don't have to be like the crowd to change the crowd. You don't have to lower yourself down to their level to lift them up to your level. Holiness doesn't seek to be odd. Holiness seeks to be like God. The word tells us: "Come ye out and be separate." These words tell us we will be and act different from the world. We are to be an example which means we are made in the likeness of Christ and we are to portray this likeness to all whom we come in contact with. He also tells us, we are to have the mind of Christ! We must keep our thoughts pure! When we are sincere in our desire to be like Him and to have pure thoughts as well, He will give us His strength and wisdom to do this! We cannot be the example He would have us to be if we seek after the worldly things. This is possible when we stay in close communion with Him and spend time with Him and His word. We are to study to show ourselves approved unto Him! Amen?........... Anyone who wants to be a friend of the world becomes God's enemy. James 4:4 Max Lucado |
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