October 17th

How to Live a Holy Life

Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.' Isaiah 1:16-17

There's a lot of talk these days about responsibility.

When it comes right down to it, who is responsible for the economic troubles going through the country right now? Is it the President? Congress? Wall Street? Greedy rich people? There's a lot of blame going around, and wherever blame is cast, someone is trying to pin down who is most responsible for the problem.

So where is the blame and responsibility when it comes to whether or not our country follows God? A lot of us want to blame some perceived center of unrighteousness like Hollywood, Washington, or the music industry.

We'll read verses like our verses for today and think, That's right, we really need to repent! Except, the we that we're talking about in reality has very little to do with ourselves. The we is really always that guy over there, or those other people who are really doing the bad stuff-the drug dealers, gang members, pedophiles, criminals, and industries that shape our culture toward wickedness.

You know what? All those people may need to repent, certainly they do; we all do. But I have no control over those people. On a good day, I can control myself.

We all need to realize that, while all those other angry people in traffic, or the sinners who watch those other movies in our favorite theaters, or our neighbors who have no idea how to raise their kids (because we sure do) need to repent-so do we. And we are responsible first and foremost for ourselves.

So the next time you're in church listening to a message and you think, Boy, that's a great word there. I know a person who should really hear this! stop yourself. Realize that you do know a person who needs to hear the message-you.

If you want to know who is responsible for all the junk in our country today, start by looking at your own life, not because other people don't have sin, but because until you don't, you don't get to cast any stones at others who do.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

I need help! I confess that I have looked for others to repent without considering the sin in my own life first. Please forgive me and wash me clean! Help me turn to holy things so that the world will know I am Yours.

Amen