"Set Apart"

 "Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship; for salvation is of the Jews." (John 4:22 KJV)

  "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him." (Romans 12:1 NLT)

  Be that as it may, there are certain things I believe we must pay close attention to; if we are living a life of sin, we had better not feel comfortable and at peace with where we are at! That might not seem like such a big issue, because just about anyone can fall into sin, and is usually is not something that just happens; it is usually a lifestyle that evolves, until you find yourself shipwrecked and totally broken. 

 There is something about the Jews which sets them apart: they are God's chosen people! Does that mean they are able to get away with things more than the rest of us? Absolutely not! They are held accountable and are chastised by God; they have been over and over, time and time again. But, the big difference in them and many other peoples, is that they are always recovered and brought back to grace.

 That is most likely the greatest thing that we must understand: If God has begun a work in you, He will complete it! You have His word on that, no matter hard hard it gets or how far you stray! The big issue of who God is, is that He is not of this world; therefore, if He sets you apart, as His child, then guess what, you also are no longer of this world. 

 I and totally and completely confident that those who are not of this world, meaning God's children, are somehow kept set apart. Don't ask me how, but the stuff of this world does not stick...

"But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom; I gave Ethiopia and Seba in your place. Others were given in exchange for you. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you."" (Isaiah 43:1-4 NLT)