It is easy to slip, let's not do "easy"!

Dec. 28/2016

Hebrews 2:1  "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip."

Wow, that was the scripture (and the next two chapters that I read for devotions this morning.)  I started to think about, "what am I letting slip?"

It is so easy to do, and it is our job to keep them from slipping.  Am I walking in the path that Jesus walked, the path that He has given me to walk?

Am I slipping into the old patterns, that are comfortable, easy, familiar, things I don't have to think about.  It is easy to slip.

 I got my TV fixed, which seemed like a good thing.  I had not watched TV since I left on my journey.  All of a sudden, I have all of these choices, news, movies, shows, old "familiar" programs, seemingly harmless, BUT they all came with mind manipulating commercials, ungodly previews, ungodly sexual content, violence, language. (even when bleeped out but you know what they said) even when I was careful, I noticed innuendoes,  references, influences that was causing me to say, "I can handle this", "oh, they probably won't do that again," and the story line was so compelling that I started compromising, (slipping away from what I knew to be right).  After awhile of selecting "old" black and white movies that I knew would not have the language issues or the sexual content, I began to see the "programming" that was being done even back then, that slowly led to the blatant ungodliness that we take for granted today.  This is one of the World's ways to suck us into the World's ways of thinking. and the devil's plan to get us off of God's plan for our lives. 

When I had spare time before, I would look around me and see who I could fellowship, with and who I could bless.  I would have creative thoughts,(I knew they were Godly because they were blessing others), I would read the Word, to find out how I was really supposed to think as a Child of God. 

After I watched TV for just a small amount of time, I noticed how much of my thoughts were "controlled" by what I had seen and heard on TV.  Especially the news, (How can we live without knowing what is going on?) it is almost always bad, twisted to make a good story, depressing, and conditions us to think ungodly thoughts, about others, and have ungodly fears causing us to worry about stuff we can't control.  The Bible says, in Phil 4:6-7 "Be careful (anxious) for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." 

Check our heart.  Are we at peace?  Does TV give us peace?  Are we being "entertained" into fears, worry, ungodly thoughts, sights, sounds, are we "slipping"?  Are we addicted to TV?  Can we do without it?  I discovered that I could do quite well without it, and If  I needed to know something, the Lord had a way of letting me know. It boils down to who do we trust?  The world's system (which is failing fast, and kills, steals and destroys) or the system of the Kingdom of God (which brings peace, Joy, and comfort).  Very soon, we will be required to get off the fence and decide who we will serve. The World is getting worse, we need to get better, we are called to be in the World but not of it.  Who do we trust?

Last night was wonderful, I got to see and fellowship with my first "adopted family", from Maryland that I stayed with for 8 months while my house was being prepared for sale.  They are the greatest Christian family I have ever met.  Again all of the Teenagers (18 yr old in first year of College, 16 year old in last year of High School and a 14 year old in first year of High School) all are on the honor roll.  They are proof that a family with teenagers can live Godly, and love each other, be kind and honoring, and respectful to each other, take correction gracefully and change.  I learned a lot, by living in their home.  THEY ARE A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THE LOVE OF GOD IN A HOME!

We had a great fellowship and they prayed for me before they left.  It was great to be with family for the Christmas Season.

It is still cold but going up to 58 degrees today.  At 10:45 AM it is 42 degrees.