Sunday School .....

I went to Sunday school today, and I didn't say much because we are new and I was kind of shy (hard to imagine, I know.)
We were talking about Joshua 23:11-16, disobedience and sin, and how easy it is to get into this.
Something that the teacher pointed out was that sin ensnares us in a sneaky way and I have used this same principal when teaching IOP groups.
1.When you are around sin constantly
2.You will eventually accept it
3. and end up defending it

Somehow we got onto the topic of having alcohol in our homes, and I heard several people say that they do not have alcohol in their homes as a way to show the world that they are different. One might think that this sort of thing would be right up my alley....
I kept wondering, when was the last time I had the world in my home? When I think about "the world", I think non Christians. I would have to say that the last time I had non-Christians in my home would have been last September?? at Macguines' birthday party? I don't really invite a whole lot of non-Christians into my home, so where do I meet people who need the Lord?

As I thought about this I remembered a past job I had where I was the only Christian working there, slowly, sneakily my own values ( caring for individuals, a burden for helping people) were eroded to match those of my co-workers. Then I thought of my present job, and realized I had to work today. I had to leave the morning service early so that I would be on time to work. A light bulb went off...

Instead of just refraining from the use of alcohol in our homes, or at the once a year Christmas party, how about not participating in the water cooler gossip, or being totally upfront and honest in all of our business dealings(even if the boss discourages this), or not allowing work to take precedence over our Lord.

Two examples come to mind about this: I had a lady in one of my groups (recovering from alcoholism) who told me she could not keep from going to bars because her boss and all of the popular crowd at work go to the bars afterwards and make business deals over their 5:00 drinks. I pointed out to her that by participating in this she was willing to risk sobriety and therefore her life.... and she still chose to go. She, as many of us do, seemed to define her values by a paycheck and what the popular crowd might think.

When we refuse to gossip, avoid the after work for drinks, stop participating in shady business dealings, or refuse work during Church times, we set ourselves apart (1 Peter 1:14-16 "As obedient children, do not fashion yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance, but as He who hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of living, because it is written: "Be ye holy, for I am holy." And 1Peter 2:9 "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.")

And we may not be a part of the popular crowd(Romans 8:17 "Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory")

But everything we have is a GIFT from God (James 1:16-17 "Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.")

The second example is something that a co-worker in my profession said to me, she said "You are right to be concerned, but if you don't do as you are instructed, you may be fired."

God has given me everything that I have, it is his to have, to take, to use, however he sees fit. My Boss is in Heaven, not here. How can I act in a way that displeases the pay check giver, rather than the pay check signer. (Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?)

I hope that I have the courage to live in such a way, (everyday, not just at the once a year Christmas party)that people will see in me something worth living everyday for; that Christ is glorified and I am permitted to be a vessel filled with irresistible presence of the Lord, that the world will desire to have that same light within.

I had to tell my boss today that I won't be working during Church times anymore, and she was pretty understanding.

Love you all bunches and hope to hear from you soon,
Amanda