Outsiders
Tuesday's Devotion (2-13-07)
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not." 1 John 3:1 (KJV)
Well, the Lord insisted on this verse for today's devotion. I didn't want to argue with Him, because I never win! There are going to be times where you feel like a real "outsider" in this world, and that's simply because you are one! We are sons of our Father, and naturally we will have the traits of our Father (God.) He is our Father, and His ways should be our ways. The Bible is the instruction of our Father, and when we obey Him and live as He would have us live then we become "outsiders," to the rest of this world. They don't know us, because they never knew Him. God came to earth in the form of His Son and the world still did not know Him. Who did know Him? His disciples, those who diligently seek Him out, those who wanted to know Him. They like us, they like our Father were not of this world. We are strangers passing through a strange land on our way home.
My point is that if you're living for Jesus, and people treat you like an outsider then rejoice in the fact that you ARE one! Men, you're going to talk to other men that want to talk about fornicating with women and the such, but you will seem weird to them because you don't talk or act like them. I talk to so many guys that are obsessed with talking about fornication, among other sins. And I don't mean just talking about sins like they're good, but living a sinful life. Women are the same way, but I'm a guy so I use men as an example. Those who don't have Jesus in their lives act as if a sinful life is fun, and those of us who are children of our Father, don't find sin to be any fun. Sin used to be fun for me, before I was born again of my Father. Now His ways are fun to me, and people think that I'm weird. Guess what? I'm glad that they think I'm weird, because that means that I have a reason to rejoice.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this message and for all things. Please forgive us of all our sins as we forgive all those who've wronged us. Help us to follow your ways with all of our heart, and don't let us fit in with this world. Draw us closer to you, and let us have confidence in knowing that we are your children. In Jesus name. A-men!
God bless