Stay out of the World.

This morning in my devotions I was reading from Jeremiah 41:16-18.  This little passage talks about the nation of Egypt.  Egypt has always represented the world.  Now when we talk about the world we are not talking abut the physical earth.  We are talking about the images and standards of society.  The thinking and the philosophies that are behind the societies.  Every country has its own way of looking at things.  The world is lead by the devil and he is the driving force behind all the evil ideas that it represents.  The primary way the world operates is through lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life.  In simple terms, materialism, pleasure and pride.  Strong forces because they appeal to the most base nature of man.  All of us want to be passionate about something.  We all want to be rich and want be to significant in our eyes and others.  The problem with these things is that each one can lead us away from God.  Jeremiah warns of the folly of going into Egypt, it will destroy you.  Jesus told us that we are to be in the world but not part of it.  The Christian is called to live a separated life.  We are to talk, think and lived different from the world.  People need to see something different.  We have been called ambassadors for Jesus Christ.  We represent a different kingdom and country.  We represent the Kingdom of God.  A kingdom that has at is core, righteousness, peace and joy.  The phrase, while in Rome do what the Romans do, does not apply to the Christian.  We must be different, not in a bad or weird way but in a way that causes people to be attracted to what we have.  I have had people come to me and say, "there is something different about you, you have a peace about you."  This is a springboard for evangelism.  Today be Christ's ambassador in your world.