Today I read an article about the town of Needles, California and how it wanted to secede from the state of California. Apparently they are not happy because the county seat is over 200 miles away. They are closer to Las Vegas, Nevada and Bullhead City, Arizona then they are to the place where county business is taken care of. They feel that Needles will get better representation and that they will have an opportunity to grow if they were in one of the neighboring states.
This article got me to thinking of Christians. When we make a profession of faith we are in a sense seceding from culture and the world. We are telling a culture that is given to sin that we would be better represented with Christ. When we secede from our culture we are shedding the "Old Man".....
"That you put off concerning the former conversation the OLD man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that you put on the NEW man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." (Ephesians 4:22-24)
If you call yourself a "Christian"(let me make this a little more clear since these days "Christian" could mean anything, a follower of Jesus Christ, the Truth, the Life and the Way.....the ONLY Way)you are to shed, uh secede from, the old man and put on the clothing of the "New Man". The idea here is that those clothes that once made us the "Old Man" need to be shed and burned so that we can be clothed in the righteousness of Christ. You know that saying, "the clothing makes the man"? Well this time it is true. Our representation is in Christ, because we get better representation before His Father. Christ stands before His Father and tells Him that His death on the cross paid for our sins. Our secession from the culture comes with the benefit of eternal life in heaven.
As believers we must secede from our culture for this reason also....
"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:2)
Paul tells Christians that secession is not just physical, it is mental also. Our secession must be a total change of our mind set. When we leave our culture behind we must leave it realizing that our commitment is total and not in part. When a city secedes from a state, it is total. There is no turning back. So it is with us when we become Christians.
So here is what you have to ask yourself Christian, have you seceded from the culture? Have you made more then just a physical commitment to Christ? Is your mind being renewed by the Word of God?
Well I'm back from my techno fast (not fast like speed, but fast like to go without). Every now and then I go without stuff just to regain focus on what is important to me. Mainly to re-dedicate myself to my study of Gods Word, to re-dedicate myself to being a husband and father and most importantly re-dedicating myself to the Lord. So anyways while on my techno fast I though up the following blog entry and a few others I will be writing over the next few days and weeks.
I guess it's been a month now since I read an article about an American student who was arrested in Egypt along with his translator. The American student almost immediately started Twittering about what was going on. He was eventually released, but what is amazing is that all his friends whether in America or abroad were instantly updated to what was going on with their friend. Then a few weeks ago I saw that the same student was using Twitter to get his translator released. Once again this student was utilizing the power of the internet and this bulletin board of sorts to get information in the hands of his friends and loved ones.
So this got me thinking, what if God were to utilize Twitter to tell us what He was doing? or better yet what if He were to tell us what we need know when we need to know it. For instance one of His Twitters could be "Sitting here watching my creation live life without me" or "@Paperboy, Dude you need to treat your wife better". Wouldn't that be awesome?
Another thought was what if God had His own blog? He could blog about the things He does everyday. He could blog about what He sees day in and day out as He watches His creation. Talk about bringing people to Himself and letting people know about His grace. God could blog about Jesus and the sacrifice He made on the cross. He could blog about the necessity of the cross and about how there is only one way to heaven and it is through his Son. How awesome would that be?
Well if we take a what we know of God we will see that He actually was ahead of the times and already has His own "twitter" account and blog. Here is what I mean. When we pray God in essence Twitters us. Instead of posting What He is doing or what He requires of us on the internet, He lays it on our hearts when we humble ourselves before His thrown. God twitters us everyday if we allow him to. When we pray we allow ourselves to see and hear God's twitters. So do you hear God's Twitters?
As to the God's blog, we have scripture. God has written all about Himself in the Bible. God has blogged through the pens of men in the canon of scripture. God has told us who He is and all about what He has done. He has shown us what is required to be one of His own and He has told us why He required the blood of Christ for our sins. We see His love for man and at the same time we see His righteous judgement displayed. So do you read God's blog? It is the oldest blog known to man.
So my question to you is, do you humble yourself before the throne of God? Do you read scripture?
