Verse of the Day
Subscribe!
Posts
All Comments
7:54 PM | 
Posted by
Randy Ross
To read the complete article, click here to be taken to Teens-4-Christ.
Ps 147:1 Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.
Ps 148:1-5 Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights. (2) Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. (3) Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. (4) Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. (5) Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.
Ps 149:1 Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.
Ps 150:1-6 Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. (2) Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. (3) Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. (4) Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. (5) Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. (6) Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.Did you notice a theme there? You should. We should praise the Lord.
I know, you think your church is the greatest church on earth. Well, if you are saved, you are a part of the body of Christ. As a member of the body of Christ, you are a member of the greatest church. However, I am convinced our local church is the best local church around. I know, you disagree. You are entitled to be wrong.
Tonight's church service was one of those services. I don't want to say it was a service where the Holy Spirit moved in or took over -- the Spirit of God is always in control at our church. It was, however, a different service. People started praising God for His grace, mercy and salvation. As the testimonies continued, Preacher interrupted to ensure everyone knew the alter was open. It was clear that God was helping people and people were praising God for the help He was giving.
I am glad I am in a church where the Spirit of God is real and welcome.
Gen 3:1-6 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (2) And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: (3) But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. (4) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: (5) For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (6) And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
The serpent here was described as subtle. In fact, we know this particular serpent was Satan himself. Someone who is subtle is someone who is sly, who can easily deceive someone. The devil was being subtle to convince Eve to sin. However, in the Word of God, there is another kind of person who is described as subtle:
Prov 7:10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtle of heart.
When we take the passages we have studied so far and put them together, it becomes easy to imagine how Eve convinced Adam to eat the fruit. True, she was enticed by the devil as he lied to her. However, I can imagine her going to Adam and showing him the fruit. Perhaps winking at him and begging him with her flattering words to eat. Likewise, the harlot is described as subtle of heart. In a previous section, we discussed how the devil often uses women as bait in his snare. The harlot is another kind of woman Satan uses as bait. No one would debate that the harlot is a trap. However, how many other women are walking around with the attire and language of a harlot and do not realize it?
The attire of a harlot includes more than her clothing. Likewise, the attire of a harlot is subtle. If a man is not careful and vigilant, he will quickly be ensnared by her. Once in her snare, his testimony or life could easily be destroyed. Sadly, there are many women walking around us every day who are adorned in the attire of the harlot. If you approached some of these women and accused them of being a harlot, they would be deeply offended. As we will see, many of them unwittingly occupy our churches in every service. So, what is the attire of the harlot?
Prov 7:10-12 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtle of heart. (11) (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: (12) Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)
The true harlot is clearly dressed in a certain way. She reveals her body in a way that it intended to attract a customer. The harlot is also acting in a very specific way and she is speaking a specific way. We understand why she is dressed the way she is, but why is she acting and talking the way she does? For the same reason: she is advertising what she has to offer. She is advertising her product and setting a trap for a man. Is the man who takes the bait without guilt? Of course not! If a man takes her bait, he is guilty, but she has set a trap for him! Likewise, a woman who has adorned herself in the attire of a harlot has also set a trap for a man. Sadly, she may not even realize it.
The harlot is dressed in a certain way, and that she dresses that way so that she can sell her product. She is dressed to show off her product - her body. She knows that most men are drawn in by their eyes. When men see the body of an attractive woman, men are naturally excited and drawn to her. At the site of an attractive woman's body, a man is tempted to sin. Everyone with any common sense knows this. Every woman wants to be considered attractive. Who is she trying to attract? The way a woman is clothed certainly reveals whether she is concerned with attracting men or not. However, there is more to the attire of a harlot than the clothes she is (or is not) wearing. As we learned already, she is subtle. In other words, she is a flirt. She is the one who is always talking and drawing men to her with her actions and words. Yes, it is immodest to be a flirt and a harlot is also a flirt! The harlot is also loud. She wants you to know she is there. The harlot is also stubborn. In fact, most immodest women will refuse to admit these simple truths are a part of who they are!
1 Cor 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (20) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
The harlot is dressing in a certain way because she has something to sell. However, as Christians, we have nothing to sell. We have already been purchased by the Blood of Christ! Our bodies are not our own to do with as we please. As Christians, we belong to God. We cannot do as we wish, we are to glorify God with our bodies. The Apostle Paul referred to himself as a servant (Rom 1:1). Literally, Paul was referring to himself as a man who is so indebted to another that he would be considered to be a slave. When a Christian exposes her body or acts as a harlot does, she is not glorifying God in any way! When a woman acts in this way, she is merely advertising what she has to sell.
Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
I am painfully reminded that we never fully realize what burdens people carry as they pass us by. A casual greeting with polite smiles may easily conceal a raging storm of doubt, fear, anguish and turmoil. Gal 6:2 is a command to all the saints of God: yes, if you are saved, you are called to bear the burdens of your brothers and sisters in Christ.
It is certainly true that we cannot pray for every single saint of God by name, nor could we ever pretend to pray for the vast multitudes of the lost that wander the face of the earth, but we are, nevertheless, called to bear each others burdens. I am equally convinced that we are so caught up in our own petty cycles that we have lost touch with the concern we should have for our fellow saints. We are not sensitive to the moving of the Holy Spirit of God who is pleading with us to simply pray. I am committed, now more than ever, to praying for the saints of God. When I see your face I remember your name, I will try to pray for you. Will you do the same for those around you?
I want to challenge you to go one step further: Every day, pick someone. Make that person your 'person of the day' and spend extra time during the day lifting their name in prayer. It will take some effort - but anything worth doing requires effort. Our churches, our pastors, evangelists and missionaries all need our prayer, but so do our children, our parents and our families.
1 Th 5:17-18 Pray without ceasing. (18) In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Will you take time out of your busy day to lift someone in prayer?
The very act of prayer requires a great deal of effort, and I know the Lord will work through our prayers, but if you will go a small step further, I believe the reward will be much greater. When you pray for someone in particular, will you take a moment to write them a note of encouragement?
I don't know who wrote the song People Need the Lord, but the lyrics of the first verse seem so fitting:
Everyday they pass me by,
I can see it in their eye.
Empty people filled with care,
Headed who knows where?
On they go through private pain,
Living fear to fear.
Laughter hides their silent cries,
Only Jesus hears.
1 Tim 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men.
In our own power, we cannot bear our own pain, but with the power of God, we can bear the burdens of many.
Will you pray?