March 18, 2015

“What is that tower up in the corner of the fort?” I asked my husband as we walked around the fort in St. Augustine.
“That is a watch tower for the soldiers to stand in with a weapon and watch for enemies approaching,” he explained.
We continued on hand in hand on our walk around the fort as we looked at it with keen interest. Our travels had brought us to Saint Augustine, Florida (one of the oldest establishments in the USA) and the fort that was built in the 1700’s was a HUGE point of interest to me because I love history.
When going into the town, we were given a map. There were many tourist sites in the old town, but the MAIN attractions were those that were old. People seemed to flock to the ancient landmarks to stand in awe of their age and architect.
Why is it that the old landmarks were the main attractions? I think it is because they represent people of old and their unique lifestyles. We, as humans, are attracted to the history of the past. It was not the new structures and stores that were the main interest in this old town, but the old structures of this town established in the 1600’s.
This makes me think, what of us as Christians? Have we removed all the “old landmarks” in our lives? The Bible tells us not to do this. Pr 23:10 ¶ “Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:”
As we have travelled from church to church, we have sadly discovered the apathy of many Christians in their Christian walk. Many churches (of course not all) are struggling to keep their church attendance up and it seems that the lowest priority in many Christians’ lives is to have a close walk with God. Church and God seem to be viewed as a nice “addition” to their lives – rather than their REASON for living!
The subject I am about to approach is a controversial one that will leave many wagging their heads in disagreement. However, I speak it in love. YES, we need to show the LOVE of Christ in our lives and be kind one to another. Eph 4:32 “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
Far too often, we take a stand for what we believe with a mean spirit – and that is wrong. But, when we take a stand for our Jesus and His ways with love, then we can rest assured the people reacting in anger towards our kind, but truthful words, are reacting more because they are under conviction than anything else.
To take a stand on God’s Word is always right!………smile. The following subjects are areas that we have seen a huge decline in in the last 100 years. My desire as a Christian, is to remain an old landmark that the world looks on with interest at your refreshing, simple, godly life. I fail all the time, but I do believe these are “recipes” for a happy and fulfilled Christian life.

One: A close walk with God. Ex.: Daily Bible reading; ( Lu 4:4 “And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”) prayer; ( 1Th 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.“) Scripture memorization; ( Ps 119:11 ¶ “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”) singing; (Eph 5:19 “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;”) and faithful church attendance ( Heb 10:25 “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching“).

Two: We submit to our “ROLE” in life. Ex.: Husbands treat wives right; (Col 3:19 “Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.”) and support and provide for your family; ( 1Ti 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.) wives, submit to your husbands; ( Col 3:18 ¶ “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.”) and embrace being a keeper at home (Tit 2:5 “To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”) and children, obey your parents ( Eph 6:1 ¶ “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” Col 3:20 “Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord“).

Three: Have a burden to win souls for Christ. ( Pr 11:30 ¶ “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.”)

Four: Women, dress right. Ex.: Dress conservatively and modestly. Don’t allow your dress standard be “ruled” or “dictated” by the world’s standard, but rather GOD’S! ( Pr 7:10 “And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.”) Examine to see what is in your heart when it comes to your dress standard. It is okay to look beautiful, but not lustful. We as women, KNOW the difference and when we dress in the wrong thing, are we denying the truth in the subtilty of our heart? Where has the separation gone with the way men and women dress? A hundred years ago, ladies dressed like ladies and men like men. Now, the dress standard of ladies is very similar to that of men and sadly men are slowly embracing the dress to that of women (UGH!). The Bible gives us a clear verse for that. ( De 22:5 ¶ “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.”) Ladies, wear dresses and be modest and of a chaste heart. Make sure your clothing in not too short, or too low, or too tight. ( 1Ti 2:9 ¶ “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;”). Adorn yourselves tastefully – like the princesses of the King that we are!……smile.

Five: Get serious about raising GODLY children! Far too often, we are not serious enough or passionate enough about raising our children to send forth as “warriors” for Christ!! There are SO many Scriptures about this, but these are just a few. (Ps 127:4 “As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.” Pr 22:15 ¶ “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.” Mal 4:6 “And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”)
Far too often we as parents just focus on the temporary satisfaction that our children are “happy” and have all the latest “in“ fashions. Now yes, because we love them, we want them happy. But what of Eternity? Does our goal and aim go beyond this temporal life in raising them? Are we thinking of them bowing before the Lord someday? Whether we want to believe this truth or not………..it IS in God’s Word. I speak this in humility because we are still in the middle or raising our children and it is ONLY by God’s grace that we do this right, but we MUST take some responsibility in how our children turn out. ( Pr 22:6 ¶ “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”) This is a precious promise from God. If our children go astray someday, YES, they will give account to God for their own sins, but so will we for our training of them.
Protect your children from the counsel of the ungodly. I know there are certain cases where parents have no other choice than but to send their children to public school. However, more cases than not, it is a choice that parents seem to willingly take for either sports or insecurity of doing it any different, etc. The Bible warns us of this though. (Ps 1:1 ¶ Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.) The school system is infiltrated with a humanistic philosophy that teaches them evolution, sexual orientation in ANY FORM is okay, etc. etc. We must be VERY careful when putting our children amongst this atmosphere day in and day out. They will be MORE influenced there than anywhere else……………..because that is where they are spending MOST of their waking hours. Homeschooling or Christian Schools (be VERY careful in choosing the school) are your best options.
The reason I have spent so much time on this subject is because our children are the only hope for the next generation! We must get serious about this…………especially if we are parents of children still at home! I must say that grandparents also have a big influence on their grandchildren. My children LOVE to please my parents. They want their approval also in what they do with their lives. So, this is an area you can make a difference too.
I love this verse when it comes to this all…….( De 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up”).

Six: Stand firm on the old KJV Bible! Why change? What is wrong with the old, true, inspired Word of God? Do we want to remove the old landmark? My children seem to have less trouble reading the Bible than to read some of their reading books. The words are not that hard. We just try to find so many reasons to change. It wearies me. What is wrong with the Old Black Book? ( Mt 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”)

Seven: Get rid of evil influences in your home. Ex.: Bad music, television, corrupt internet surfing, etc. can do EXTREME damage in your home! (Ps 101:2 “I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.” 3 “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.” 4 “A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.”) It is also good to try to eat a balanced, nutritious diet and not to be a glutton.

Eight: Live a Life of Faith! God tells us that without faith, it is impossible to please Him. (Heb 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”) Trust HIM in the leading of your life in ALL areas. Turn to Him for guidance and direction rather than to lean unto your own understanding. (Pr 3:5 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”) David and I have chosen to do this in ALL areas of our lives………including God determining the size of our family. (Job 1:21 “And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”)

Nine: Be faithful to tithe to your local church! (Mal 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.)

There are is such a wealth of Scriptures in God’s Word on how the Christian life is supposed to be lived. However, I consider the above issues as the simple foundational principles in how we can live a separated, victorious Christian life.
Is it a LOT of hard work to live this life? – YES! It is not for the faint of heart. Many times to “go with the flow” of this world would be far easier, but I believe to live that way is God’s permissible will, not His perfect will for our lives. He yearns for people who do not remove the old landmark from their lives and that walk the Öld Paths”!! (Jer 6:16 “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.”)

I have tried to back everything I have said with Scripture, so that you can see that this is NOT MY opinion, but God’s. I want EACH reader to know that I LOVE YOU and if you disagree with these things, then your argument is with God, not me…………..smile.

God bless you, dear one, and may God bless you as you seek Him in all you do!!

Tit 2:12 “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
15 ¶ These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.”

Humbly Yours, Jill Rodrigues