Sunday, February 10, 2008

I Thessalonians 4: 7-8

"For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you His Holy Spirit."

Something you may not know about me is that I am a Birth-Mother. In 1996 I had a baby girl. I was not married at the time, and I placed her in the arms of her God-chosen Adoptive Mother to be a member of their family. she is beautiful and vibrant, and very much a part of my life today. God has truly worked all things together for good in this part of my story.

However, I tell you this not to share me, but to point out the wisdom and urgency of the two verses Paul writes above. Purity is nto a Christian "buzz-word" like "WWJD" or (enter any popular phrase here). Purity is a mandate.

The Thessalonians were good people ~ Paul even urged them to do what they were doing "more and more." The fact that he addressed sexual sin and manipulation in the middle of it only points to the fact that it's so easy to get sucked in! An impure life ~ sexual, thought-full, immoral ~ only leads to pain. Giving your body to someone who is not your spouse; manipulating someone to get your way; using ill-gotten ways to further your cause, none of these lead to a peaceful, joy-filled Spirit. (I can say that with confidence that comes from personal experience.) No, these things lead to the death of your Spirit.

So lead PURE lives! The Spirit, if you are a Child of God, is yours ~ seek God and His righteousness and He will make your ways pure.......Don't reject Him. In doing so you're basically telling Him He is not enough ~ and I can also say with confidence that turning from what looks like it will fulfill you to what God insures will fulfill you will bring blessings and fulfillment you can only begin to imagine.