2 Corinthians 6:17-18 “Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith th eLord, and touch not the unclean thing: and I will receive you,
And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

When the entire world teaches us that we want to be “accepted,” the Lord tells us to come OUT from the world instead.

Far too often when I speak with people, many problems they face, or temptations that make them weak, have to do with feeling unwanted, unloved, or not accepted. For example, many single men and women tell me how they’re searching for their soul mate, or (im)patiently waiting for the “one for them” that the Lord has. And after a while of waiting they grow impatient and they get discouraged and long to have someone to marry or date and wonder why the Lord is taking so long to bring them around. I tell them nearly every time, it’s because the Lord is trying to grow you enough to be the man or woman that’s worthy of that person. Until you’re able to be content being single, knowing your worth, as it comes from the Lord alone, then you’re not at a place that another person needs you to be. They deserve someone who can to add to their life, not take from them.

Then we see churches who attempt to be accepted by the world, by the internet, by social media, by the local community, by governments. They begin to compromise in the Truth and Doctrine. They become lax in the Truth. And then they become, as the popular phrase is: “seeker friendly” because they don’t want to possibly offend anyone who may be “seeking.” Yet the Lord was quite strong in His words, and adamant when He spoke the Truth even to those who were “seeking.” No Compromise. If you’re seeking the Lord, He is not in the wickedness and darkness of the world. He is the Light that shines TO the darkness, not joins in with the darkness in order to make them comfortable.

We have countless opportunities for us to join in with the world, no matter our age or upbringing. And God tells us instead to “Come Out” from among them. “Be ye separate” from the world and those who join into agreement with the world. We are not told to try to be friends with the world, but rather Jesus tells us in:

John 15:19 “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

We have been called, chosen, OUT of the World. Though we are IN the world we are not to be joined to the world. This is something many American Christians today especially need to remember amid the political turmoil of the United States of America. They have joined themselves to a political party or political candidate more than they are joined to the Lord Himself, and they are “touching” the unclean thing by behaving just as the world behaves regarding it.

This is what we must remember as well. “Touch not the unclean thing” and THEN the Lord will be our God and we, His People, and He will walk and dwell among us as our Father and we His sons and daughters. Too often we take the first part of the verse about being separate from the Lord, and we forget the rest. Too many people become “jerks for Jesus” by behaving in such a condemning way toward the world that it misrepresents the Lord Jesus entirely. Jesus was loving toward the world. The only ones He was harsh toward were the religious ones who deceived the people knowingly. But the world? He called them gently to repentance and relationship with Him. We need to remember to do the same. We need to remember that while the world tries to tell us we ought to seek out acceptance and that doing so is “normal” and we “deserve” acceptance, etc. We have to remember that we are called to something greater. We are called to be Holy, Separated unto God Himself. The majority will end up in destruction. But those who choose to walk away from the majority, and crawl into the lap or sit at the feet of the throne of the Creator and King? We will find True, Everlasting Life from the Source of Life itself: God!

I hope you have an abundanly blessed rest of the day today, and remember that I keep you in prayer daily. May God keep you, bless you, and draw you ever nearer to Him! Please keep the whole body of Christ in your prayers, as we truly do need each other in these rough times!

Love always in Christ,
Your friend always,
And brother,
Michael