Pursuing a Possible Purity.

I’m urged to write this note regarding the war that’s fighting in the inside of me. It’s a war not of flesh and blood, but a war of the spirit. I see a generation of young people struggling to live the “Christian life.” I see a desire to want to, but the things of the world are so tempting, and even seem more attractive than the things of God. Partially, because they haven’t experienced God to the fullest capacity. I find that many younger kids are in a place where they feel like trying is just setting themselves up for failure. They believe that there isn’t a way to live this holy life people talk about. There isn’t a way to fully sell out to Jesus Christ. There isn’t a way to just say no to sin that’s violently raging against them. There isn’t a way. There isn’t a way. THERE ISN’T A WAY. So why even try. I can tell you one thing, that

success doesn’t come without first having an attempt

that’s a given. And without God, you’re nothing. I want to make that clear.

WITHOUT GOD, YOU ARE NOTHING.

Therefore, you are settling for failure when you could obtain success with an attempt through the power and blood of Jesus Christ. I feel as though the Lord has directed me to the answer. If you ask the majority of believers on how their personal life and devotion time with God is, they would say something similar to “I just can’t find time” or “I just don’t like to read” or “It’s not as good as I know it should be.” And this here would explain why people can’t live holy, different, devoted, and pure lives.

In Psalm 119:9 it says, “How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word.”

One of the definitions for pure in the dictionary is: being that and nothing else. I find these words to be very strong. I find these words referring to being hot, cold, or luke warm. The bible says be either hot or cold. If you are luke warm he will VOMIT you out of his mouth. I honestly get sick of seeing people having bible scriptures all over their facebook, along with statuses that cuss someone black and blue. It doesn't end there either. What about your favorite books or movies? What about what you are wearing in your pictures? Or what your doing in your pictures? These things may seem little, but it's actually vitally important.  I don’t understand how that is any way, shape, or form edifying to God. In fact, it's a ruining of your witness. You are called to be a holy example. And this my friend, is a terrible way to express Jesus in this world. Christianity is about you showing people who Jesus is and being Jesus to others. Who are you telling people Jesus is? You're example is how they portray Christians.  This to me is called being luke warm. If you’re going to be a Christian, meaning a person who exemplifies in his or her life the teaching of Jesus Christ, then

BE THAT AND NOTHING ELSE.  

I have a real problem believing that this generation of young people are obeying God’s word when they can’t find time to read it. You will never be able to obey what you don’t know. And how will you know, if you don’t read. That’s why you see such an impure generation, even the majority of the ones proclaiming Jesus as their Savior. You see Jesus can be your Savior, without you ever letting him become your Lord. He wants to be both.

 I think that it is time that our bibles and not our cell phones or computers become our best friends. You wonder why you feel like it’s a constant battle to say no to the things of the world and yes to God, when your bible isn’t a priority or something apart of your lifestyle. This verse isn’t something that you have to read between the lines to understand. It’s very simple and it’s very plain. If you really want to stay pure then you need to obey God’s word. PERIOD. This I see is the biggest trap the enemy has taken away from us, including time. He has crept in and given us an attention span of nothing and a want to be constantly doing something.

When God tells us to just

BE STILL and KNOW HE IS GOD.

I pray that God would teach us all to be still, as we have forgotten what that means, or even how to accomplish this. I pray that in the midst of life, we value what he did for us on the cross more than we do our facebook that by the way has no eternal value. That we would put him first. That we would get rid of all the idols that we put before him.

THAT HE WOULD BECOME OUR NUMBER ONE.

That we would be so focused on the goodness of God that anything of the world would instantly repel us away from it. We wouldn’t have to say no to ungodly things because it wouldn’t even be an option. I encourage each of you to read your bible everyday! Not out of works righteousness, not out of I have to do this, but out of a deep hunger to stay pure. I also believe that many of us have substituted our personal devotion and our personal bible reading with other things, even good things, like other Christian people or even church. Don’t get me wrong, we all need to be a part of those things, but I want you to realize that even good things in your life like church and other Christians can become idols if you’re focus isn’t totally on Jesus. The bible states that God is jealous of us. He wants all of us. All meaning All. Our attention, our troubles, our devotion, our love, our time, our relationships, our money, our bodies, our friends, our

EVERYTHING.

It’s time that we seek our answers from the only true answer, God Almighty, and seek him for who he is instead of seeking others for who he is. How will you ever know his voice if you always get your answers from other people. Yes, that seems easier, but really it’s cheating yourself of a closer relationship with him.

God, in a world where time is missing and our lives our booked, help us to put you first.

Teach us what it is to be still. Destruct ourselves and our agendas. Lord, even if it hurts, take anything away from us that is not of you. God give us a heart after your own. Lord convict our hearts of things that we need to lay down in our lives. Give us a longing for more of your word. Lord, discipline us to not go a day without reading your word out of a desired craving for more of you. Lord, help us stay pure. Help us be holy as you are holy. Create in us a new, clean heart. Renew our minds and give us the power to change our ways. Jesus we know it’s possible to be sold out, and we declare that

WE AREN’T QUITTERS, but WE ARE WARRIORS

 for your kingdom that aren’t willing to settle for what the world offers but only for a

POSSIBLE PURITY

 that comes from you and you alone.

-Natalie Hallford