Be careful what you look at, what you hear and how you dress

 

Be careful what you look at, what you hear and how you dress

Be careful what you look at, what you hear and how you dress

As Christian brothers and sisters, we need to be mindful of what our eyes look at.

Luke 11:34 – Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body is filled with light. But when they are bad, your body is filled with darkness.

We have to be very careful what we allow our eyes to see because they are the window to our soul.

If you allow your eyes to look at things of the world, your mind will be filled with things of the world. Remember what Matthew said in 6:21 – For where your treasure is there your heart will also be. Be cautious what you allow your eyes to see; through them your mind is filled.

This is also true of your ears, we need to be extra careful what we allow our ears to hear, they too are a window to our soul. If you allow yourself to hear things which are contrary to the Lords command of love, love, love, they you are filling your mind with senseless chatter.

With our eyes we watch TV, read newspapers, magazines, books, and look at our surroundings. We need to be careful what information we are putting into our mind and our thoughts. When you look at something, a magazine for example, ask yourself what value does the Lord want me to receive by reading the articles or looking at the pictures. Is this something Jesus would pick up and casually read? Or would he be offended by its content? How about TV shows, movies? Again ask yourself, if Jesus were here right now would he be sitting here watching this TV show or movie?

 Likewise we need to be careful how we dress. Do we dress, makeup our self to please the Lord, our self or other people. Are we dressed modestly? Where do we draw the line? I believe it is important to take pride in your appearance, to look nice, to present a good image. It shows you care about yourself, you take pride in yourself. The real question that needs to be answered is this.

Are you dressing and making yourself up to please the Lord, yourself or other people.

We saw a few days ago that the Lord does not want us to be self-absorbed; he wants us to be humble, to not be conceited, vain, or prideful. He cautioned us in 1 John to not love the world or anything in the world.

He said that everything in the world the craving of the sinful man, the lust of the eyes and the boasting of what he has or does come not from God but from the world.

Lust here is more than just sexual desire, it is envy, jealousy, wanting what others have, not be satisfied with what you have.

What is the 10^th commandment? Exodus 20:17 – You shall not covet your neighbor’s house, their spouse, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. In Galatians 6:4 – Then he can take pride in himself without comparing himself to somebody else, for each man should carry his own load.

You have everything you need with the Lord. No book or magazine, TV show or movie is going to give you the answers to life. They only come from the Lord.

Stop comparing yourself to others!

Stop seeking answers to your questions about life from the news, from magazines, the newspaper, friends, family, TV, books, church.

Start seeking the answers to your questions in life through prayer, prayer, and more prayer, reading and studying the bible and putting into practice, action what the bible has to teach us.

You will rarely find the answers to life in a self-help magazine.

You will never find it in a diet pill or program, medication, alcohol, fine clothes, fine dining, expensive jewelry, homes, cars, boats, trips, it can only be found through a life of obedience to the commands of our Lord.

Peace, happiness, joy, a sense of fulfillment, pleasure comes from serving the Lord.

Matthew 16:26 – What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul.

We may learn what it takes to live in this world but in the process forfeit our soul because we failed to learn what it takes to achieve Eternal Salvation.

How much time do you spend each day reading the newspaper, a magazine or a book, watching TV, a movie or any other form of entertainment?

How much time each day do you spend in conversation with the Lord in prayer, word, thought or deed, reading the bible, studying the bible, putting the words and commands of the bible into action?

You be the judge of that.

Most people spend more time showering each day than they spend with the Lord.

How about you?

If Jesus were to come and spend a day or two walking around with you would he be happy with what he sees?

Our Lord and Savior will never forsake us or leave us, he is always with us. Do things in life that are pleasing to the Lord. Be careful that you don’t spend so much time preparing yourself to live in the world and the standards set by the world.

The truth is Jesus is right here walking with us each and every day. We are not trying to keep up or compare our self with our neighbors. We are all our own unique identity. No one has lived our life but us, the only one who knows you like you do are you.

Stop seeking answers outside of yourself and your relationship with the Lord.

Stop judging others and comparing others and stop this endless analyzing of yourself in relation to the world and the standards set by the world.

Analyze – to psychoanalyze.

Psychoanalyze – a means of treating mental disorders through the analysis of usually subconscious feeling or conflicts.

Satan loves for us to believe there is something wrong with our self, our relationship with others and that we are substandard, in need of more and more information, analysis in order to live up to the standards set by society.

When we live for the Lord, we don’t lack anything.

When we live for other men, we will never have enough, be enough, do enough, we won’t have enough of anything so we will constantly be looking for ways to fill the void we perceive we have in our lives.

There is no void when we live in obedience to the Lord.

What is impossible for men to achieve is possible for God to achieve.

Luke 18:27 – What is impossible for men is possible for God. Luke 1:37 – For nothing is impossible for God. In Matthew 17:20 – If you have faith as small as a mustard seed…, nothing will be impossible for you.

Yes it is difficult to live in this world.

To separate our self from the desires and standards of the world, to not compare, to not judge, to not be prideful, to be humble.

But it is not impossible, nothing is impossible for God.

Don’t let the world define who you are, don’t live in order to please men in the world, but God who is in heaven.

Don’t sacrifice your soul for worldly pleasure.

Stand tall, stand firm, stand confident, be honest, trustful, men and women of integrity, never by what others think, say or do. Be your own person, live for the Lord, don't live to please other men.

Have compassion, sympathy, live for others.

Plant the seed that Jesus Christ is our Lord and savior.

Serve others and stop seeking to be served.

Give to others without expecting anything in return.

Take pride in yourself and your appearance so as to please the Lord.

Luke 8:16 – No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.

We are the light of Christ. Let everyone see the light of Christ in you.

Don't judge others by their external appearance; don’t judge yourself on your external appearance.

You will be judged by others, no doubt about that.

But go about your own business, seeking to do the work and will of the Lord.

Don’t worry about what others think or say about you, especially when it comes to your appearance.

Matthew 6:25-34 – Therefore do not worry about your life … what you will eat, drink, about your body, your clothes. But seek he first the kingdom of heaven and his righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.

The Lord knows what we need and he will provide.

Don’t seek approval from man, but from God, there and only there will you find true happiness, joy, comfort, peace, contentment.

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ. I love you Lord. I honor, respect and will obey your commands.

I will stop focusing on men and keep focusing on loving and serving you and my neighbor.