For Thought and Meditation - Thursday, Feb. 04

[Pine Baron]

Good morning all. Today's devotion contains an important message. Please note the warning. Have a safe and blessed day.

Thursday, February 4, 2021 - Pastor Greg Laurie
Murmurs from the Multitude

“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?”
—2 Corinthians 6:14

They were probably impressed with the wonder-working God of Israel, and they, too, wanted to escape. So this “mixed multitude” or “foreign rabble” joined the Israelites as they left Egypt. But though they left Egypt, apparently Egypt never left them.

And they were a bad influence on God’s people.

They started to complain, and then the Israelites began to complain too. They said, “Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!” (Numbers 11:4–6 NKJV).

Interestingly, this foreign rabble hated the manna. They basically said, “We detest it. We don’t want that manna in our lives.” Yet it was bread from Heaven, sent from God.

Likewise, non-Christians don’t get why Christians love the Bible. In fact, a real test of your spiritual life is whether you look forward to Bible study. Do you dread it and can’t wait until it’s over? That’s an indication of where you are spiritually.

A hungry believer is a healthy believer. If you’re strong spiritually, if you’re healthy spiritually, then you’ll be constantly hungry for more of God’s Word. But if you’re unhealthy spiritually, you won’t.

Ungodly people were a bad influence on the Israelites. The apostle Paul warned, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14 NKJV).

Think about who influences you. Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future. If as a Christian you hang around people who do not believe as you, they can influence you and bring you down. So be very careful.

[augercreek]

Yes by all means be careful. How can one bring them to Christ if you don't associate with them?

[Wayne Smith]

This is the thinking that leads to ghettos. Circle around your friends in Church and stay safe. "Sometimes I think the whole world mad except me and thee, and sometimes I wonder about thee"! Christ told us to be salt and yeast, small particles that change the whole. It is literally the opposite attitude. Yes, we need to be careful, but careful to be connected with Christ at all times and dependent on the Holy Spirit. Yes, the desire to know the Scripture (Words of God) are a significant tell, but we are to be as Christ was, supping with the sinners and speaking to the despised. A woman going to the well in the heat of the day is so outcast in her own village that she is ashamed to join the women who fill their jars in the cool of the morning. This is who Christ invited to join him, to draw water for him.
He was in Galilee among the despised population who had replaced the Israelites and she was the most despised of the despised. In that culture you could not find someone more needy.

[USMC87]

Amen, We are the living examples of Christ!

[hoodat]

If we're gonna walk among the Godless and spread his love, we'd better have strong armor, and an excellent arsenal of His word.
I dare say that Jesus was considerably more qualified than any of us to bring love to the lost. Even still, we have plenty of fertile fields to plant our seed in, usually without going off our daily path. jd

[Wayne Smith]

If we're gonna walk among the Godless and spread his love, we'd better have strong armor, and an excellent arsenal of His word.
I dare say that Jesus was considerably more qualified than any of us to bring love to the lost. Even still, we have plenty of fertile fields to plant our seed in, usually without going off our daily path. jd

Aah, but we have God Himself with us. He said he would not leave or forsake us and the third person of the Trinity is in us. We have all the resources we need and often don't even think of them!

[Pine Baron]

This is the thinking that leads to ghettos. Circle around your friends in Church and stay safe. "Sometimes I think the whole world mad except me and thee, and sometimes I wonder about thee"! Christ told us to be salt and yeast, small particles that change the whole. It is literally the opposite attitude. Yes, we need to be careful, but careful to be connected with Christ at all times and dependent on the Holy Spirit. Yes, the desire to know the Scripture (Words of God) are a significant tell, but we are to be as Christ was, supping with the sinners and speaking to the despised. A woman going to the well in the heat of the day is so outcast in her own village that she is ashamed to join the women who fill their jars in the cool of the morning. This is who Christ invited to join him, to draw water for him.
He was in Galilee among the despised population who had replaced the Israelites and she was the most despised of the despised. In that culture you could not find someone more needy.

I think you're missing the point Wayne. it's not about segregating people by their beliefs, it's simply "be careful". The message is to be wary of undo influences.
Go in peace brother.