| If you go into a book store you will find shelves | | | | live blind to the Truth, God considers us aliens |
| and shelves full of self help books and magazines | | | | from His Kingdom. We don't belong to Him, we |
| that offer tips in losing weight, eating healthier, | | | | are Satan's children. The Truth makes no sense |
| how to decorate on a dime and even save | | | | to those who don't follow Christ. |
| money in the kitchen and how to recycle our | | | | But, once we accept Jesus, then God adopts us |
| clothes. There's nothing wrong with any of it, but | | | | as His children. We then become aliens to this |
| the only way any of it will work is if we actualy | | | | world, we no longer belong in this world. |
| do them. It all calls for a course of action. This | | | | "Therefore, you are no longer outsiders (exiles, |
| may be the hard part. | | | | migrants, and aliens, excluded from the rights of |
| Being a Christian, this too is very true. In order to | | | | citizens), but you now share citizenship with the |
| get something out of God's Word, we not only | | | | saints (God's own people, consecrated and set |
| have to read it or hear it, we also must live it. It's | | | | apart for Himself); and you belong to God's (own) |
| one thing to be "Born Again" and quite another to | | | | household." Eph. 2:19 (Amplified) |
| live a so called Christian life. Is there really any | | | | The Apostle Paul instructs us further when he |
| difference? Once you're saved, you're | | | | said, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be |
| saved...right? That's right, but do you want the | | | | transformed by the renewal of your mind so that |
| victories in this life or are you merely satisfied | | | | you may prove what is good and acceptable and |
| getting by on the skin of your teeth? | | | | perfect will of God even the thing which is good |
| A "Born Again" Christian becomes a true child of | | | | and acceptable and perfect in His sight for you." |
| God's, he no longer belongs in the world or the | | | | Rom. 12:2 (Amplified) |
| things of it~mainly sin. I could expand on this alot | | | | The person who seriously loves Christ and wants |
| more, but time and space don't allow. I mainly | | | | to follow Him, will study God's commands an live |
| want to express what it means to be "out of this | | | | in all His ways. No longer will he be content to |
| world". | | | | accept the lies and the things in this world, he will |
| God's Word tells us that we brought nothing into | | | | no longer fit in nor will he desire to be conformed |
| this world and obviously we can't take anything | | | | to it. But rather, a true Christian will love what |
| out of it. (1 Tim. 6:7) Whatever we may | | | | God loves and hate what God hates. God |
| accumulate in this life is actually owned on | | | | transforms our minds through His saving grace. |
| borrowed time. This reminds me of a bumper | | | | This transformation creates a renewal of our |
| sticker that use to be in cirulation. It read, "The | | | | mindset. We live to please and be acceptable to |
| one who dies with the most toys wins." It was | | | | God. This is not an outward act, but rather an |
| cute and funny, but like so many other things that | | | | inward one. Only God can see through us. |
| the world says, is simply not true. | | | | For a Christian to feel out of place, or like an alien, |
| Jesus said, "For what does it profit a man to gain | | | | as if he doesn't belong here is quite normal. Take |
| the whole world and forfeit his life (in the eternal | | | | rest in this, this world is not your home, it's not |
| kingdom of God)?" Mk. 8:36 (Amplified) | | | | where you were meant to end up. Jesus said in |
| In verse 35, He goes on to say that in order to | | | | His Father's House there are many, many rooms |
| save your (eternal) life you must lose the | | | | which He went to prepare a place for us. It is in |
| temporal one on earth. And if you give this life up | | | | God's Kingdom that we are bound to live eternity. |
| for His sake you will then save your life in the | | | | It's important to be prepared for when that time |
| eternal kingdom. In other words, we must be | | | | comes. It's natural to feel like a stranger here, |
| born again in order to be God's child, an heir to His | | | | you are! You are simply "out of this world!" |
| Kingdom. | | | | Another thing, as a Born Again Believer you can |
| It's a long, difficult journey to become a true | | | | take rest in knowing that Christ's second coming |
| Christian because it requires a whole new life | | | | is as certain as His first one. Hallelujah! |
| style, and a whole new way of thinking. When we | | | | |