Wise and Simple -- the Path to Secure Living

Wise and Simple-the Path to Secure Living

If you're a regular reader of Freedom Fighters, you've read a lot on the same general theme this week. Bill Welte challenged you earlier in the week to BEWARE the tricks of the enemy with whom we are at war. Chris Hughes wrote Thursday and quoted Dallas Willard as he told us to get off the treadmill and avoid temptation. Yesterday, I wrote about the prudent man who sees evil approaching and runs from it.

I want to continue the theme of careful living today. The Apostle Paul writes wisdom for us in Romans 16:19: "For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be WISE in what is good, and SIMPLE concerning evil."

The issue, again, is personal responsibility. We live in the power of the Holy Spirit, but the Spirit empowers us to live responsibly. He helps us make wise choices and decisions. All of us know the stories of those who make bad choices and have to live with the consequences. Here is truth we must accept-we don't have to make those bad choices.

I'd like us to consider two questions this morning. 1) How wise are you and I in what is good? Do we pursue good? Do we work at learning what is good and then choosing it? The Apostle wanted the Romans, and us, to live for that which is good. He knew that choosing good protects us and empowers our witness in the world.

Here's the second question: How simple are we concerning evil? Most of us live too comfortably with evil. We let it live to close to us and lose the simplicity toward evil that Paul desired for us. Many of us are too confident in ourselves and think we can handle evil. The Apostle urged us to live so far from evil that we're "simple" or "innocent" toward it. He's telling us we should be as unacquainted with evil as possible.

So, you and I have make choices. We can listen to the Spirit and become wise in what is good. Or, we can listen to our enemy and flirt with evil. We'll lose our simple innocence and live in danger rather than security. The choices are ours. May God help choose what is good and be ignorant of what is evil! - Pastor Strain is Senior Pastor of First Baptist Toms River http://www.fbctomsriver.com/

God's Word for YOU: 2 Chronicles 15-16; John 12:27-50

Think about this: Duties are ours, events are God's; When our faith goes to meddle with events, and to hold account upon God's Providence, and beginneth to say, 'How wilt Thou do this or that?' we lose ground; we have nothing to do there; it is our part to let the Almighty exercise His own office, and steer His own helm; there is nothing left for us, but to see how we may be approved of Him, and how we roll the weight of our weak souls upon Him who is God omnipotent, and when we thus essay miscarrieth, it shall be neither our sin nor our cross. -- Samuel Rutherford