Marinating | Savory or Repulsive

Nothing enhances the flavor of meat, or tofu if you are vegetarian, better than a good marinade.  Marinating is the process of adding a bunch of seasoning and liquid together and letting the meat soak in the created brine.  The primary reasons for marinating is to further the flavor and tenderize the meat you are going to eat.  The meat will literally take on the flavors of the brine and creates a product that is the outcome of the imagination of the individual that is adding the flavors.  Depending on what is added to this marinade, you either end up with a savory specimen or a repulsive dinner.

As we live this life of ours, everyday, we find ourselves marinating in the worldly flavors that are around us.  We find so many different spices and liquids in this life that we add to our living brine.  We literally have a palette full of flavors to choose from.  The choices we make in this life ends up making up the marinade we soak ourselves in. 

We can choose to surround ourselves with what Galatians 5:19 – 21, ESV calls the works of the flesh, “¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, ²¹ envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these…”, or we can choose to surround ourselves with what Galatians 5: 22 – 23, ESV calls the fruits of the Spirit, “²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Let’s make it a little more real.  Think of the people you surround yourself with.  Think of the movies or TV shows you watch.  Think of the wandering eyes.  Think of the magazines or other media you drink in.  Think of the anger inside of you.  I personally just went through a Purity conference with a band of brothers, and can’t believe the standards that have been set before us in purity.  How much the standards that God put in front of us are so much higher than what we have set for ourselves.  After walking through what it takes to be pure, I realized the spices I was adding to my marinade was slowing turning me into a repulsive piece of meat.

Be cognizant my friends of what you are putting into your marinade.  If you choose to marinade yourself in the works of the flesh, you are setting yourself up to be thrown out when it comes to meal time.  If you choose to surround yourself with the Fruits of the Spirit; His Word, prayer, praise with fellow Christians, purity in the movies and TV shows we watch, and songs we listen to; we are making a marinade that brings us closer to the savory specimen God intends us to be.

1 Corinthians 6:12, NIV says ¹²“I have the right to do anything,” you say —but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything.  God has given us the freedom to choose our marinade, but be careful, just because everything is available, it doesn't mean we benefit in its existence.

God’s peace – Joshua

Colossians 3:17, ESV ¹⁷ And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Rise | You Will Be Instructed

(Acts 9:6, ESV) "6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do."

Paul was a sinner like we all are. From a humanistic sinner and legalistic perspective, he was the worst of the worst.  Paul was not just satisfied with voicing his opinion of the Way and trying to prove Christianity to be a lie, he was hell bent (pun intended) on cleansing this world of those who claimed to be Christian. He used his anger, his faith, his legalistic understanding to justify his actions. 

With that being said, a sin is a sin is a sin. We just need to look at Matthew 5:21 - 22, ESV 21"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.' 22But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell fire. Our categories of sin do not exist for God, they all point to an unclean heart. What I am getting at here is not pointing out the sins of Paul and ourselves, but in what happens once you have repented and have confessed to God.

Notice the command and instruction God gives to Paul. He says, "rise" (command), "...and you will be told what you are to do" (instruction). Many Christians after being baptized, accept Christ, or even confess ask, "now what?" The answer to all Christians from God is "rise", get up, go, do! We are not to sit and wallow, but we are to "rise". "O.K., I rose, now what?" Well, if you open your heart to the Spirit, and surround yourself with a community of believers, spend time in God's word, pray, "you will be told what you are to do."

Every day is a day of redemption, sanctification, and justification in the name of Christ.  With every day, we must rise.  If we have eyes to see or hears to hear, we must then wait for His instructions.  God will tell you what he wants from you and what to do next.

God's Peace and Blessings - Joshua
 
"17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the father through him."