Called to a Higher Kingdom...

This is a journal entry by my friend Leslie, that really touched me. To see it's original posting, visit: www.Authenticgirl.com

Last month we hosted our 2007 Authentic Girl Conference in the beautiful mountains of Estes Park, Colorado. I was encouraged and blessed to see the radiant, eager, beautiful faces of so many young women who were eager to live a set-apart life. The message that we shared was certainly not a fluffy, comfortable one. In fact, I spoke about things to those girls that I have been hesitant to speak of for quite some time. I'd like to share a few of those things with you now...

Amy Carmichael wrote, "We must look upon the world, with all its delights and all its attractions, with suspicion and reserve. We are called to a higher Kingdom, we are touched with a diviner Spirit. It is not that He forbids us this or that comfort or indulgence; it is not that He is stern, demanding us to follow a narrow path. But we who love our Lord and whose affections are set on Heavenly things voluntarily and gladly lay aside the things that charm and ravish the world, that, for our part, our hearts may be ravished with the things of Heaven that our whole being may be poured forth in constant and unreserved devotion in the service of the Lord who died to save us.”

Last year Eric and I began thinking about our entertainment habits. We didn't have cable TV and only watched movies or went to a movie theater every other week or so, and the things we saw were always fairly "tame" and family oriented. Most Christians would have said we were fairly conservative in that area of our lives. But we began to wonder whether this was an area of our life that was truly glorifying God. Whenever a movie would have something in it that was ungodly, we would inwardly say, "Well, God knows I don't agree with that part." But we would still sit there and watch it, justifying it by saying "but its such a great story, it's a fairly clean movie, and I need some time to relax."

Just by going into a movie theater or a video store, we realized that not only were we allowing ourselves to be "charmed by the things of this world," but we were actually supporting - with our time and money - an industray that exalts violence, darkness, and perversion. As Amy Carmicael said, it was not that God was demanding us to forgo these forms of entertainment. But we desired that every moment of our day, including our down time, would be a fragrant offering to Him. So, for the past 9 months or so, instead of renting videos or going to theaters, we have begun filling our "spare" time with different activies - activies that would enhance, and not distract, our relationship with Christ. As a result of laying down the world's entertaiment in our lives, we have been able to devote 2-3 hours each day to prayer, another hour to reading about the lives of great Christians and 1-2 hours to study of God's Word. And it has been the most incredible season of our lives!

Most of us complain that we don't have enough time to really pray, seek God, or study His Word. But very few of us ever consider giving up the selfish, worldly activites that occupy much of our time - we see them as a "right" we have. I challenge you, as I challenged the girls at our conference, to consider a pattern shift in this area of your life. Instead of finding a "counterfeit" joy and fulfillment in movies and entertainment, search for true joy in an intimate relationship with Christ - and I guarantee you will not be disappointed!

As Kelly, one of the conferences attendees, wrote, "It is so amazing the ways in which the Lord Jesus has manifested His presence in my life as I have removed all forms of television and movies. I have realized how empty and dry these forms of entertainment were to my spirit. I am just beginning to tap into what it means to be in the fullness of Jesus presence and what joy that truly brings!"

I couldn't agree more. I have no idea what new movies just came out. I haven't been to a Blockbust in almost a year. But today I realized with startling clarity that I don't even miss those things. I've discovered something far better - the adventure of a life fully consumed by Christ.

[Mel here now: Thanks Leslie!! And I totally agree with all of the above! It's not like we're really giving up something that great anyway, for in seeking for the Higher Kingdom, we're actually gaining sooo much more. But the devil doesn't want us to experience the joys of that "higher calling," so....as I shared in prayer meeting this last week, he will do anything he can to keep us overstuffed, bombarded and buried in the things of this world so we wont have time for what truly matters! With God's help, let's not allow him to succeed!]