Read the Bible in 90 Days Challenge - Week 4

I have been doing this challenge now and I am really enjoying it.  I feel like I should do this constantly throughout the year.  I am not sure why this time has worked for me, but  it has.  I don't get up early and read the Bible.  I do it at night when the house is quiet and mostly everyone is in bed.  And you know what, I am loving it.  There are times in my life when reading the Bible has been difficult.  I have just went through the motions.  I can't say why I am getting so much out of this but I really look forward to my time in the Word and reading my Bible in the quiet of night.
Serious things have stood out to me with this past weeks reading.  Reading through Judges and I Samuel I was constantly reminded how important fearing God is.  The Israelites just kept forgetting what God had done for them and they would forget God, compromise their beliefs - build idols, marry women they shouldn't marry, do evil and despicable acts.  And every  time, the person bringing the message to the Israelites would start the message with something like this, "Remember the Lord your God who brought you up out of Egypt . . . ".  They would start with the list of things that God had done for them and then tell them how they had forgotten God and then how they would be punished.  This happened over and over again.

And then in Samuel, Saul disobeyed God and lost His favor after he decided to keep some sheep and other animals that he was suppose to destroy.  Saul tried to argue and say they were for sacrificing to the Lord, but he was still disobedient.  He had compromised because those things looked good to him.  He paid dearly for it.

And then this morning in church, our pastor spoke from 2 Chronicles 18 and the title was "Finish Well: You Can Live Above Compromise" and you know what - I think now I really have a weapon like never before to avoid compromise.  I will just re-read Judges.  When I think that I may do something that I know I shouldn't or watch a movie that I know is not honoring to the Lord or watch a show that has some questionable content, I will just think about the Israelites in the book of Judges and how dumb they were and how many times they messed up and what awful things they had to endure because of it.

I should be to the point where I do not apologize for my faith and my beliefs.  I should speak up but not in a condesending way, in a loving way and let people know where I stand (still need lots of help with this one).
My children are young, but they need to see strong parents who say, we will not compromise our morality to be associated with you.  It just won't happen.  We're done. 

And if that wasn't enough right there, I read my cousin's wife's blog just tonight - hello!  You really should go check it out.

"We are to live in such a way that those outside the faith see our good deeds and our manner and know that there is something “different” about us. Christians who make every effort to live, think and act like those who do not know Christ do Him a great disservice. Even the heathen knows that “by their fruits you shall know them,” and as Christians, we should exhibit the fruit of the Spirit within us."  resource

¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. ¹⁷ And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.  I John 2:15-17

Thanks again to Mom's Toolbox for hosting this.