a heart for the lost.

Luke 19:41

"And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it,"

Like Christ, we should broken hearted over the lost. When we see this sinful world, our hearts should ache with compassion. We should use this sorrow to motivate us to share the Gospel.

Acts 17:16

"Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols."


"that he who can behold sin without sorrowful feelings has not the mind of the Spirit."

-J.C. Ryle

This

Colossians 1:15-23

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

Surrender

1 Timothy 1:12-17

I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

This is a great passage. God chose us while we were still sinners. Because of this we must give up our desires for those of the Father. How can we continue to do what we want, even though Christ's blood has freed us from sin and eternity in hell. How can we not surrender everything and do the will of Christ. We must always remember that without Christ, we are doomed for hell. We must remind ourselves daily of the price Christ paid for us, if we do not, we will continue to sin and neglect what Christ has commanded us to do.

Hmm....

2 Timothy 4

1I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Sin

Psalm 51:2

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!

We should be continually begging God to take away our sinful desires.

drinking.

Ephesians 5:18

"Be not drunk with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit."

I know that we have brothers and sisters in Christ, who choose to drink. So this post isn't meant to prove them wrong. This is simply a sharing of my conviction on the matter.

In Bible times there was no refridgeration system. Not only that, they also didn't have purification system. A result of these two things forced the people to have to turn to other sources of purification and preservation. When it came to beverages, people depended on wine to purify their water. There was a major difference between this concoction and the wine concoction of our day. Today, our wine is pure wine. Back then, it was diluted up to 8 parts water!

So to be drunk with wine in Biblical times meant to literally be habitually drink glass after glass after glass (even that was not the "drunk" that we know today - more like our word for "buzzed"). There wasn't an altering in feeling or judgement (AKA - buzzed) with even multiple glasses. I think it is safe to say that for many, it takes only one drink to get them "buzzed". I believe that this change in feeling is what the Bible talks about in Ephesians 5.

fellowship.

Psalm 133:1

1 Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers dwell in unity!

Staying together and staying out trouble. Learning together and loving each other. Giving each other spanish names. Risking our lives on railroad tracks... yummm..... ool fun...