How Much?

How Much?

1/5/20

How much do you think you are worth to God?  Likewise, how much do you think you are worth to Satan?  When we think about these questions we must consider how much time we spend with each leader then we can come up with an accurate amount of both sides.  It is a given that whichever kingdom we feed will be the one that rules our time but both kingdoms are fighting for your eternity.  God has placed it in our lives to seek to worship and Satan has jumped onboard as well tempting us with his quotes of lies.  God’s establishment is always pure and unadulterated, so which way do we wish to go?  All of these thoughts and plans can be determined in a single direction and since we all wish to be worthy to others doesn’t it seem like we should always choose the high ground?  God continually looks to restore us in every way possible but in order for Him to do that we must turn full to Him alone and walk under the eternal Covenant of His Son’s blood.

I told my wife a few years back that when I heard some old nursery rhymes and Christmas songs that I had problems with some of them.  While their tunes are catchy, have a good beat to them and seem harmless, they are not at all and actually devastating to human stability when dealing with relationships.  “Winter Wonderland” is one of the first ones I think about that falls into this category because a part of its lyrics asks if the person is married, the person says no but the added response is that the person asking can do the job when they are in town.  That phrase demeans the sanctity of a true relationship and allows people to sell themselves short in truth according to togetherness and being one with each other at all times.  Also, if one places this song into the context of how many people regard intimate relationships this type of setting has become popular and the way that people should look at relationships, only part-time and when it is conveniently acceptable.  We have cheapened ourselves in the name of pleasure and popularity and while the world promotes this type of commitment as normal, it is devastating to one’s completeness and factors into the disruptive functionality of humans.

The song that God wants to deal with today for this article is another popular one that many of us sang over and over when we were young.  Now, I understand that most of the younger generations may not have heard this song before because many of the older songs that were written decades ago are not sang today, in fact, not many songs are sung in the capacity that we had a long time ago.  The song here is “How Much Is That Doggie In The Window?” a very popular song that I sang countless times with my mother when I was very young.  The words of the song are very friendly and warming and at the time that they were written, it was popular to have pet stores in many cities that would place animals in the store window to show off the pet’s qualities as being friendly, all to sell the animal to a good home of course.  Today, we have countless opportunities to purchase animals from the local areas, with some of these options being good ones but some being factories that do more harm than good.  So how does this old children’s song come into contact with puppy mills of today and why should we be warned from such an innocent song?  I am glad you asked for it is the modern technological advances that bring things into play.

When the lyrics of this song were written there was no internet, no cell phones, and no instant media connections between people in your town or around the world.  It was a time, where not everyone had phones or televisions for it, was not too much earlier that air conditioners and freezers were made popular.  Today, we have technology running out of our ears and if someone does not have an up-to-date communication device on them at all times they cannot function “properly”, a condition that many cannot function in without.  The lyrics to this song, as stated above, is simple and clear and are meant to stay that way but because of the way humans have allowed themselves to become publicized, these words actually open a door to our lives that can prove to be deadly; most people do not understand this truth either, it should serve as a warning to those who have heard this song and sang it too.

The question is asked about how much a puppy dog is which seems harmless enough for unless there is a price tag visible it would seem logical to ask people how much something is when they are interested in purchasing it.  The lyrics also state that it is a dog with the “waggly tail” which is a selling point because it means the dog is excited to see you and is happy and friendly around people, especially children.  I know this to be true because it was a specific characteristic that I was looking for when I bought my Pomeranian “Bear” so many years ago.  He was the fattest, happiest one of the bunch and he was going to be mine and was until the evening he took his last breath.  The last detail here for this song is that the dog is in a window on display for everyone to see and whoever wanted to go into the store and become acquainted with it could do so.  This type of marketing was introduced a long time ago and has been very effective in its technique to entice buyers; it is still in use today and thriving well even though some of the methods of displaying and selling items have changed.

Romans 12:1-2

“I Beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”

Do we realize that with all of the modern-day technological instruments that are available to us, we can be placed into the same category as the dog in the window for sale in this children’s song?  The increase in the opportunities for corruption and the selling of humans has skyrocketed ever since this form of modern communications has been on the market, but even if people do not have any intention of harming others with this type of technology, the fact remains that there are numerous opportunities to sell themselves to others.  A couple of decades ago the term “sexting” was not even in our vocabulary much less a common word that many uses without cause or reason today.  But the internet provides many avenues of this type of behavior and it has become a billion-dollar platform in which people sell themselves for sex.  Sex is the most intimate connection males and females have toward each other but if you sell yourself to another or countless others in a single night or repeated nights, what value do you have to offer in the future?  Even more concerning, is that spouses have now joined the confines of such actions inflicting inner divisions within their intimate relationships with their husband or wife.  It may seem a bit far-fetched to believe that someone sitting in front of a screen can entice another person enough for them to seek pleasure without their spouses but it occurs every day and night and continues to grow in such a light.

Why is this process a big deal if everyone involved is in agreement to do such an act?  It does not matter if all involved or not wish to display them in a sexual manner for it gives you the opportunity to sit behind a screen and allow other people to view you to see all that you have.  They then count the cost of your value and make comments or pay money to see more or less, with some subscribing to you for a monthly or yearly price.  That, readers of this article is called prostitution for you know that each person that wishes to view you has one goal in mind and that is to get them off sexually.  In other words, I am willing to pay the asking price for that doggie in the window.  This type of behavior is addicting to both sides and parties involved for as the person who pays to see and to experience you knows, you will be back to fulfill your commitment as well.  It is this type of “safe” prostitution that many do not understand how it affects lives, the mental and emotional adhesions to other people sexually being charged has long term consequences that will come into play at some time down the road when a spouse wishes to have intimate relations, where will the mind and heart be when this time arrives?  Will it be faked or lied about in order to keep the status quo intact?  When one stops and thinks about what occurs there really is no other comparable setting that describes such condition then selling yourself for money and sex; also known as being a prostitute.

Furthermore, what is more dangerous, is the fact that ideas from both parties are enhanced to make things more exciting or creative which means that there will be more in-depth ways performed in order to continue the excitement already achieved.  When things reach this platform and stage, there is no stopping either side from aggressively projecting their intentions to keep you for themselves.  This type of selling does not stop here either, it has provoked the human curiosity into believing that we can dress in such a manner and receive the same confidence screens give us.  Look at what is now acceptable as dress fashion and how much it reveals about the human body.  There is not much left to the imagination especially during the warmer months of the year, how holy can we be if everyone knows what your body looks like?  More importantly, what do you have to offer someone if you have exposed your body to as many people as possible?  Once you give your body away to someone you are connected as one with that person, then you leave or add others to the “mix” and it is no wonder that no one can stay together anymore because when you start out with only 10% availability to give, there is not much chance of total commitment on both sides being accomplished.

There is nothing more devastating than human lust for one another because it opens the door for so many other commandments to be broken.  I am not saying that everyone should go out and throw away your computers and phones, modern technology is a good thing and it can be used for good if the heart stays pure.  While personal convenience has dramatically increased with such modern advances so too has other areas of seduction that we have allowed to ride along on the tails of such advances.  This process of selling oneself does not stop with sex, for it occupies our hearts on numerous levels and will cause just as much or even greater damage as the aforementioned scenario does.  This is not the standard in which our bodies and spirits were created, but a diseased imitation that is proclaimed to us that since it is pleasing to be in such touch with others that it is okay to live in this state.  Think about this for a moment ladies and gentlemen, God Created us in a perfect and complete state and since God cannot change His Ways it is His Standard by which we should live forever.  So naturally, our enemy will do everything possible to contaminate this purity and holiness and the best way to do this is to interrupt the holy connection between God and mankind.

The passage for this article demonstrates this holy creation and characteristic status that we have had from the beginning and we could not correctly state that we have an enemy if he did not do his best to change this pattern.  Remember, that Satan hates God and everything that He stands for which includes you and I.  The passage in Romans used here clearly states that our bodies are a temple, a temple that God dwells in.  This means that it is the place where God lives which means your spirit and body were Created for the inhabitance of God.  God is a Holy and complete God in all areas and must be around identical settings, so if your heart and spirit are not in alignment with His Ways He must leave until things are made correct.  This means you must live in a complete state as God Created you, not as some imitation and torn up rag doll the world has shaped, this is an abomination to God and to His handiwork.  To put it plain English, if your body is not fulfilling its Created purpose it means that your spirit is filled with the presence of Baal.

The world’s weight in equality cannot lift anyone up it can only bring them down and when a person who is created for a specific purpose is brought down they no longer can function as they were meant.  What patterns can we expect to see if God does not live and reign in our spirit?  The world will call its rule and reign in our spirit popularity and urban acceptance but God calls it sin because the world cannot be with God on any level.  When God is present within our temple, His presence and light continually grows and weeds out any blemish that the world has been given room, the same occurs when we allow the world to rule it will replace God completely and diminish His eternal presence within our lives, only to promote a death culture dressed up as a popular caricature.  God understands that the main address of this article’s content has been about sex, but God also knows what breeds within our hearts and we deem as important.  But we cannot forget that anything we allow to become an idol in our spirit infiltrates our temple space.  Whether it be cars, money, gambling, sex, extravagant houses, fast cars or old classic movies, or anything else those objects can and will become idols that cheapen our lives and divide our completeness with our Creator.  So, how are you dressed, Church?

How do we present ourselves to the world that we are supposed to be winning for Christ?  Are we dressing up our physical linings and presenting ourselves to the world as a behind the scenes prostitution ring?  You bet we are a bunch of broken souls that need help but we should be in the business of telling and showing those who have no clue about God and His Son not sitting in a window pretending to be Christians.  There is no difference than a person sitting in front of a camera and stripping to numerous men and women than what we do sitting in the pews of a church building and not doing one thing to win even one person to Christ.  See, if a person sells their bodies for money it is easy for us to say that Baal lives within their temple, but why is it so difficult for us to recognize this same spirit that lives in those who supposedly call themselves Christians?  Examine your hearts Church and allow God to show you all of the blackened and diseased areas that exist within our temple, and then allow Him to properly and eternally clean out our temple so that He may dwell in it once again.  Who are you selling yourself to and to which kingdom leader are you moving toward?

We cannot afford to fall into the window setting doggy style Church.  As we watch our nation fall into the deeper clutches of Satan and the kingdom he holds, we must be the light that provides such an alternative that makes a true difference in people’s lives.  People are dying in sin every single day and after taking their last breath waking up in the throne room of God wondering why they had not listened.  The reason many did not listen, is because our voices were muffled and in some cases silenced completely.  This is sin on our part.  We have the authority to cut into the darkness and to shine the Light of Jesus and to expose these divisive measures of torment that the world tells us is natural.  You are one of a kind; holy, fit and pure in God’s eyes so why do we continue to devalue our lives in the name of pleasure and acceptance.  A temple is a place of worship and whoever resides in your temple is indicative of who you worship, there cannot be two masters.  Our bodies, minds, souls, and spirits do not follow state community property laws, we are either on one side or the other.  Dogs are wonderful but I have no intentions of becoming one sitting behind a window and to allow myself be sold short of what I was created to do, are you with God Church?

DLB